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Chambersburg.

All Chambersburg data Compare Chambersburg

22,319people live here $56,576median household income▼ 30% below US $1,099median rent per month▼ 22% below US $215,000median home value▼ 35% below US

What it's like to live in Chambersburg

Chambersburg is a small city in Pennsylvania with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and a growing population. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.

The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Chambersburg deals with household incomes below the national average, cold winters, fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.

The good

Rent below the national average
Affordable home prices
Short commutes
Growing population
Average class sizes

The not so good

Below-average household incomes
Cold winters
Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
Car-dependent — few commuters use transit

How Chambersburg compares

Median household income

Chambersburg$56,576

Pennsylvania avg$77,971

US$80,734

Median rent (per month)

Chambersburg$1,099

Pennsylvania avg$1,209

US$1,413

Median home value

Chambersburg$215,000

Pennsylvania avg$254,500

US$332,700

What it takes to move to Chambersburg

Based on Chambersburg's median rent, home value and household income

To rent

$2,198

up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit

Income to keep rent under 30%: $43,960 a year
43% of Chambersburg renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent

To buy

$43,000

a 20% down payment on the median home

With 10% down: $21,500
Homes cost 3.8× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)

Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.

The details

Cost of living▼ 22% below US

$1,099/mo median rent

Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,099 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $215,000. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.

Median home value $215,000 · 43% of renters cost-burdened

Job market

3.8% county unemployment

Unemployment in Franklin County is 3.8%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.

Franklin County (county-wide)

SafetyNear US average

343 violent crimes per 100k

Crime runs about typical for a city this size. Some neighborhoods are safer than others, and one overall rate doesn't tell the whole story, so a neighborhood-level look matters more than the headline stat.

Property crime 1452/100k · Chambersburg Police Department · 2025 data

Getting around▼ 37% below US

17 min average commute

Commutes run short here, averaging 16.5 minutes. That's an underrated perk of living in a smaller or well-planned city, where time isn't lost sitting in traffic. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 10% work from home.

How workers get to work

Drive alone

77%

Work from home

9.8%

Carpool

6.1%

Walk

5.1%

Other

2.3%

Public transit

0.2%

Climate

Summers are warm, with highs around 83°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 25°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.

Average month

High °FLow °FPrecip (in)

30-year averages, 1991–2020

Healthcare

1 hospital

There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 4.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.

Medicare-certified hospitals

Education & workforce▼ 24% below US

27% bachelor's degree or higher

College degree attainment runs below average at 27%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.

Schools

6 public schools inside the boundary

There are 6 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1, close to the national average of 16:1.

Parks & recreation

The nearest national park or historic site is Catoctin Mountain Park (22 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.

Bottom line

Chambersburg's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and cold winters. A year of median rent ($1,099/mo) equals 23% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.

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