The Town FilesTower City, Pennsylvania
Borough in Schuylkill County · population 1,419 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $114,800
- Household income
- $68,482
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 29 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 41.0
Tower City is a borough of 1,419 people in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $114,800, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks quieter than 77% of Pennsylvania towns, better for first-time buyers than 72% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Tower City 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 Tower City is worth $114,800, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 1.7 times the median household income of $68,482, which is more affordable than 95% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $963 a month. 74.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Tower City | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $114,800 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $963 | $996 |
| Median household income | $68,482 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.7× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 74.4% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1938 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Tower City
| People | Tower City | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.0 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.2% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 22.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.7% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.7% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 5.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.0% | — |
| Work from home | 7.9% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 31.0 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.1% | 89.0% |
Weather in Tower City
July highs average 83.7°F and January lows 20.0°F. About 50.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 28.8 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 14 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 128 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Tower City since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on September 12, 1953 about 4.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 18, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 12 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on May 28, 2019.
Severe weather in Schuylkill County since 1996
Schuylkill County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 10, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4618: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| 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 |
| March 23, 2016 | Snowstorm | DR-4267: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Schuylkill County
Schuylkill County had 50,294 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,134 a year. Unemployment was 4% in 2023; in Tower City itself the ACS puts it at 5.4%.
Public schools in Tower City
2 public schools with 921 students, about 13.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Williams Valley El Sch | K-6 | 488 | 13.2 |
| Williams Valley JSHS | 7-12 | 433 | 13.5 |
Towns near Tower City
- Porter, PA2.4 mi · 2,145 people · home $163,600
- Williamstown, PA3.4 mi · 1,303 people · home $100,700
- Williams, PA4.0 mi · 1,067 people · home $152,000
- Valley View, PA4.2 mi · 1,595 people · home $162,600
- Hegins, PA4.8 mi · 3,337 people · home $197,100
- Hubley, PA4.9 mi · 861 people · home $174,700
- Hegins, PA5.6 mi · 798 people · home $211,300
- Wiconsico, PA6.6 mi · 844 people · home $97,400
Tower City questions
Is Tower City, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Tower City scores better for retirees than 57% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 77%. 22.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.0).
How much does a house cost in Tower City?
The median owner-occupied home in Tower City is valued at $114,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $68,482, so homes cost about 1.7 times income. Median rent is $963 a month.
What is the weather like in Tower City?
July highs average 83.7°F and January lows 20.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.9 inches of precipitation a year and 28.8 inches of snow.
Does Tower City get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Tower City since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on September 12, 1953. 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)