US Route 62 - Pennsylvania, 2009
Sandy Lake’s story
193 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2009.
- 1833Sandy Lake is settled
Sandy LakePA
Photo: Nyttend · Public domain
Population
624
2025 Census estimate · −3.7% since 2020
Median home value
$177K
Census ACS
Household income
$84K
median
Median age
32.1
years
Jobs based here
234
Balanced
Is Sandy Lake a good place to live?
50% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Sandy Lake, against 29% in Pennsylvania’s towns and 29% across U.S. towns. Sandy Lake has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Sandy Lake stand out
Where Sandy Lake beats most towns.
Small town
624 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Sandy Lake: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Sandy Lake, and how to reach them.
PowerPenn PowerEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterSandy Lake Boro water system1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Sandy Lake’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 hereMercer County Board of ElectionsMercer County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2022
ZIP code1614516145 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 Sandy Lake.
Natural hazards
Sandy Lake faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 74% of U.S. communities.
74risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland flooding
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Sandy Lake has snowy winters and pleasant summers
Sandy Lake has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. At 82°F, Sandy Lake’s July high is below both the Pennsylvania town median (85°F) and the median of U.S. towns (85°F).
54″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter20–36°
Spring36–59°
Summer57–80°
Fall41–62°
Oct 23
typical first frost
May 2
typical last frost
+1.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
Most working residents commute out of Sandy Lake
Most working residents leave Sandy Lake for work: only 3% work in town. The average trip to work in Sandy Lake is 30 minutes. Jobs based in Sandy Lake fell to 234 in 2023, 88 fewer than in 2013.
3%work in town
| Sandy Lake | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 30 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 13% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.2% | 6.3% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Sandy Lake3%
Pine Township6%
Grove City6%
Sandy Lake Township6%
Jackson Township4%
20 mi
median commute distance
234
jobs based in Sandy Lake
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Safety
Crime reported in Sandy Lake
No violent or property crimes were reported in Sandy Lake in 2025. In a town this small, a few incidents move the numbers a lot, so rates aren't shown.
Sandy Lake is small, so we show counts rather than rates.
0
violent crimes reported in 2025
0
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Health
How healthy Sandy Lake is
Sandy Lake beats the Pennsylvania average on 1 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 0. 9.6% of Sandy Lake adults have diabetes.
| Sandy Lake | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 9.6% | 11% | 12% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 24% | 25% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 14% | 14% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 19% | 19% |
26 measures vs. Pennsylvania
1 better25 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Sandy Lake | PA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with diabetes | 9.6% | 11.6% |
Grove City Medical Center
12.3 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
1.8%conserved
| Sandy Lake | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 1.8% | 8.2% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.5 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
1.8%
conserved · 9 of 529 acres
0.4 mi
of trails · 0.5 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. McKeever Center at Clear Creek State Forest | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Housing
A home in Sandy Lake sells for about $110K at the median
Sandy Lake’s median rent is $751 a month.
$110Kmedian sale price
| Sandy Lake | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 63% | 78% | 73% |
| Median rent | $751 a month | $1,115 a month | $1,185 a month |
1
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Sandy Lake
19pages on Sandy Lake
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Sandy Lake
About 4 of every 100 Sandy Lake residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Pennsylvania.
About Sandy Lake
Borough in Pennsylvania, US
Sandy Lake is a borough in eastern Mercer County, Pennsylvania, United States. It was established in 1849. The population was 649 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Hermitage micropolitan area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1849
- Area
- 0.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,158 ft
- ZIP code
- 16145
Questions about Sandy Lake
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Sandy Lake, PA a good place to live?
Sandy Lake has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What is Sandy Lake, PA known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Terry Turner and Albert Gallatin Egbert.