Median Income
$63,333
household / year
Median Home Value
$74,700
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$838
gross / month
Cost of Living
90
national avg = 100

Is Ernest, PA a Good Place to Live?

Ernest is a small town of 381 in Pennsylvania, with a median household income of $63,333 and a 6.0% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 90 (US average = 100), which is 10% below the national average.

Strengths: Ernest stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Ernest is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Ernest 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: 90.3

Ernest's overall cost of living index is 90.3, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Ernest costs roughly 10% less than the average American city.

Metric Ernest, PA National Avg
Median Home Value $74,700 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $838 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 70.9% 65.9%
Median Household Income $63,333 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Crime data for Ernest is not currently available from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program. Not all local agencies report to the UCR each year.

Schools & Education

Metric Ernest, PA National Avg
School District N/A —
Elementary Schools N/A —
Middle Schools N/A —
High Schools N/A —
Student/Teacher Ratio N/A 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 28.8% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 92.8% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Ernest sees average highs of 35.8°F in January and 82.5°F in July, with 47.9 inches of annual precipitation and 45.8 inches of snow per year.

MetricErnest, PA
Average High — January35.8°F
Average High — July82.5°F
Annual Precipitation47.9"
Annual Snowfall45.8"

Demographics

MetricErnest, PANational Avg
Population381—
Median Age38.138.9
Unemployment Rate6.0%3.7%
Avg Commute Time22.1 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)94.0%59.3%
Black or African American0.0%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino0.0%18.9%
Asian0.0%6.3%
Under 1821.0%22.2%
65 and over15.5%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Creekside, PA 1 mi Chevy Chase Heights, PA 3 mi Indiana, PA 4 mi Atwood, PA 7 mi Shelocta, PA 7 mi

ZIP Codes in Ernest

Ernest, PA is covered by 1 ZIP code:

15739

Ernest vs Other Cities

Ernest, PA vs Creekside, PA Ernest, PA vs Chevy Chase Heights, PA Ernest, PA vs Indiana, PA Ernest, PA vs Atwood, PA Ernest, PA vs Shelocta, PA

Frequently Asked Questions

Ernest's cost of living index is 90, where 100 is the national average. That makes Ernest roughly 10% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $74,700 and median rent is $838/month.
Crime data for Ernest is not available in the current FBI UCR reporting year. Not all jurisdictions submit data annually.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Ernest, PA has a population of 381, a median household income of $63,333, and an unemployment rate of 6.0%. It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Ernest averages 35.8°F in January and 82.5°F in July. Annual rainfall is 47.9 inches with about 45.8 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Ernest, PA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 15739.
The population of Ernest, Pennsylvania is 381 with a median age of 38.1. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Ernest: cost of living index 90 (100 = US average), median home $74,700, median household income $63,333. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Ernest side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.