Is St. Marys, PA a Good Place to Live?
St. Marys is a small city of 12,691 in Pennsylvania, with a median household income of $61,364 and a 9.1% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 92 (US average = 100), which is 8% below the national average.
Strengths: St. Marys 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 St. Marys is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All St. Marys 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: 92.3St. Marys's overall cost of living index is 92.3, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in St. Marys costs roughly 8% less than the average American city.
| Metric | St. Marys, PA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $140,100 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $725 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 76.1% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $61,364 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Crime data for St. Marys is not currently available from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program. Not all local agencies report to the UCR each year.
Schools & Education
St. Marys is served primarily by Saint Marys Area SD. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.6:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | St. Marys, PA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Saint Marys Area SD | — |
| Elementary Schools | 2 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 13.6:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 19.6% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 93.8% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
St. Marys sees average highs of 30.5°F in January and 78.5°F in July, with 45.0 inches of annual precipitation and 66.0 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | St. Marys, PA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 30.5°F |
| Average High — July | 78.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 45.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 66.0" |
Demographics
| Metric | St. Marys, PA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,691 | — |
| Median Age | 50.5 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 9.1% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 12.5 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 94.6% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 1.3% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 3.3% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.4% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 17.3% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 25.9% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in St. Marys
St. Marys, PA is covered by 1 ZIP code: