Mountain House, Cresson.Alternate Title: Purviance’s stereographs, c. 1870
Cresson’s story
172 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1870.
- 1854Cresson is settled
CressonPA
Photo: Nyttend · Public domain
Population
1,465
2025 Census estimate · −3.9% since 2020
Median home value
$132K
Census ACS
Household income
$56K
median
Median age
44.4
years
Jobs based here
759
Balanced
Is Cresson a good place to live?
The best of Cresson’s subject grades are an A for walkability and cost of living; the weakest is a C for incomes. Only 15 of Pennsylvania’s 1,751 towns score higher on hazard risk. Cresson has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Cresson stand out
Where Cresson beats most towns.
Natural hazardsA+
Lower risk than 99% of U.S. communities
Very low risk of storm and flood damage
FEMA National Risk Index.
WalkabilityA
More walkable than 94% of U.S. towns
6.9% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
0historic places
History
Settled in 1854
A long history
A history going back 172 years.
Small town
1,465 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
How Cresson grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Pennsylvania), ordered by how far Cresson is from typical.
Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listA+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 12.8 of 20; 8.5% of households have no carAOpen →Cost of livingAOpen →Jobs & incomeCOpen →HealthUPMC Altoona 10.7 miles awayC+Open →SchoolsB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsConserved land, trails and parksC−Open →History2 notable people born hereB−Open →Civic life3.6 library visits per resident; 4.6 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsCOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateCold winters, 80° summer afternoons, 38″ of snow–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 44.4; 22% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 32 attractions →Flight 93 National Memorial and 19 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Cresson. Close and well known come first.
Big draw30 mi National MemorialFlight 93 National Memorial286K visitors a year
in town National Historic SiteAllegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site163K visitors a year
13 mi DamSouth Fork Dam
10 mi Theme parkLakemont Park
31 mi LakeRaystown Lake
12 mi Ski areaBlue Knob24 runs · 1,007 ft verticalSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Flight 93 National Memorial: James Steakley, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site: Matthew A. Lynn; Original uploader was Mosamiazaz at en.wikipedia, Public domain · South Fork Dam: Ernest Walter Histed, Public domain · Lakemont Park: Bhakta Dano. Original uploader was Oldano at en.wikipedia, Public domain · Raystown Lake: Tex Jobe, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Public domain · Blue Knob: Calzarette, CC BY 3.0
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Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Cresson: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Cresson, and how to reach them.
PowerREA Energy Coop16.1¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCresson Boro Water SysNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Cresson’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 hereCambria County Board of ElectionsCambria County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Oct 2026
ZIP code1663016630 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 Cresson.
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A+
In Cresson, the FEMA risk score runs lower than in the typical Pennsylvania or U.S. town
At 1 of 100, Cresson’s FEMA risk score is below both Pennsylvania’s towns (30 of 100) and U.S. towns (44 of 100). One flood insurance claim has been paid in Cresson since 1994.
1risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
1
paid flood claims since 1994
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
SchoolsB−
Public schools in Cresson beat 52% of Pennsylvania districts
Its public schools are run by Penn Cambria SD. Its two schools are below. The largest public high school is Penn Cambria HS, with 538 students.
52%of PA districts it outscoresB−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Saints Catholic School PrivateLargest elementary schoolGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 75 | – |
| Penn Cambria HSLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 538 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within PA on state tests and graduation
Climate
Cresson has four seasons and pleasant summers
Cresson has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. At 80°F, Cresson’s July high is against 85°F in Pennsylvania’s towns and 85°F across U.S. towns.
38″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter20–36°
Spring36–58°
Summer57–78°
Fall40–60°
Oct 21
typical first frost
Apr 25
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C
Cresson has 1.3 jobs for every working resident, and 720 people commute in
Most working residents leave Cresson for work: only 7% work in town. The median household income in Cresson is $56,000. Jobs based in Cresson fell to 759 in 2023, 125 fewer than in 2013.
7%work in town
| Cresson | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work from home | 6.1% | 12% | 11% |
| Median household income | $56,000 | $81,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 21 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 11% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Cresson7%
Altoona14%
Cresson Township7%
Richland Township5%
Allegheny Township4%
11 mi
median commute distance
759
jobs based in Cresson
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
A
Walkability grade: more walkable than 94% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Safety
Crime reported in Cresson
Cresson's reported crime rate is well below Pennsylvania's. Cresson’s property crime rate is 0.7 per 1,000 residents. Violent crime is rare: 2 reported in 2024.
| Cresson | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2024) | 0.7 per 1,000 residents | 6.8 | 11.5 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2024) | 1.4 per 1,000 residents | 0.8 | 1.7 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Cresson1.4
Pennsylvania2.5
U.S.3.6
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Cresson0.7
Pennsylvania14.7
U.S.17.7
2
violent crimes reported in 2024
1
property crimes reported in 2024
FBI crime data, 2024 · crimes reported to police
HealthC+
On CDC estimates, Cresson is less healthy than 56% of U.S. towns
Cresson beats the Pennsylvania average on 0 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 19% of Cresson adults smoke cigarettes.
44%healthier than U.S. townsC+Health Grade
| Cresson | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 17% | 14% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 38% | 36% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 16% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 24% | 23% |
26 measures vs. Pennsylvania
0 better25 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Cresson | PA |
|---|---|---|
| More smokers | 18.7% | 15.8% |
UPMC Altoona
10.7 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade A
The median home in Cresson sells for about $140K
64% of households own their home in Cresson.
$140Kmedian sale price
| Cresson | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $697 a month | $1,115 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 64% | 78% | 73% |
1
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Cresson
19pages on Cresson
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of Cresson
Mount Aloysius CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Cresson0.8 mi$27,072 tuitionSaint Francis UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Loretto4.1 mi$44,000 tuitionPennsylvania State University-Penn State AltoonaUniversity or college · Public · Altoona10.8 mi$15,972 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Cresson residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Pennsylvania.
A shrinking town
Cresson has shrunk 14% since 2010
1,711 counted in 2010 and 1,525 in 2020; an estimated 1,465 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
About Cresson
Borough in Pennsylvania, US
Cresson is a borough in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States. Cresson is 80 miles (130 km) east of Pittsburgh. It is above 2,000 feet (600 m) in elevation. Lumber, coal, and coke yards were industries that had supported the population. The borough is part of the Johnstown Metropolitan Statistical Area, although state and local sources list it as part of the Altoona area due to being much closer to that city. As of the 2020 census, Cresson had a population of 1,525. The location was named in 1854 as a memorial to philanthropist Elliott Cresson. Railroads, beginning with the Allegheny Portage Railroad, fueled the growth of the area. Many famous Pittsburgh businessmen, including Charles…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1902
- Area
- 0.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 2,057 ft
- ZIP code
- 16630, 16699
- Area code
- 814
Questions about Cresson
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Cresson, PA expensive?
Not for the area. The typical home is worth about $132,000, 54% below the Pennsylvania typical home. That is 2.3 years of the area's median household income ($58,418 across the Johnstown, PA metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A.
What is Cresson, PA known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Robert Peary and Arthur W. Murray.