Street, 1940
Coaldale’s story
155 years in pictures
Census counts: 5,154 in 1910, a peak of 6,921 in 1930, 2,432 in 2020. The archive holds 10 old photos and papers going back to 1940 and 8 maps from 1889 on.
- 1871Coaldale is settled
CoaldalePA
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: Shuvaev · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
2,440
2025 Census estimate · +0.1% since 2020
Typical home
$101K
+1% in a year
Household income
$59K
median
Median age
35.2
years
Jobs based here
231
A commuter town
Is Coaldale a good place to live?
Coaldale’s best subject grade is a B+ for cost of living; its weakest is a D for incomes. 22% of residents live below the poverty line in Coaldale, where Pennsylvania’s towns sit at 7.6% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. Only 60 of Pennsylvania’s 1,749 towns score lower on incomes. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 90% of U.S. towns. Coaldale has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Coaldale stand out
Where Coaldale beats most towns.
Natural hazardsA−
Very low risk of storm and flood damage
FEMA National Risk Index.
Typical home value
Coaldale$101K
Pennsylvania$287K
Cost of livingB+
1.5 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 74% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
0historic places
History
Settled in 1871
A long history
A history going back 155 years.
A commuter town
98% of working residents leave Coaldale for work
Where Coaldale’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
231jobs based in Coaldale
2%of working residents work in town
20 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Coaldale grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Pennsylvania), ordered by how far Coaldale is from typical.
Jobs & incomeBased on what households earn, poverty and workDOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 5.4 of 20; 12.6% of households have no car; 0% of workers walk, bike or ride transitDOpen →SchoolsBehind 89% of Pennsylvania districts on tests and graduationDOpen →HealthSt. Luke's Miners Memorial Hospital 0 miles awayC−Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 19% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listA−Open →Cost of livingHomes are easier to afford than in most townsB+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 1% conserved landC+Open →History10 notable people born hereBOpen →Civic life3.6 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsCOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Coaldale: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Coaldale, and how to reach them.
PowerPPL Electric Utilities18.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterLansford Coaldale Jt Water AutNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNearest public drop-offTamaqua Transfer & Recycling, 4 miOpenStreetMap
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 hereSchuylkill County Board of ElectionsSchuylkill County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2021
ZIP code1821818218 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 Coaldale.
HousingCost of living grade B+
Homes in Coaldale are worth about $101K, by Zillow’s estimate
69% of households live in a home they own in Coaldale. The typical rent for Coaldale comes to $843 a month. Values rose 1% in the 12 months to September 2026.
$101KZillow home value
| Coaldale | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $843 a month | $1,115 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 69% | 78% | 73% |
Typical home value
Coaldale$101K
Pennsylvania$287K
+1%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
HealthC−
Residents of Coaldale are less healthy than 85% of U.S. towns
The share of adults in Coaldale who report frequent mental distress: 19%. Two figures for adults here: 41% sleep under 7 hours, 24% say their health is fair or poor.
15%healthier than U.S. townsC−Health Grade
| Coaldale | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 14% | 14% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 38% | 36% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 19% | 19% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 16% | 17% |
26 measures vs. Pennsylvania
0 better14 too close to call12 worse
| What stands out | Coaldale | PA |
|---|---|---|
| More uninsured adults | 9.3% | 5.8% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 21.3% | 14.5% |
| More adults with COPD | 10.9% | 7.7% |
St. Luke's Miners Memorial Hospital
0 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: dental
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A−
Top of a very low hazard risk in Coaldale: inland flooding
Compared with just over four fifths of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage in Coaldale is lower. Of the losses FEMA expects here, 57% come from inland flooding and 11% from cold waves. The national flood insurance program has paid one claim locally since 2006.
19risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesStrong wind
1
paid flood claims since 2006
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D
With only 0.2 jobs per working resident, most people in Coaldale work out of town
Coaldale had 231 jobs in 2023, down 133 from 2013. Commuting out is the norm here: 2% of working residents work locally. For Coaldale, the middle household income is $59,000. Half the trips to work are shorter than 20 miles.
2%work in town
| Coaldale | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 31 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $59,000 | $81,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.6% | 6.3% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Coaldale2%
Tamaqua6%
Hazle Township5%
Rush Township4%
Lehighton3%
20 mi
median commute distance
231
jobs based in Coaldale
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
D
Walkability grade: more walkable than 10% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
The climate in Coaldale brings snowy winters and pleasant summers
The July high in Coaldale is 82°F.
43″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter20–37°
Spring36–58°
Summer58–79°
Fall41–61°
Oct 23
typical first frost
Apr 21
typical last frost
+1.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Safety
In Coaldale, property crime runs lower than in the typical Pennsylvania or U.S. town
Coaldale's reported crime rate is well below Pennsylvania's. No violent crimes were reported in 2023.
| Coaldale | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2023) | 0 per 1,000 residents | 7.6 | 13.1 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2023) | 0 per 1,000 residents | 0.8 | 1.8 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Coaldale0
Pennsylvania2.8
U.S.3.9
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Coaldale0
Pennsylvania16.1
U.S.19.5
0
violent crimes reported in 2023
0
property crimes reported in 2023
FBI crime data, 2023 · crimes reported to police
OutdoorsC+
Conserved land covers 1.1% of Coaldale
Count the trails in 3 parks and preserves and they come to 0.6 miles. Coaldale’s trail network density is 0.3 miles per square mile.
1.1%conserved
| Coaldale | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 1.1% | 8.2% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.3 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
1.1%
conserved · 15 of 1,386 acres
0.6 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Black Diamond Park | 0.1 mi | 6 |
| 2. Ashton Hill Park | 0.1 mi | 3 |
| 3. Coaldale Complex | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 93 attractions →Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom and 35 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Coaldale. Close and well known come first.
26 mi Theme parkDorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom31 mi Theme parkKnoebels Amusement Resort
28 mi Stadium & arenaPPL Center
10 mi MuseumAsa Packer Mansion
24 mi Park & preserveRoadside America
19 mi State parkHickory Run State ParkSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom: Coasterman1234 at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · PPL Center: Hunter Kahn, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Asa Packer Mansion: Chris18240 (talk), Public domain · Roadside America: Mark Fleisher, President and CEO of Aim Advertising in Lewisburg, PA,, Public domain · Hickory Run State Park: Mtruch, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Keep exploring
Everything we know about Coaldale
20pages on Coaldale
The big questions
SchoolsDBehind 89% of PA districtsSafety0 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2023)HealthC−Better than PA on 0 of 26 CDC measuresCost of livingB+$101K typical home · up 1% in a yearWork & commuteD$59K median household income · 231 jobs hereNatural hazardsA−FEMA risk higher than 19% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Coaldale
About 3 of every 100 Coaldale residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Pennsylvania.
Famous people from Coaldale
10 notable people were born in Coaldale.
J
Jerry KnowlesAmerican politician · born 1948G
George WelshAmerican college football coach, player · 1933–2019J
Johnny GildeaAmerican gridiron football player · 1910–1979S
Sean LoveAmerican football player · born 1968About Coaldale
Borough in Pennsylvania, US
Coaldale is a borough in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, United States. Initially settled in 1827, it was incorporated in 1906 from part of the former Rahn Township. The borough is named for the coal industry when it was one of the principal early coal mining centers. Coaldale is in the southern Anthracite Coal region in the Panther Creek Valley, a tributary of the Little Schuylkill River, along which U.S. Route 209 was eventually built between the steep climb up Pisgah Mountain from Nesquehoning to its east and Tamaqua, approximately five miles to its west. The town is virtually joined at the hip to nearby Lansford, to its immediate east; both were founded as company towns on lands owned …
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1871
- Area
- 2.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 968 ft
- ZIP code
- 18218
Coaldale’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Coaldale.
TamaquaCoaldale
How the neighbors grade
Coaldale has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Coaldale reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare Coaldale with a neighbor →
Questions about Coaldale
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Coaldale, PA expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B+.
What is Coaldale, PA known for?
10 notable people were born here, including Harold Parfitt and James H. Gildea.