Leavingtowercity, 2009
Tower City’s story
158 years in pictures
The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2009.
- 1868Tower City is settled
Tower CityPA
A town of 1,434, settled in 1868.
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: . The original uploader was Bowie60 at English Wikipedia. · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
1,434
2025 Census estimate · +0.9% since 2020
Typical home
$161K
+2.2% in a year
Household income
$68K
median
Median age
41.0
years
Jobs based here
132
A commuter town
Is Tower City a good place to live?
Tower City’s best subject grades are an A for cost of living and walkability; its weakest is a C for incomes. On cost of living, just 115 of Pennsylvania’s 1,749 towns do better. Tower City's public schools trail 71% of Pennsylvania towns on state tests and graduation. Only 26 of Pennsylvania’s 1,751 towns score lower on the outdoors. Tower City has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Tower City stand out
Where Tower City beats most towns.
Typical home value
Tower City$161K
Pennsylvania$287K
Cost of livingA
2.4 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 94% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
WalkabilityA
More walkable than 89% of U.S. towns
4.8% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
Small town
1,434 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
ReinertonTower City
How Tower City grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Pennsylvania), ordered by how far Tower City is from typical.
Cost of livingAOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 11.7 of 20; 2.8% of households have no carAOpen →Jobs & income$68K median household incomeCOpen →SchoolsCOpen →HealthWellspan Good Samaritan Hospital 18.9 miles awayCOpen →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsConserved land, trails and parksDOpen →HistoryBOpen →Civic life3.4 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 41.0; 14% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Tower City: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Tower City, and how to reach them.
PowerPPL Electric Utilities18.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterTower City Borough AuthorityNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpValley Waste Solutions234 East Grand AvenueOpenStreetMap
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 hereSchuylkill County Board of ElectionsSchuylkill County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2021
ZIP code1798017980 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 Tower City.
HousingCost of living grade A
Homes in Tower City are worth about $161K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Tower City home is worth about $161,000, up 2.2% in a year, 44% below the Pennsylvania typical home. Tower City’s median rent is $963 a month, against $1,115 a month in Pennsylvania’s towns and $1,185 a month across U.S. towns.
$161KZillow home value
| Tower City | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $963 a month | $1,115 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 74% | 78% | 73% |
Typical home value
Tower City$161K
Pennsylvania$287K
+2.2%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C
With 0.2 jobs for every working resident, most of Tower City’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Tower City for work: only 3% work in town. Tower City’s average trip to work is 31 minutes, above both the Pennsylvania town median (26 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). Since 2013, Tower City has added 43 jobs, to 132 in 2023.
3%work in town
| Tower City | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 31 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 14% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.8% | 6.3% | 8% |
| Median household income | $68,000 | $81,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Tower City3%
Porter Township8%
Tremont Township5%
Pine Grove Township3%
Hegins Township3%
19 mi
median commute distance
132
jobs based in Tower City
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
A
Walkability grade: more walkable than 89% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HealthC
Health in Tower City trails 68% of U.S. towns
Tower City beats the Pennsylvania average on 0 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 8. 20% of adults smoke cigarettes in Tower City.
32%healthier than U.S. townsCHealth Grade
| Tower City | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 17% | 14% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 16% | 17% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 38% | 36% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 24% | 23% |
26 measures vs. Pennsylvania
0 better18 too close to call8 worse
| What stands out | Tower City | PA |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 20.6% | 14.5% |
| More uninsured adults | 7.9% | 5.8% |
| More smokers | 20.4% | 15.8% |
Wellspan Good Samaritan Hospital
18.9 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: dental
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
In Tower City, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Tower City has chilly winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. Tower City’s July high is 82°F.
28″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter21–37°
Spring38–58°
Summer60–79°
Fall43–61°
Oct 16
typical first frost
May 1
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Safety
In Tower City, property crime runs lower than in the typical Pennsylvania or U.S. town
The property crime rate in Tower City is 0 per 1,000 residents. Tower City's reported crime rate is well below Pennsylvania's. No violent crimes were reported in 2024.
| Tower City | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2024) | 0 per 1,000 residents | 6.8 | 11.5 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2024) | 0 per 1,000 residents | 0.8 | 1.7 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Tower City0
Pennsylvania2.5
U.S.3.6
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Tower City0
Pennsylvania14.7
U.S.17.7
0
violent crimes reported in 2024
0
property crimes reported in 2024
FBI crime data, 2024 · crimes reported to police
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C+
Moderate risk in Tower City, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 59% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 2 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Tower City.
59risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland flooding
2
paid flood claims since 1979
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Tower City
18pages on Tower City
The big questions
SchoolsCBehind 71% of PA districtsSafety0 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2024)HealthCBetter than PA on 0 of 26 CDC measuresCost of livingA$161K typical home · up 2.2% in a yearWork & commuteC$68K median household income · 132 jobs hereNatural hazardsC+FEMA risk higher than 59% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Tower City; the nearest are
Lebanon Valley CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Annville17.9 mi$52,080 tuitionPennsylvania State University-Penn State SchuylkillUniversity or college · Public · Schuylkill Haven20.6 mi$15,208 in-state tuitionHarrisburg Area Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Harrisburg26.7 mi$6,975 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Tower City residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Pennsylvania.
A commuter town
97% of working residents leave Tower City for work
Where Tower City’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
132jobs based in Tower City
3%of working residents work in town
19 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Tower City
Borough in Pennsylvania, US
Tower City is a borough in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2020 census, Tower City had a population of 1,419.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1868
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 794 ft
- ZIP code
- 17980
Questions about Tower City
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Tower City, PA expensive?
Not for the 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.