What it's like to live in Pottsville
Pottsville is a small city in Pennsylvania with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, crime rates well below the national average, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Pottsville deals with household incomes below the national average, college degree attainment below the national average, a poverty rate above the national average, and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low crime rates
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Low college degree attainment
- High poverty rate
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold winters
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Pottsville compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Pottsville
Based on Pottsville's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,644
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $32,880 a year
- 53% of Pottsville renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$20,100
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $10,050
- Homes cost 1.8× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 42% below US
$822/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $822 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $100,500. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $100,500 · 53% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.9% county unemployment
Unemployment in Schuylkill County is 4.9%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Schuylkill County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 34% below US
216 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 782/100k · Pottsville Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
24 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 24.3 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 9% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 83°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 23°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
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▼ 39% below US
22% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 22%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
4 public schools inside the boundary
There are 4 public schools inside the boundary and 5 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Appalachian National Scenic Trail (22 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Pottsville'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 college degree attainment below the national average. A year of median rent ($822/mo) equals 18% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and anyone prioritizing low crime. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Pottsville
All Pennsylvania guides →Moving to Hazleton →
22 mi away · pop. 30,111
Rent $1,089/mo · Income $46,177
Compare with Pottsville →Moving to Bloomsburg →
26 mi away · pop. 13,024
Rent $980/mo · Income $51,536
Compare with Pottsville →Not sure Pottsville is the one?
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