Loretto01, 2008
Loretto’s story
227 years in pictures
Census counts: 193 in 1850, a peak of 1,661 in 1970, 1,196 in 2020. The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 2008 and 3 maps from 1902 on.
- 1799Loretto is founded
LorettoPA
A town of 1,135, founded in 1799.
Photo: Geowizerd · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
1,135
2025 Census estimate · −4.8% since 2020
Median home value
$204K
Census ACS
Household income
$64K
median
Median age
20.5
years
Jobs based here
668
A job hub
Is Loretto a good place to live?
Loretto’s best subject grade is an A for health; its weakest is a C− for incomes. 4.3% of residents are 65 or older in Loretto, below both Pennsylvania’s towns (21%) and U.S. towns (18%). On hazard risk, just 50 of Pennsylvania’s 1,751 towns do better. Loretto is home to Saint Francis University. Loretto's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 81% of U.S. towns. Loretto has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Loretto stand out
Where Loretto beats most towns.
Natural hazardsA+
Very low risk of storm and flood damage
FEMA National Risk Index.
Jobs vs. working residents
Jobs here668
Residents who work352
Work
1.9 jobs for every working resident
A regional job hub: more jobs per worker than 92% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023.
26 measures vs. Pennsylvania
14 better6 too close to call6 worse
| Widest gap | Loretto | PA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with diabetes | 3.2% | 11.6% |
HealthA
Healthier than 86% of U.S. towns
Beats PA on 14 of 26 CDC measures, trails it on 6
Less healthyHealthier
CDC PLACES 2025 estimates.
College town
83% of Loretto is in college
College Scorecard · IPEDS
How Loretto grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Pennsylvania), ordered by how far Loretto is from typical.
Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 3% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listA+Open →HealthUPMC Altoona 12.5 miles awayAOpen →Jobs & incomeC−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 4.3 of 20; 13.7% of households have no car; 30.3% of workers walk, bike or ride transitBOpen →SchoolsB−Open →Cost of livingTypical home $204K, 3.5 years of the Johnstown metro’s $58K median household incomeB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsConserved land, trails and parksCOpen →History1 notable person born hereB+Open →Civic life2.7 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 32 attractions →Flight 93 National Memorial and 18 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Loretto. Close and well known come first.
Big draw32 mi National MemorialFlight 93 National Memorial286K visitors a year
13 mi DamSouth Fork Dam
5 mi National Historic SiteAllegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site163K visitors a year
33 mi LakeRaystown Lake
13 mi Theme parkLakemont Park38 mi Theme parkIdlewild and Soak ZoneSources: 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 · South Fork Dam: Ernest Walter Histed, Public domain · Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site: Matthew A. Lynn; Original uploader was Mosamiazaz at en.wikipedia, Public domain · Raystown Lake: Tex Jobe, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Public domain · Lakemont Park: Bhakta Dano. Original uploader was Oldano at en.wikipedia, Public domain
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Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Loretto: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Loretto, and how to reach them.
PowerREA Energy Coop16.1¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterSaint Francis University water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Loretto’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 code1594015940 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 Loretto.
SchoolsB−
Loretto’s schools rank ahead of 52% of Pennsylvania districts
One of its 2 schools is below, with why it’s listed.
52%of PA districts it outscoresB−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Michael Elementary School PrivateLargest elementary schoolGrades K–8 | Grades K–8 | 86 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within PA on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C−
Compared with most of Pennsylvania and the rest of the country, more of Loretto’s residents live below the poverty line
36% of residents live below the poverty line in Loretto, where Pennsylvania’s towns sit at 7.6% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. The median household income in Loretto is $64,000. Since 2013, Loretto has added 566 jobs, to 668 in 2023.
4%work in town
| Loretto | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 13 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 36% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $64,000 | $81,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Loretto4%
Altoona9%
Cambria Township5%
Pittsburgh4%
Cresson4%
19 mi
median commute distance
668
jobs based in Loretto
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
B
Walkability grade: more walkable than 58% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A+
Very low risk in Loretto, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 97% of U.S. communities.
3risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HealthA
Fewer of Loretto’s adults have diabetes than in the typical Pennsylvania or U.S. town
3.2% of adults have diabetes in Loretto. Of the 1,036 Pennsylvania towns we compare, none has a lower share of adults who have high blood pressure than Loretto. 25% of adults have obesity in Loretto.
86%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade
| Loretto | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 3.2% | 11% | 12% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 16% | 17% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 8% | 14% | 14% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 18% | 16% |
26 measures vs. Pennsylvania
14 better6 too close to call6 worse
| What stands out | Loretto | PA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with diabetes | 3.2% | 11.6% |
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 2.8% | 8.8% |
| More adults in frequent mental distress | 25.6% | 16.4% |
UPMC Altoona
12.5 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Loretto
Loretto has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Loretto’s July high is 80°F.
80″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter20–36°
Spring35–58°
Summer56–78°
Fall40–60°
Oct 2
typical first frost
May 17
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Safety
Crime reported in Loretto
Loretto's reported crime rate is well below Pennsylvania's. Among 530 Pennsylvania towns, just 9 have a lower property crime rate than Loretto. No violent crimes were reported in 2025.
| Loretto | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0 per 1,000 residents | 5.7 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0 per 1,000 residents | 0.7 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Loretto0
Pennsylvania2.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Loretto0
Pennsylvania13.6
U.S.15.5
0
violent crimes reported in 2025
0
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Loretto
19pages on Loretto
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of Loretto
Saint Francis UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · LorettoIn town$44,000 tuitionMount Aloysius CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Cresson3.8 mi$27,072 tuitionPennsylvania State University-Penn State AltoonaUniversity or college · Public · Altoona12.1 mi$15,972 in-state tuition
College town 83 of every 100 Loretto residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Pennsylvania.
Small town
1,135 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
About Loretto
Borough in Pennsylvania, US
Loretto is a borough in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2020 census, Loretto had a population of 1,196. Like the rest of Cambria County, it is part of the Johnstown Metropolitan Statistical Area. Loretto is the home of Saint Francis University.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1816
- Area
- 1.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,929 ft
- ZIP code
- 15940
Questions about Loretto
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Loretto, PA expensive?
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.