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Living in
St. Marys.
About
Life in St. Marys
St. Marys is a community of 12,612 people in Pennsylvania. The median household income is $67,167, median rent runs about $756 per month, and median home values are around $149,000.
St. Marys at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
51.6 yrs
Poverty Rate
7.8%
Foreign-Born
1.4%
Broadband Internet
86.2%
of households
Population Growth
-3.8%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics1.4% foreign-born, most often from Ghana
Who lives in St. Marys: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In St. Marys, the largest foreign-born group is from Ghana (42.7%), and 0.7% of residents speak German/Germanic at home.
Under 18
16.5%
of residents
65 and Older
26.8%
of residents
Households with Kids
17.7%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
35.4%
of households
Married Couples
47.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.15
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 37% below PA average
Rent, home values, and income in St. Marys
In St. Marys, rent runs 37% below the PA average, and home values are 41% below the PA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
41.4%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
17.9%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$1,935
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
77.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1961
median year built
Vacant Homes
9.7%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for PA
Unemployment in St. Marys
Unemployment in Elk County, which includes St. Marys, is close to the PA average.
Unemployment rate
St. Marys: Elk County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Elk County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What St. Marys Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute14.2 min avg
How St. Marys residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In St. Marys, most residents drive alone to work (85%), and 89% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 25 mi
DuBois Regional Airport (DUJ)
Regional airport · few flights4,271 passengers boarded in 2025
- 105 mi
Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF)
Medium hub2.5M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 28% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in St. Marys runs 28% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
236.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
814.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
St. Marys City Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 7 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
45.2 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Elk County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Elk County, which includes St. Marys, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 7 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | $381,000 |
| 2024 | 5 | Thunderstorm Wind | $26,000 |
| 2023 | 2 | Wildfire | $8,000 |
| 2022 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $41,000 |
| 2021 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | $2.1M |
| 2020 | 4 | Thunderstorm Wind | $16,000 |
| 2019 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $16,000 |
| 2018 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $48,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Elk County, county-wide
Air Quality36 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Elk County, which includes St. Marys, is typically good — 344 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
36
Good Days
344
per year
Moderate Days
17
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Elk County, county-wide
Climate77°F summers, 15°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
St. Marys has mild summers (avg high 77°F) and very cold winters (avg low 15°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
55°/31°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
77°/53°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
58°/38°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
33°/15°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
45.0"
Annual Snowfall
66.0"
Hot Days/Year
1
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
163
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
174
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°F | 13°F | 3.47" |
| Feb | 33°F | 14°F | 2.68" |
| Mar | 43°F | 21°F | 3.38" |
| Apr | 56°F | 31°F | 3.95" |
| May | 67°F | 42°F | 4.32" |
| Jun | 75°F | 51°F | 4.48" |
| Jul | 79°F | 55°F | 4.67" |
| Aug | 77°F | 54°F | 4.25" |
| Sep | 71°F | 48°F | 3.95" |
| Oct | 59°F | 37°F | 3.87" |
| Nov | 46°F | 28°F | 3.78" |
| Dec | 35°F | 20°F | 3.60" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in St. Marys
St. Marys has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
1.3%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Penn Highlands Elk
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education14.8:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in St. Marys
St. Marys's student/teacher ratio is 14.8:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 21.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
3
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
21.4%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.8:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site, 71 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for St. Marys
St. Marys has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site (71 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site
National Historic Site
71 mi awayJohnstown Flood National Memorial
National Memorial
78 mi awayFlight 93 National Memorial
National Memorial
98 mi awayPublic Libraries in St. Marys
Saint Marys Public Library
127 Center St, St Marys
Cities Near St. Marys
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to St. Marys?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
St. Marys FAQ
Is St. Marys, Pennsylvania affordable?⌄
St. Marys's median rent is $762/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $67,167/year. Median home value is $149,000.
Is St. Marys, Pennsylvania safe?⌄
St. Marys's violent crime rate was 236 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 815 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in St. Marys, Pennsylvania?⌄
Elk County, which includes St. Marys, has an unemployment rate of 4.5%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in St. Marys, Pennsylvania?⌄
The cost of living in St. Marys is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $762/month and median household income is $67,167/year. The median home value is $149,000. About 41% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in St. Marys, Pennsylvania?⌄
The average commute in St. Marys is 14 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from