Pottsville receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Williamsport
Pottsville
Opportunity
53 · Bottom 43%
vs53 · Bottom 44%
Growth
24 · Bottom 11%
vs29 · Bottom 16%
Climate
63 · Bottom 29%
vs69 · Bottom 45%
Physical resilience
51 · Bottom 44%
vs64 · Top 44%
Housing affordability
91 · Top 29%
vs100 · Top 9%
Schools
54 · Top 47%
vs41 · Bottom 36%
Access
60 · Bottom 7%
vs73 · Bottom 15%
Economic stability
32 · Bottom 9%
vs34 · Bottom 11%
Measured values
| Metric | Williamsport | Pottsville | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 27,612 | 13,364 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $48,851 | $54,332 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $27,690 | $30,888 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,146/sq mi | 3,208/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $154,300 | $100,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $855 | $822 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 43.0% | 57.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 4.6% | 2.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.0% | 21.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 25.4% | 19.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1 | 0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 0.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 20°F | 23°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.5" | 45.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 64 mi | 44 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 17.1 min | 23.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 31.5 | 43.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.50 | 14.24 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 32.7% | 19.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 44.9% | 47.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 73.6% | 73.8% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Williamsport
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Pottsville
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Williamsport
54
Your Score
55
Area Score
Pottsville
58
Your Score
59
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Williamsport, PA · Pottsville, PA · How this is calculated: methodology