City profile · Pennsylvania · Census ACS 2023

Williamsport, PA

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

27,629
Residents
$49,363
Median income
$146,500
Median home
$1,195
Median rent (state)

Williamsport - the verdict

Nationally, Williamsport sits in the 19th percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

19th
percentile, household income
26th
percentile, home value
36th
percentile, median rent
📝 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: Williamsport, PA

Williamsport is a small city in Pennsylvania, home to 27,629 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $49,363 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 18.4%. Williamsport's housing stock carries a median value of $146,500, and the median resident age is 30.9 years. About 26.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 56.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 3 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Building Boom), up 200% from five years earlier. NOAA puts Williamsport's yearly average temperature at 51.2°F with 43.5 inches of precipitation per year and 35.8 inches of snowfall.

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 $1,195 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $260 across Pennsylvania, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Workers in Williamsport report an average commute of 15.4 minutes, with 63.5% driving alone and 10.2% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 79.6 out of 100 (High).

Population

27,629 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Pennsylvania

Median Household Income

$49,363 /yr

Poverty 18.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

97.6 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Pennsylvania average

How does Williamsport compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 19% higher than other cities
Home value 26% pricier than other cities
Median rent 36% pricier than other cities

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

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Williamsport's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Pennsylvania, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

19thIncome percentile

19th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Williamsport's home value compares nationally

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

$146,500 Among the most affordable more affordable than 74% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Williamsport $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 - Williamsport, PA Williamsport, PA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Williamsport, 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 Williamsport, PA median $49,363/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%
Williamsport, 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 Williamsport, PA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 26.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 18.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 56.0%

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

Population
27,629
Median Income
$49,363
Median Home Value
$146,500
Median Age
30.9
Poverty Rate
18.4%
Labor force participation
56.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
26.4%

Climate

Avg Temperature
51.2°F
Annual Precipitation
43.5"
Annual Snowfall
35.8"

Schools

Total Schools
8
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
27,200 residents27,400 residents27,600 residents27,800 residents 202020212022202320242025 27,719 residents 27,384 residents ▼ -1.2%
Williamsport's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
3
housing units authorized
Single-Family
1
detached homes
Multifamily
2
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 1
2020 2
2021 1
2022 43
2023 1
2024 3

Permit volume increased 200% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
15.4 minutes
Drive Alone
63.5%
Carpool
12.7%
Public Transit
4.0%
Walk
7.4%
Work from Home
10.2%
Other
2.2%

Based on 12,459 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 Williamsport sits in

Cost of Living Index
97.6
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,195/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
79.6 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Pennsylvania

Monroeville
28,383 people
Plum
26,873 people
Lebanon
26,600 people
Easton
29,079 people
Hazleton
29,886 people
Drexel Hill
30,015 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Williamsport's 27,629 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Drexel Heights, AZ
27,636 people
West Melbourne, FL
27,643 people
Dodge City, KS
27,652 people
Lochearn, MD
27,591 people
Mount Pleasant, WI
27,694 people
Homewood, AL
27,697 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Williamsport's $49,363 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Fort Madison, IA
$49,359 median income
Zeeland, MI
$49,367 median income
Wallace, NC
$49,358 median income
Eek, AK
$49,375 median income
Hydaburg, AK
$49,375 median income
Magazine, AR
$49,375 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Williamsport, 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 Williamsport, PA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 76.0% 13.5% 8.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 3.5% White 76.0% Black or African American 13.5% Asian 1.2% American Indian 0.8% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.6% Two or more races 8.0% 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 Williamsport 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
Williamsport (this city) 27,629 $49,363
Monroeville 28,383 $78,191
Plum 26,873 $98,475
Lebanon 26,600 $47,439
Census ACS 5-year FIPS PA NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Williamsport, PA?

What is the population of Williamsport, PA? +

The population of Williamsport, PA stands at 27,629 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Median annual household income in Williamsport runs $49,363, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Williamsport? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Williamsport; 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.

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

Williamsport's median home value sits at $146,500, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Williamsport? +

The average annual temperature in Williamsport runs 51.2°F, 43.5 inches of precipitation, and 35.8 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NOAA Climate Normals, 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 Editorial

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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.