The Town FilesWilliamstown, Pennsylvania
Borough in Dauphin County · population 1,303 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $100,700
- Household income
- $61,757
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 28 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 36.1
Williamstown is a borough of 1,303 people in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $100,700, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks more walkable than 73% of Pennsylvania towns, better for first-time buyers than 73% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Williamstown 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 Williamstown is worth $100,700, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 1.6 times the median household income of $61,757, which is more affordable than 96% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $888 a month. 62.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Williamstown | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $100,700 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $888 | $996 |
| Median household income | $61,757 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.6× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 62.6% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1938 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.6% | — |
Who lives in Williamstown
| People | Williamstown | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.1 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.4% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 28.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11.7% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 22.7% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 4.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.4% | — |
| Work from home | 8.9% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 31.7 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.7% | 89.0% |
Weather in Williamstown
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 28.3 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
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Williamstown since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on September 12, 1953 about 5.1 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 10 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on May 28, 2019.
Severe weather in Dauphin County since 1996
Dauphin County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| 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 |
| March 23, 2016 | Snowstorm | DR-4267: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| January 10, 2013 | Hurricane | DR-4099: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Dauphin County
Dauphin County had 190,296 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $68,012 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Williamstown itself the ACS puts it at 11.7%.
Towns near Williamstown
- Williams, PA1.0 mi · 1,067 people · home $152,000
- Wiconsico, PA3.2 mi · 844 people · home $97,400
- Tower City, PA3.4 mi · 1,419 people · home $114,800
- Hubley, PA4.1 mi · 861 people · home $174,700
- Wiconisco, PA4.3 mi · 1,159 people · home $116,700
- Lykens, PA4.4 mi · 1,873 people · home $107,300
- Gratz, PA5.5 mi · 743 people · home $147,300
- Porter, PA5.7 mi · 2,145 people · home $163,600
Williamstown questions
Is Williamstown, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Williamstown scores better for retirees than 4% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 36%. 16.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.1).
How much does a house cost in Williamstown?
The median owner-occupied home in Williamstown is valued at $100,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $61,757, so homes cost about 1.6 times income. Median rent is $888 a month.
What is the weather like in Williamstown?
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 28.3 inches of snow.
Does Williamstown get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Williamstown 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)