Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Edinboro's standout: it is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 96% of U.S. towns. Overall it grades A−, 304th among Pennsylvania's 1032 graded towns. Its schools outperform 86% of the state's and natural-hazard risk is low. 61% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Edinboro, against 29% in Pennsylvania’s towns and 29% across U.S. towns. Only 64 of Pennsylvania’s 1,717 towns score higher on civic life. Academy Hall is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Where Edinboro beats most towns.
Census counts: 264 in 1850, a low of 264 in 1850, 4,964 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 1898 and 2 maps from 1923 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Pennsylvania), ordered by how far Edinboro is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Who provides power, water and the rest in Edinboro, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Edinboro.
Edinboro is shaped by its college students, gets more snow than nearly all U.S. towns and is healthier than towns with similar incomes.
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 89% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Against the 5,073 U.S. towns with household incomes like Edinboro’s, it is healthier than 98%, so its B+ isn’t only a matter of income. Its widest gap with Pennsylvania is diabetes: 7.3% of its 4,206 adults have diabetes, against 11.6% statewide.
23% of Edinboro adults have high blood pressure. Only 6 of the 1,035 Pennsylvania towns we compare have a lower share of adults who have diabetes than Edinboro. 28% of Edinboro adults have been diagnosed with depression.
| Edinboro | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 34% | 35% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 16% | 17% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 18% | 16% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 7.3% | 11% | 12% |
| What stands out | Edinboro | PA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with diabetes | 7.3% | 11.6% |
| Fewer adults with high blood pressure | 22.7% | 32.8% |
| More adults in frequent mental distress | 21.1% | 16.4% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The Union City Filtration Plant weather station, 14 miles away, records that 114 inches of snow fall in a normal winter, more than in 98% of U.S. towns.
Edinboro has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. The July high in Edinboro is 81°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Edinboro has about as many jobs (1,603) as working residents, but only 207 people both live and work here. The average commute takes 17.9 minutes, against 26.3 across Pennsylvania.
Most working residents leave Edinboro for work: only 13% work in town. 21% of residents live below the poverty line in Edinboro. Jobs based in Edinboro fell to 1,603 in 2023, 154 fewer than in 2013.
| Edinboro | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 21% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 18 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $48,000 | $81,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 13% | 6.3% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Typical home values rose 6.1% in the year to September 2026. Edinboro’s median rent is $876 a month.
| Edinboro | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 42% | 78% | 73% |
| Median rent | $876 a month | $1,116 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Reported crimes fell from 88 to 57 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings. Violent crime is rare: 4 reported in 2025, 0.7 per 1,000 residents.
Pennsylvania has less reported crime than most states, so among its own towns Edinboro sits closer to the middle.
| Edinboro | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.7 per 1,000 residents | 0.7 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 8.7 per 1,000 residents | 5.7 | 9.9 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Just 8 of its 1,532 acres are conserved, so there is little public open land in Edinboro itself; its outdoors grade is C−.
0.1 miles of trail in 5 parks and preserves.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Billings Park | — | 2 |
| 2. Pat Crawford Beach | 0.1 mi | 1 |
| 3. Nature's Outlet | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Edinboro. Close and well known come first.
9 mi LandmarkFort Le Boeuf
20 mi State parkPresque Isle State Park
19 mi Theme parkConneaut Lake Park16 mi Theme parkWaldameer Park12 mi Theme parkSplash Lagoon
16 mi Zoo & aquariumErie ZooFort Le Boeuf: Charles M. Stotz ?, Public domain · Presque Isle State Park: Ruhrfisch, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Conneaut Lake Park: daveynin from United States, CC BY 2.0 · Erie Zoo: Pat Noble, CC BY-SA 3.0
1 within 15 miles of the center of Edinboro
College town 39 of every 100 Edinboro residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Pennsylvania.
6,438 counted in 2010 and 4,964 in 2020; an estimated 5,790 in 2025.
The decline has turned around: up 16.6% since 2020, after a 22.9% drop in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
4 notable people were born in Edinboro.
Borough in Pennsylvania, United States
Edinboro is a borough in Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 4,920 at the 2020 census. It is a small college town, home to Pennsylvania Western University, Edinboro. It is part of the Erie metropolitan area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
By most measures, yes. Edinboro grades A− overall, better than 83% of U.S. towns and #304 of 1032 in Pennsylvania. It grades B+ for health, B− for safety and A for schools.
Yes, by national standards. Pennsylvania has less crime than most states, so among its own towns Edinboro sits nearer the middle.
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.
4 notable people were born here, including Jonas Wendell and William Constantine Culbertson.
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