City profile · Pennsylvania · Census ACS 2023

Johnstown, PA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Johnstown - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

18,245
Residents
$34,784
Median income
$42,100
Median home
$1,035
Median rent (state)

Johnstown - the verdict

Johnstown ranks in the 4th percentile for household income and the 13th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

4th
percentile, household income
0th
percentile, home value
23rd
percentile, median rent
13th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Johnstown, PA

18,245 people live in Johnstown, Pennsylvania - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Johnstown brings in $34,784 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 26.1%. Typical homes in Johnstown are valued around $42,100, and the median resident age is 45.4 years. About 14.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 49.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 0 residential units authorized here in 2024 (No Permits). Johnstown's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 3220.7 crimes per 100,000 residents, above the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

Pennsylvania tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: the state registers 97.6 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Near Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,035 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $260 across Pennsylvania, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Commute times here average 19.7 minutes, with 68.5% driving alone and 9.2% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 76.4 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (High).

Population

18,245 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Pennsylvania

Median Household Income

$34,784 /yr

Poverty 26.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

97.6 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Pennsylvania average

How does Johnstown compare to other US cities?

Where Johnstown sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 4% higher than other cities
Home value 0% pricier than other cities
Median rent 23% pricier than other cities
Safety 13% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Pennsylvania alone, Johnstown ranks #386 of 402 Pennsylvania cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Johnstown against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Pennsylvania only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Pennsylvania-relative analysis

Median Home Value places Johnstown near the bottom of Pennsylvania's cities

Among the 1,790 Pennsylvania cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Johnstown ranks #1,781 - the 1st percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Johnstown only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#1,732 of 1,765
2nd percentile in Pennsylvania
Median Gross Rent
#1,324 of 1,865
26th percentile in Pennsylvania
Median Home Value
#1,781 of 1,790
1st percentile in Pennsylvania
Poverty Rate
#84 of 1,856
95th percentile in Pennsylvania
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#1,344 of 1,861
27th percentile in Pennsylvania

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Pennsylvania only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

4thIncome percentile
13thSafety percentile

4th percentile nationally for median household income · 13th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Johnstown's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Johnstown's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 35 Avg. percentile National median
Johnstown's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Johnstown's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$42,100 Among the most affordable more affordable than 100% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). This entry sits in this band. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Above this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Johnstown $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Johnstown, PA Johnstown, PA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Johnstown, PA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Johnstown, PA median $34,784/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Johnstown, PA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Johnstown, PA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 14.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 26.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 49.5%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
18,245
Median Income
$34,784
Median Home Value
$42,100
Median Age
45.4
Poverty Rate
26.1%
Labor force participation
49.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
14.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3220.7
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
586.5
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2634.2
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
15
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
17,500 residents18,000 residents18,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 18,368 residents 17,654 residents ▼ -3.9%
Johnstown's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

Total Permits (2024)
0
housing units authorized
Single-Family
0
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 0
2020 0
2021 0
2022 0
2023 0
2024 0

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
19.7 minutes
Drive Alone
68.5%
Carpool
7.4%
Public Transit
4.9%
Walk
7.2%
Work from Home
9.2%
Other
2.8%

Based on 7,071 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Pennsylvania - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$120
avg/month
Natural Gas
$88
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$52
avg/month
Total Utilities
$260
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Pennsylvania state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Pennsylvania state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Johnstown sits in

Cost of Living Index
97.6
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,035/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
76.4 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Pennsylvania

Colonial Park
18,125 people
Lansdale
18,865 people
McKeesport
17,520 people
Phoenixville
19,062 people
West Chester
19,235 people
West Mifflin
19,338 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Johnstown's 18,245 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Somerset, MA
18,246 people
Sycamore, IL
18,243 people
Trenton, MI
18,242 people
San Carlos Park, FL
18,252 people
Franklin Park, IL
18,233 people
Shenandoah, LA
18,259 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Johnstown's $34,784 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

McNeil, AR
$34,792 median income
Hopkins Park, IL
$34,792 median income
Holly Hill, SC
$34,792 median income
Nordheim, TX
$34,795 median income
Exmore, VA
$34,773 median income
Newark, AR
$34,770 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Johnstown, PA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Johnstown, PA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 71.5% 15.5% 10.9% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 5.5% White 71.5% Black or African American 15.5% Asian 0.4% American Indian 0.4% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.4% Two or more races 10.9% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Johnstown compares to nearby Pennsylvania cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Johnstown (this city) 18,245 $34,784
Colonial Park 18,125 $69,804
Lansdale 18,865 $86,460
McKeesport 17,520 $31,854
Census ACS 5-year FIPS PA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Johnstown, PA?

What is the population of Johnstown, PA? +

The population of Johnstown, PA stands at 18,245 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Johnstown, PA? +

Median annual household income in Johnstown runs $34,784, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Johnstown? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Johnstown; the closest available measure is the Pennsylvania state average, a cost of living index of 97.6 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Pennsylvania vary by metro area.

Is Johnstown, PA safe? +

Johnstown has a total crime rate of 3220.7 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Johnstown, PA? +

Johnstown's median home value sits at $42,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.