Is McDonald, PA a Good Place to Live?
McDonald is a small town of 2,263 in Pennsylvania, with a median household income of $52,768 and a 5.3% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 94 (US average = 100), which is 6% below the national average.
Strengths: McDonald stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B-), short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether McDonald is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All McDonald 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: 94.4McDonald's overall cost of living index is 94.4, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in McDonald costs roughly 6% less than the average American city.
| Metric | McDonald, PA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $137,500 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $926 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 60.1% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $52,768 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Crime data for McDonald is not currently available from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program. Not all local agencies report to the UCR each year.
Schools & Education
McDonald is served primarily by South Fayette Township SD. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.1:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | McDonald, PA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | South Fayette Township SD | — |
| Elementary Schools | 2 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 15.1:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 18.4% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 88.1% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
McDonald sees average highs of 36.3°F in January and 82.9°F in July, with 42.4 inches of annual precipitation and 44.1 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | McDonald, PA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 36.3°F |
| Average High — July | 82.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 42.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 44.1" |
Demographics
| Metric | McDonald, PA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 2,263 | — |
| Median Age | 39.7 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.3% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 24.3 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 93.6% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 1.7% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1.1% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 22.1% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 20.5% | 16.8% |