Force’s mean commuting time is 15 minutes, below both the Pennsylvania town median (26 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). No town among the 1,036 in Pennsylvania we compare has a lower typical household income than Force. 31% of the land in Force is conserved, above both the Pennsylvania town median (8.2%) and the median of U.S. towns (4.3%). Force has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.

Small town

226 people, and everyone knows the way

In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.

Nearby towns

Jay Township · 4 mi Huston Township · 5 mi Fox Township · 7 mi Benezette Township · 10 mi Goshen Township · 10 mi Horton Township · 11 mi

WeedvilleForce

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Force.

Natural hazards

Force stands out in Pennsylvania and nationally, with the FEMA risk score higher than most

87risk score of 100

FEMA puts 92% of Force’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding. Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 87% of U.S. communities.

FEMA risk score

Inland flooding

Full pageForce’s hazards pageOpen the full Hazards page

What it facesVery high risk Flood claims0 paid flood claims · No paid flood claims on record Past disasters8 disaster declarations · Declared for the county Get ready0.4 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Outdoors

Protected land: nearly a third of Force

31.4%conserved

Force’s density of trails comes in at 2.5 miles per square mile. Trails total 0.5 miles in 1 park or preserve. Parks and preserves here: one, of 5 acres.

31.4%

conserved · 43 of 137 acres

0.5 mi

of trails · 2.5 per sq mi

Biggest places to walk	Trails	Acres
1. Hemlock Ave Park	0.5 mi	5

Full pageForce’s outdoors pageOpen the full Outdoors page

Trail map0.5 miles of trail, mapped Pick a walk0.5 miles of trail · Hemlock Ave Park Conserved land31.4% conserved · 43 acres protected Questions“Where can I hike in Force?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

Work & commute

Force has 0.1 jobs per working resident, so most workers leave town for work

2%work in town

2.2% of working residents work locally in Force. Half commute less than 14 miles. The top destinations are St. Marys (28%), Jay Township (9%) and Fox Township (8%).

	Force	Pennsylvania towns	U.S. towns
Working residents who work in town	2.2%	6.3%	8%
Below the poverty line	7.5%	7.6%	9.6%

Where working residents work

In Force2%

St. Marys28%

Jay Township9%

Fox Township8%

Ridgway Township4%

14 mi

median commute distance

jobs based in Force

A commuter town

jobs vs. working residents

Full pageForce’s work & commute pageOpen the full Work & commute page

The jobs here13 jobs based here · A commuter town Where people work2% work in Force Commute times15 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 14 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Climate

The climate in Force brings snowy winters and pleasant summers

53″snow a winter

In Force, the July high is 82°F.

Typical low → high °F

Winter19–36°

Spring34–59°

Summer55–80°

Fall39–61°

Oct 11

typical first frost

May 13

typical last frost

+1.3°

vs. the 20th-century average

Full pageForce’s climate pageOpen the full Climate page

A year of weatherJuly highs 82°, January lows 17°Rain & snow53″ of snow a winter · 43 inches of rain and snow a year Heating & coolingMostly a heating bill Then and now+1.3° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Health

How healthy Force is

For adults in Force, the share who get no exercise outside work is 30%. On the CDC’s 26 measures, Force is ahead of Pennsylvania on 1 and behind on 11. Among adults here, 17% report frequent physical distress and 40% have obesity.

	Force	Pennsylvania towns	U.S. towns
Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES)	23%	17%	14%
Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES)	17%	14%	14%
Obesity (CDC PLACES)	40%	35%	35%
Get no exercise (CDC PLACES)	30%	24%	25%

26 measures vs. Pennsylvania

1 better14 too close to call11 worse

What stands out	Force	PA
More adults treating high blood pressure	82.4%	79.2%
More adults with COPD	12.2%	7.7%

Penn Highlands Elk

12.2 mi away · emergency room

None

primary care, dental or mental-health shortage

Full pageForce’s health reportOpen the full Health report

Everyday habitsMore smokers Hospitals & doctors nearby12.2 miles to an ER · Penn Highlands Elk How adults are doingMore adults in frequent physical distress Every CDC estimateBetter than PA on 1 of 26

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Force

16pages on Force

The big questions

HealthBetter than PA on 1 of 26 CDC measures Cost of livingWork & commute$31K median household income · 13 jobs here Natural hazardsFEMA risk higher than 87% of U.S. communities · inland flooding

Out and about

Outdoors1 mi of trails · 31% conserved land PlacesAttractions17 nearby · Kinzua Bridge State Park 35 mi LibrarySt. Marys Public Library Colleges

The story

HistorySettled 1903 Climate82° summer highs · 53″ of snow

Day to day

NewsWeatherHandbookZIP code 15841 Town SquareNeighbors

Getting set up

Moving to Force: who provides what

Force is unincorporated, so Elk County and regional agencies provide most services.

PowerUnited Electric CoopEIAHIFLD · EIA

WaterJay Twp Water Authority4 health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet3 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & county servicesElk CountyElk County provides services here

SchoolsSt. Marys Area School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES

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.gov

Who runs elections hereElk County Board of ElectionsElk County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025

ZIP codes15841, 1586815841 98% · 15868 2%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.

A commuter town

98% of working residents leave Force for work

Where Force’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.

13jobs based in Force

2%of working residents work in town

14 mimedian commute distance

Census LEHD 2023

After high school

Colleges nearby

None within 15 miles of Force; the nearest are

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State DuBoisUniversity or college · Public · DuBois15.8 mi$14,408 in-state tuition Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and TechnologyCommunity college · Public · Pleasant Gap47.5 mi

About 0 of every 100 Force residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Pennsylvania.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

About Force

Unincorporated community in Pennsylvania, US

Force is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Jay Township, Elk County, Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2020 census it had a population of 213. It is located on Pennsylvania Route 255 between St. Marys and Penfield. The community has the name of Jack Force, a frontiersman.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Area: 0.2 sq mi
Elevation: 1,240 ft
ZIP code: 15841
Area code: 814

Questions about Force

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Force, PA a good place to live?

Force has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.

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