Meadville is a small city of 12,929 in Pennsylvania, with a median household income of $46,157
and a 6.9% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 94 (US average = 100), which is
6% below the national average.
Strengths:
Meadville 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 Meadville is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Meadville 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: 93.5
Meadville's overall cost of living index is 93.5,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Meadville costs roughly 6% less than the average American city.
Metric
Meadville, PA
National Avg
Median Home Value
$136,200
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$865
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
35.3%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$46,157
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Safer than Average
Meadville's violent crime rate is 403.2 per 100,000 residents
— 6% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
403.2 /100k
Property Crime
1532.0 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Meadville is served primarily by Crawford Central SD.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.9:1
(better than the national average of ~16:1).
Metric
Meadville, PA
National Avg
School District
Crawford Central SD
—
Elementary Schools
5
—
Middle Schools
1
—
High Schools
2
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
12.9:1
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
24.9%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
92.8%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Meadville sees average highs of 32.5°F in January
and 80.4°F in July,
with 41.4 inches of annual precipitation
and 64.0 inches of snow per year.
Meadville's cost of living index is 94, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Meadville roughly 6% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $136,200 and median rent is $865/month.
Meadville's violent crime rate is 403.2 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1532.0 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Meadville are operated by Crawford Central SD.
The district has 5 elementary, 1 middle, and 2 high schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.9:1. 24.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Meadville, PA has a population of 12,929, a median household income of $46,157, and an unemployment rate of 6.9%.
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.
Meadville averages 32.5°F in January and 80.4°F in July. Annual rainfall is 41.4 inches
with about 64.0 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Meadville, PA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 16335.
The population of Meadville, Pennsylvania is 12,929 with a median age of 35.7. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Meadville: cost of living index 94 (100 = US average), median home $136,200, median household income $46,157, crime index 93 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Meadville side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
