The Town FilesThornhurst, Pennsylvania
Township in Lackawanna County · population 1,008 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $210,200
- Household income
- $71,625
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 45 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 45.8
Thornhurst is a township of 1,008 people in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $210,200, close to the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for a vacation home than 95% of Pennsylvania towns, better for families than 87% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Thornhurst ranks
Percentile among Pennsylvania towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Pennsylvania towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Thornhurst is worth $210,200, close to the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $71,625, which is more affordable than 48% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,611 a month. 90.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Thornhurst | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $210,200 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,611 | $996 |
| Median household income | $71,625 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 90.8% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1986 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 21.1% | — |
Who lives in Thornhurst
| People | Thornhurst | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.8 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.8% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 19.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.1% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.3% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 7.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.3% | — |
| Work from home | 15.3% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 37.8 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.6% | 89.0% |
Weather in Thornhurst
July highs average 78.6°F and January lows 15.6°F. About 48.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 45.1 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 164 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Thornhurst since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on June 13, 2018 about 9.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 2, 2018.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 9 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 19, 2011.
Severe weather in Lackawanna County since 1996
Lackawanna County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 30, 2020 | Biological | DR-4506: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3441: Covid-19 |
| November 27, 2018 | Severe Storm | DR-4408: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
| September 12, 2011 | Flood | DR-4030: Tropical Storm Lee |
Jobs and pay in Lackawanna County
Lackawanna County had 98,108 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,720 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Thornhurst itself the ACS puts it at 3.5%.
Towns near Thornhurst
- Clifton, PA5.0 mi · 1,493 people · home $170,300
- Bear Creek, PA5.8 mi · 2,754 people · home $250,200
- Spring Brook, PA6.8 mi · 2,748 people · home $231,100
- Big Bass Lake, PA7.4 mi · 1,337 people · home $204,300
- Pittston, PA8.3 mi · 3,186 people · home $186,500
- Covington, PA8.4 mi · 2,198 people · home $265,700
- Jenkins, PA8.4 mi · 4,283 people · home $213,700
- Tobyhanna, PA8.6 mi · 8,315 people · home $257,900
Thornhurst questions
Is Thornhurst, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Thornhurst scores better for retirees than 56% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 63%. 19.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.8).
How much does a house cost in Thornhurst?
The median owner-occupied home in Thornhurst is valued at $210,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $71,625, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $1,611 a month.
What is the weather like in Thornhurst?
July highs average 78.6°F and January lows 15.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.8 inches of precipitation a year and 45.1 inches of snow.
Does Thornhurst get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Thornhurst since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on June 13, 2018. The typical Pennsylvania town has had 10.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)