Median Income
$44,519
household / year
Median Home Value
$135,000
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$675
gross / month
Cost of Living
92
national avg = 100

Is Somerset, PA a Good Place to Live?

Somerset is a small town of 6,030 in Pennsylvania, with a median household income of $44,519 and a 4.1% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 92 (US average = 100), which is 8% below the national average.

Strengths: Somerset stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A-), short average commutes.

Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Somerset is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Somerset 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: 91.5

Somerset's overall cost of living index is 91.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Somerset costs roughly 8% less than the average American city.

Metric Somerset, PA National Avg
Median Home Value $135,000 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $675 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 55.4% 65.9%
Median Household Income $44,519 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Somerset's violent crime rate is 358.9 per 100,000 residents — 6% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
358.9 /100k
Property Crime
444.3 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Somerset is served primarily by Somerset Area SD. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.2:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Somerset, PA National Avg
School District Somerset Area SD —
Elementary Schools 2 —
Middle Schools N/A —
High Schools 1 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 12.2:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 29.1% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 88.2% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Somerset sees average highs of 31.8°F in January and 76.9°F in July, with 47.1 inches of annual precipitation and 96.2 inches of snow per year.

MetricSomerset, PA
Average High — January31.8°F
Average High — July76.9°F
Annual Precipitation47.1"
Annual Snowfall96.2"

Demographics

MetricSomerset, PANational Avg
Population6,030—
Median Age43.838.9
Unemployment Rate4.1%3.7%
Avg Commute Time16.9 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)96.4%59.3%
Black or African American0.1%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino1.3%18.9%
Asian0.0%6.3%
Under 1818.0%22.2%
65 and over23.6%16.8%

Nearby Cities

ZIP Codes in Somerset

Somerset, PA is covered by 1 ZIP code:

Somerset vs Other Cities

Frequently Asked Questions

Somerset's cost of living index is 92, where 100 is the national average. That makes Somerset roughly 8% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $135,000 and median rent is $675/month.
Somerset's violent crime rate is 358.9 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 444.3 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Somerset are operated by Somerset Area SD. The district has 2 elementary, several middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.2:1. 29.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Somerset, PA has a population of 6,030, a median household income of $44,519, and an unemployment rate of 4.1%. 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.
Somerset averages 31.8°F in January and 76.9°F in July. Annual rainfall is 47.1 inches with about 96.2 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Somerset, PA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 15501.
The population of Somerset, Pennsylvania is 6,030 with a median age of 43.8. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Somerset: cost of living index 92 (100 = US average), median home $135,000, median household income $44,519, crime index 65 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated A-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Somerset side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.