Is Ellwood City, PA a Good Place to Live?
Ellwood City is a small town of 7,684 in Pennsylvania, with a median household income of $57,325 and a 5.3% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 92 (US average = 100), which is 8% below the national average.
Strengths: Ellwood City stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B), short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Ellwood City is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Ellwood City city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 92.0Ellwood City's overall cost of living index is 92.0, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Ellwood City costs roughly 8% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Ellwood City, PA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $116,100 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $792 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 69.8% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $57,325 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeEllwood City's violent crime rate is 94.6 per 100,000 residents — 75% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Ellwood City is served primarily by Ellwood City Area SD. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.3:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Ellwood City, PA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Ellwood City Area SD | — |
| Elementary Schools | 2 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 12.3:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 20.1% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 92.4% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Ellwood City sees average highs of 35.9°F in January and 83.1°F in July, with 40.3 inches of annual precipitation and 27.5 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Ellwood City, PA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 35.9°F |
| Average High — July | 83.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 27.5" |
Demographics
| Metric | Ellwood City, PA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 7,684 | — |
| Median Age | 45.4 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.3% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 24.3 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 96.0% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 2.1% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1.1% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 17.4% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 21.0% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Ellwood City
Ellwood City, PA is covered by 1 ZIP code: