The Town FilesYork, Pennsylvania
City in York County · population 44,800 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $119,700
- Household income
- $48,420
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 25 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 18
- Median age
- 34.3
York is a city of 44,800 people in York County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $119,700, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks more walkable than 99% of Pennsylvania towns, more vibrant than 95% of Pennsylvania towns, hipper than 94% of Pennsylvania towns.
How York 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 York is worth $119,700, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $48,420, which is more affordable than 70% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,014 a month. 43.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | York | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $119,700 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,014 | $996 |
| Median household income | $48,420 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 43.7% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1941 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.2% | — |
Who lives in York
| People | York | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.3 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.1% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 23.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.5% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.1% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 4.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 11.1% | — |
| Work from home | 10.7% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 23.1 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.2% | 89.0% |
Weather in York
July highs average 87.7°F and January lows 21.3°F. About 46.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 24.6 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 28 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 120 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of York since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 5, 1952 about 1.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 12, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 47 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on April 9, 1980.
Severe weather in York County since 1996
York County has been included in 21 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 |
| February 6, 2014 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3367: Severe Winter Storm |
Jobs and pay in York County
York County had 182,614 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,427 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in York itself the ACS puts it at 10.7%.
Public schools in York
32 public schools with 19,809 students, about 14.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central York HS | 9-12 | 1,800 | 16.1 |
| William Penn SHS | 9-12 | 1,611 | 16.3 |
| York Academy Regional CS (charter) | K-12 | 1,009 | 16.3 |
| York Suburban SHS | 9-12 | 863 | 12.2 |
| West York Area HS | 9-12 | 860 | 14.1 |
| Central York MS | 7-8 | 859 | 12.6 |
| York Suburban MS | 6-8 | 743 | 13.5 |
| Devers Sch | PK-8 | 693 | 15.4 |
| Hannah Penn | PK-8 | 662 | 12.5 |
| West York Area MS | 6-8 | 646 | 10.9 |
| Ferguson Sch | PK-8 | 632 | 13.7 |
| North Hills El Sch | 4-6 | 628 | 15.3 |
Towns near York
- Spring Garden, PA1.6 mi · 13,683 people · home $258,700
- Grantley, PA1.7 mi · 4,524 people · home $429,400
- West York, PA1.7 mi · 5,094 people · home $123,600
- Valley View, PA1.9 mi · 2,926 people · home $214,800
- Pleasureville, PA2.9 mi · 2,635 people · home $251,300
- Emigsville, PA3.0 mi · 3,563 people · home $228,000
- East York, PA3.0 mi · 9,555 people · home $232,700
- Shiloh, PA3.2 mi · 11,524 people · home $245,600
York questions
Is York, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, York scores better for retirees than 1% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 1%. 13.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.3).
How much does a house cost in York?
The median owner-occupied home in York is valued at $119,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $48,420, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $1,014 a month.
What is the weather like in York?
July highs average 87.7°F and January lows 21.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.5 inches of precipitation a year and 24.6 inches of snow.
Does York get tornadoes?
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of York since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 5, 1952. 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)