City profile · Pennsylvania · Census ACS 2023

Sandy Lake, PA

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

752
Residents
$67,292
Median income
$165,800
Median home
$996
Median rent (state)

Sandy Lake - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Sandy Lake places in the 46th percentile for household income and the 79th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

46th
percentile, household income
32nd
percentile, home value
19th
percentile, median rent
79th
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: Sandy Lake, PA

Pennsylvania's Sandy Lake is a small town, with 752 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Sandy Lake brings in $67,292 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 11.4%. Typical homes in Sandy Lake are valued around $165,800, and the median resident age is 31.9 years. Educational attainment runs 46.4% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 70.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 0 residential units authorized here in 2024 (No Permits), down 100% from five years earlier. Sandy Lake reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 636.9 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Pennsylvania tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Pennsylvania scores 97.6 (Near Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $996 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $260 across Pennsylvania, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 77.7 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (High).

Population

752 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Pennsylvania

Median Household Income

$67,292 /yr

Poverty 11.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

97.6 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Pennsylvania average

How does Sandy Lake compare to other US cities?

Here's how Sandy Lake stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 46% higher than other cities
Home value 32% pricier than other cities
Median rent 19% pricier than other cities
Safety 79% 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, Sandy Lake ranks #141 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 Sandy Lake against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Pennsylvania only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Pennsylvania-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher places Sandy Lake toward the top of Pennsylvania's cities

Among the 1,861 Pennsylvania cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Sandy Lake ranks #198 - the 89th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Sandy Lake only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#881 of 1,765
50th percentile in Pennsylvania
Median Gross Rent
#1,521 of 1,865
17th percentile in Pennsylvania
Median Home Value
#914 of 1,790
49th percentile in Pennsylvania
Poverty Rate
#485 of 1,856
74th percentile in Pennsylvania
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#198 of 1,861
89th 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.

46thIncome percentile
79thSafety percentile

46th percentile nationally for median household income · 79th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Sandy Lake's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Sandy Lake'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 67 Avg. percentile National median
Sandy Lake'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 Sandy Lake's home value compares nationally

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

$165,800 Among the most affordable more affordable than 68% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Sandy Lake $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 - Sandy Lake, PA Sandy Lake, PA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Sandy Lake, 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 Sandy Lake, PA median $67,292/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%
Sandy Lake, 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 Sandy Lake, PA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 46.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 11.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 70.5%

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

Population
752
Median Income
$67,292
Median Home Value
$165,800
Median Age
31.9
Poverty Rate
11.4%
Labor force participation
70.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
46.4%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
636.9
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
0.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
636.9
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.

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
620 residents630 residents640 residents650 residents 202020212022202320242025 647 residents 624 residents ▼ -3.6%
Sandy Lake'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 1
2020 0
2021 0
2022 0
2023 0
2024 0

Permit volume decreased 100% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
78.9%
Carpool
13.5%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.2%
Work from Home
5.7%
Other
1.7%

Based on 421 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 Sandy Lake sits in

Cost of Living Index
97.6
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$996/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
77.7 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Pennsylvania

Union Deposit
751 people
Chalfant
750 people
Port Royal
754 people
Sligo
750 people
Wiconsico
750 people
East Prospect
755 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Sandy Lake's 752 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Munds Park, AZ
752 people
Tumbling Shoals, AR
752 people
Heritage Bay, FL
752 people
Shellsburg, IA
752 people
La Center, KY
752 people
Upper Marlboro, MD
752 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Sandy Lake's $67,292 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Danville, GA
$67,292 median income
Montrose, GA
$67,292 median income
Collins, IA
$67,292 median income
Wellsville, KS
$67,292 median income
Vernon, MI
$67,292 median income
Joplin, MT
$67,292 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Sandy Lake, 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 Sandy Lake, PA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 96.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 0.1% White 96.0% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.3% Two or more races 2.7% 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 Sandy Lake 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
Sandy Lake (this city) 752 $67,292
Union Deposit 751 $112,561
Chalfant 750 $58,116
Port Royal 754 $62,232
Census ACS 5-year FIPS PA FBI UCR Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Sandy Lake, PA?

What is the population of Sandy Lake, PA? +

Sandy Lake, PA has a population of 752 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Sandy Lake, PA? +

Median annual household income in Sandy Lake runs $67,292, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Sandy Lake? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Sandy Lake; 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 Sandy Lake, PA safe? +

Sandy Lake has a total crime rate of 636.9 per 100,000 residents, which is below 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 Sandy Lake, PA? +

Homes in Sandy Lake carry a median value of $165,800, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, 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.