The Town FilesUpper Saucon, Pennsylvania
Township in Lehigh County · population 16,973 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $461,600
- Household income
- $145,764
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 41 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 16
- Median age
- 43.2
Upper Saucon is a township of 16,973 people in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $461,600, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks more upscale than 93% of Pennsylvania towns, more of a college town than 88% of Pennsylvania towns, better for families than 87% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Upper Saucon 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 Upper Saucon is worth $461,600, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $145,764, which is more affordable than 33% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $2,032 a month. 90.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Upper Saucon | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $461,600 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $2,032 | $996 |
| Median household income | $145,764 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 90.8% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1987 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.7% | — |
Who lives in Upper Saucon
| People | Upper Saucon | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.2 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.3% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 20.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 53.1% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.5% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 6.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.8% | — |
| Work from home | 23.7% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 24.9 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.3% | 89.0% |
Weather in Upper Saucon
July highs average 83.2°F and January lows 19.3°F. About 53.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 41.1 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 14 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 121 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Upper Saucon since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 5, 1984 about 9.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 7, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 50 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on May 29, 2019.
Severe weather in Lehigh County since 1996
Lehigh County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 30, 2020 | Biological | DR-4506: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3441: Covid-19 |
| March 23, 2016 | Snowstorm | DR-4267: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
| September 8, 2011 | Flood | EM-3340: Remnants Of Tropical Storm Lee |
Jobs and pay in Lehigh County
Lehigh County had 200,548 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $70,311 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Upper Saucon itself the ACS puts it at 2.5%.
Public schools in Upper Saucon
3 public schools with 1,908 students, about 15.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Lehigh SHS | 9-12 | 1,014 | 16.6 |
| Southern Lehigh MS | 7-8 | 483 | 14.2 |
| Hopewell El Sch | K-3 | 411 | 15.8 |
Towns near Upper Saucon
- Salisbury, PA4.3 mi · 13,621 people · home $344,700
- Fountain Hill, PA4.5 mi · 4,832 people · home $246,700
- Hellertown, PA4.7 mi · 6,132 people · home $256,200
- Emmaus, PA4.8 mi · 11,652 people · home $266,000
- Allentown, PA5.4 mi · 125,845 people · home $206,600
- Springfield, PA5.6 mi · 5,175 people · home $430,700
- Lower Milford, PA6.1 mi · 3,861 people · home $430,500
- Richland, PA6.2 mi · 13,837 people · home $345,700
Upper Saucon questions
Is Upper Saucon, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Upper Saucon scores better for retirees than 78% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 32%. 20.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.2).
How much does a house cost in Upper Saucon?
The median owner-occupied home in Upper Saucon is valued at $461,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $145,764, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $2,032 a month.
What is the weather like in Upper Saucon?
July highs average 83.2°F and January lows 19.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 53.4 inches of precipitation a year and 41.1 inches of snow.
Does Upper Saucon get tornadoes?
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Upper Saucon since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 5, 1984. 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)