Median Income
$55,313
household / year
Median Home Value
$194,800
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,144
gross / month
Cost of Living
96
national avg = 100

Is Palmdale, PA a Good Place to Live?

Palmdale is a small town of 1,302 in Pennsylvania, with a median household income of $55,313 and a 6.3% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 96 (US average = 100), which is 4% below the national average.

Strengths: Palmdale stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, a well-educated population.

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

All Palmdale 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: 96.5

Palmdale's overall cost of living index is 96.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Palmdale costs roughly 4% less than the average American city.

Metric Palmdale, PA National Avg
Median Home Value $194,800 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,144 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 50.2% 65.9%
Median Household Income $55,313 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Palmdale's violent crime rate is 172.1 per 100,000 residents — 55% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
172.1 /100k
Property Crime
430.1 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Metric Palmdale, 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 40.3% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 96.1% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Palmdale sees average highs of 37.0°F in January and 84.4°F in July, with 46.4 inches of annual precipitation and 24.0 inches of snow per year.

MetricPalmdale, PA
Average High — January37.0°F
Average High — July84.4°F
Annual Precipitation46.4"
Annual Snowfall24.0"

Demographics

MetricPalmdale, PANational Avg
Population1,302—
Median Age35.838.9
Unemployment Rate6.3%3.7%
Avg Commute Time30.6 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)90.9%59.3%
Black or African American1.1%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino5.3%18.9%
Asian2.2%6.3%
Under 1819.9%22.2%
65 and over13.6%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Hershey, PA 2 mi Palmyra, PA 2 mi Campbelltown, PA 3 mi Union Deposit, PA 3 mi Hummelstown, PA 5 mi

Palmdale vs Other Cities

Palmdale, PA vs Hershey, PA Palmdale, PA vs Palmyra, PA Palmdale, PA vs Campbelltown, PA Palmdale, PA vs Union Deposit, PA Palmdale, PA vs Hummelstown, PA

Frequently Asked Questions

Palmdale's cost of living index is 96, where 100 is the national average. That makes Palmdale roughly 4% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $194,800 and median rent is $1,144/month.
Palmdale's violent crime rate is 172.1 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 430.1 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Palmdale, PA has a population of 1,302, a median household income of $55,313, and an unemployment rate of 6.3%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Palmdale averages 37.0°F in January and 84.4°F in July. Annual rainfall is 46.4 inches with about 24.0 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of Palmdale, Pennsylvania is 1,302 with a median age of 35.8. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Palmdale: cost of living index 96 (100 = US average), median home $194,800, median household income $55,313, crime index 35 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Palmdale side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.