View of Mount Carmel 2 · Jakec / CC BY-SA 4.0View of Mount Carmel 1 · Jakec / CC BY-SA 4.0Mt. Carmel Borough Hall and police station, June 2024 · Mr. Matté (if there is an issue with this image, contact me using this image's Commons talk page, my Commons user talk page, or my English Wikipedia user talk page; I'll know about it a lot faster) / CC BY-SA 4.0Philadelphia and Reading RR Station Mt Carmel PA c 1917 · Unknown authorUnknown author / Public domain
Mount Carmel is a small town of 5,723 in Pennsylvania, with a median household income of $46,375
and a 7.1% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 88 (US average = 100), which is
12% below the national average.
Strengths:
Mount Carmel 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 Mount Carmel is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Mount Carmel 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: 88.5
Mount Carmel's overall cost of living index is 88.5,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Mount Carmel costs roughly 12% less than the average American city.
Metric
Mount Carmel, PA
National Avg
Median Home Value
$60,800
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$762
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
70.3%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$46,375
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Very Safe
Mount Carmel's violent crime rate is 214.1 per 100,000 residents
— 44% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
214.1 /100k
Property Crime
1016.9 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Mount Carmel is served primarily by Mount Carmel Area SD.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 10.7:1
(better than the national average of ~16:1).
Metric
Mount Carmel, PA
National Avg
School District
Mount Carmel Area SD
—
Elementary Schools
1
—
Middle Schools
1
—
High Schools
1
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
10.7:1
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
14.3%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
88.7%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Mount Carmel sees average highs of 34.8°F in January
and 83.7°F in July,
with 48.0 inches of annual precipitation
and 33.5 inches of snow per year.
Mount Carmel's cost of living index is 88, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Mount Carmel roughly 12% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $60,800 and median rent is $762/month.
Mount Carmel's violent crime rate is 214.1 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1016.9 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Mount Carmel are operated by Mount Carmel Area SD.
The district has 1 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 10.7:1. 14.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Mount Carmel, PA has a population of 5,723, a median household income of $46,375, and an unemployment rate of 7.1%.
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.
Mount Carmel averages 34.8°F in January and 83.7°F in July. Annual rainfall is 48.0 inches
with about 33.5 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Mount Carmel, PA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 17851.
The population of Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania is 5,723 with a median age of 42.9. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Mount Carmel: cost of living index 88 (100 = US average), median home $60,800, median household income $46,375, crime index 53 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Mount Carmel side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
