Center Street, 2015
Bear Lake’s story
164 years in pictures
Census counts: 154 in 1880, a peak of 313 in 1890, 148 in 2020. The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2015 and a map from 1983 on.
- 1862Bear Lake is settled
Bear LakePA
A town of 141, settled in 1862.
2 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Adam Moss from East Amherst, New York, United States · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
141
2025 Census estimate · −4.7% since 2020
Median home value
$70K
Census ACS
Household income
$39K
median
Median age
46.5
years
Jobs based here
26
A commuter town
Is Bear Lake a good place to live?
Bear Lake’s median household income is $39,000, where Pennsylvania’s towns sit at $81,000 and U.S. towns at $80,000. Bear Lake has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
141 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Freehold TownshipColumbus TownshipBear Lake
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Bear Lake: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Bear Lake, and how to reach them.
PowerWarren Electric CoopEIAHIFLD · EIA
Internet1 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Bear Lake’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Pennsylvania you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person until 15 days before Election Day, or by mail (received 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereWarren County Board of ElectionsWarren County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code1640216402 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Bear Lake.
Work & commute
With 0.5 jobs for every working resident, most of Bear Lake’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Bear Lake for work: only 2% work in town. Since 2013, Bear Lake has added 24 jobs, to 26 in 2023. 12% of Bear Lake residents live below the poverty line, above both Pennsylvania’s towns (7.6%) and U.S. towns (9.6%).
2%work in town
| Bear Lake | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 12% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 2% | 6.3% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 27 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Bear Lake2%
Corry20%
Warren14%
Erie6%
Pittsburgh6%
21 mi
median commute distance
26
jobs based in Bear Lake
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
A typical July afternoon in Bear Lake is cooler than in most of Pennsylvania or the rest of the country
Bear Lake’s July high is 79°F. Bear Lake has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers.
225″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter18–34°
Spring33–56°
Summer55–78°
Fall40–59°
Sep 30
typical first frost
May 22
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
More of Bear Lake’s adults have high blood pressure than in the typical Pennsylvania or U.S. town
40% of adults have high blood pressure in Bear Lake. Bear Lake beats the Pennsylvania average on 0 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 9. 13% of adults have diabetes in Bear Lake.
| Bear Lake | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 17% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 34% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 14% | 14% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 38% | 36% |
26 measures vs. Pennsylvania
0 better17 too close to call9 worse
| What stands out | Bear Lake | PA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 10.6% | 7.7% |
| More adults with heart disease | 9.6% | 7.4% |
| More adults with arthritis | 38.9% | 30.4% |
Lecom Health Corry Memorial Hospital
7 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: dental
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Bear Lake faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 60% of U.S. communities.
60risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingStrong wind
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Nearby attractions
All 22 attractions →Chautauqua Lake and 13 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Bear Lake. Close and well known come first.
13 mi LakeChautauqua Lake
28 mi DamKinzua Dam
34 mi National forestAllegheny National Forest
25 mi LandmarkFort Le Boeuf
33 mi State parkPresque Isle State Park35 mi Theme parkWaldameer ParkSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Chautauqua Lake: Banderas, Public domain · Kinzua Dam: Niagara, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Allegheny National Forest: IvoShandor, CC BY 2.5 · Fort Le Boeuf: Charles M. Stotz ?, Public domain · Presque Isle State Park: Ruhrfisch, CC BY-SA 3.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Bear Lake
16pages on Bear Lake
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Bear Lake
About 0 of every 100 Bear Lake residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Pennsylvania.
A commuter town
98% of working residents leave Bear Lake for work
Where Bear Lake’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
26jobs based in Bear Lake
2%of working residents work in town
21 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Bear Lake
Borough in Pennsylvania, US
Bear Lake is a borough in Warren County, Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2020 census, Bear Lake had a population of 148.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1887
- Area
- 0.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,552 ft
- ZIP code
- 16402
Questions about Bear Lake
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Bear Lake, PA a good place to live?
Bear Lake has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.