Is West Homestead, PA a Good Place to Live?
West Homestead is a small town of 1,747 in Pennsylvania, with a median household income of $74,545 and a 7.1% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 94 (US average = 100), which is 6% below the national average.
Strengths: West Homestead stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, a well-educated population.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether West Homestead is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All West Homestead 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: 94.4West Homestead's overall cost of living index is 94.4, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in West Homestead costs roughly 6% less than the average American city.
| Metric | West Homestead, PA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $135,100 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,009 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 79.2% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $74,545 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Near National AverageWest Homestead's violent crime rate is 505.1 per 100,000 residents — 33% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
| Metric | West Homestead, 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 | 36.3% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 98.5% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
West Homestead sees average highs of 37.6°F in January and 84.0°F in July, with 40.6 inches of annual precipitation and 25.0 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | West Homestead, PA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 37.6°F |
| Average High — July | 84.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 25.0" |
Demographics
| Metric | West Homestead, PA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,747 | — |
| Median Age | 42.9 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.1% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 27.5 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 76.6% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 8.7% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 8.9% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 15.3% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 21.2% | 16.8% |