Is Lima, PA a Good Place to Live?
Lima is a small town of 2,644 in Pennsylvania, with a median household income of $67,560 and a 15.8% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 104 (US average = 100), which is 4% above the national average.
Strengths: Lima stands out for solid school ratings (A-), a well-educated population.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Lima is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Lima 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: 103.5Lima's overall cost of living index is 103.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Lima costs roughly 4% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Lima, PA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $342,600 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,433 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 37.3% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $67,560 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeLima's violent crime rate is 118.7 per 100,000 residents — 69% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Lima is served primarily by Rose Tree Media SD. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.2:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Lima, PA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Rose Tree Media SD | — |
| Elementary Schools | 4 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 14.2:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 36.5% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 93.4% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Lima sees average highs of 42.9°F in January and 88.8°F in July, with 41.6 inches of annual precipitation and 30.5 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Lima, PA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 42.9°F |
| Average High — July | 88.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 41.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 30.5" |
Demographics
| Metric | Lima, PA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 2,644 | — |
| Median Age | 73.4 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 15.8% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 30.3 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 96.6% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 2.4% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 0.2% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.8% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 11.3% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 57.0% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Lima
Lima, PA is covered by 1 ZIP code: