Most Americans have never been to small town Pennsylvania. However, as the Pennsylvanian who live there know, small town Pennsylvania is an awesome place to call home.
But is it all roses? Definitely not. Just like any other state, Pennsylvania has its trouble spots. This article aims to determine, using Saturday Night Science, the absolute worst small towns to live in the Keystone State. Don’t freak out, we will use data to show which places have high crime, poverty, and unemployment.
After analyzing more than 688 of Pennsylvania’s smallest cities, we came up with this list as the 10 worst small towns in Pennsylvania where you’d never want to live:
12.0% unemployment · $40,200 median income
16.6% unemployment · $51,111 median income
7.6% unemployment · $27,557 median income
19.6% unemployment · $27,716 median income
7.4% unemployment · $51,174 median income
9.4% unemployment · $45,294 median income
Data | Movers
13.3% unemployment · $37,727 median income
Data | Movers
11.1% unemployment · $54,500 median income
8.0% unemployment · $52,917 median income
9.7% unemployment · $40,625 median income
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Pennsylvania’s statewide median.
Pennsylvania statewide median: $282,736
Pennsylvania statewide median: $77,971
Pennsylvania statewide median: 5.3%
On the map
Where Pennsylvania’s worst small towns are
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How do you decide if a small place in Pennsylvania is lousy or not?
To rank the worst small towns to live in Pennsylvania, we had to determine what criteria people like or dislike about a place. Assuming that people like low crime, solid education, things to do, and a stable economy isn’t a stretch.
We then analyzed the criteria using Saturday Night Science, the thinking you’d use at a bar. It seems like even your crazy Uncle would agree that a town with high crime is worse than a town with low crime; all else the same.
Using FBI crime data and the Census’s 2020-2024 American Community Survey, this is the criteria we used:
- Population Density (The lower, the worse)
- Highest Unemployment Rates
- Low housing costs (meaning there’s no demand)
- Adjusted Median Income (Median income adjusted for the cost of living)
- Education (Number of high school dropouts)
- High Crime
We looked at cities with populations between 1,000 and 5,000 people, of which there were many – 688 to be exact.
We get the crime numbers from the FBI, which gets them from the cities. Dropout numbers are based on the adult population, not just the current graduation rates of teenagers.
We base all our research on facts, which is meant as infotainment. We updated this article for 2026, which is our eleventh time ranking the worst small places to live in Pennsylvania.
The full plate
Worst Small Towns In Pennsylvania
Click any column to sort. Search by town name.
| Rank | Town | Population | Unemployment Rate | Home Value | Median Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Woodland Heights | 1,585 | 12.0% | $90,431 | $40,200 |
| 2 | Hyde | 1,067 | 16.6% | $111,872 | $51,111 |
| 3 | Nemacolin | 1,306 | 7.6% | $0 | $27,557 |
| 4 | Renovo | 1,045 | 19.6% | $67,530 | $27,716 |
| 5 | Bentleyville | 2,437 | 7.4% | $156,861 | $51,174 |
| 6 | Shenandoah | 4,146 | 9.4% | $60,070 | $45,294 |
| 7 | Mahanoy City | 3,507 | 13.3% | $45,742 | $37,727 |
| 8 | Susquehanna Depot | 1,297 | 11.1% | $91,875 | $54,500 |
| 9 | Reynoldsville | 2,431 | 8.0% | $117,637 | $52,917 |
| 10 | Mount Union | 2,328 | 9.7% | $125,290 | $40,625 |
| 11 | Lansford | 4,156 | 21.2% | $94,121 | $44,713 |
| 12 | Coaldale borough (Schuylkill County) | 2,514 | 9.6% | $92,320 | $59,250 |
| 13 | Brownsville | 2,412 | 9.4% | $77,100 | $31,810 |
| 14 | Waterford | 1,301 | 12.2% | $186,195 | $51,250 |
| 15 | Westfield | 1,189 | 4.1% | $96,986 | $39,861 |
| 16 | Glassport | 4,368 | 15.0% | $94,163 | $47,803 |
| 17 | North Braddock | 4,219 | 16.3% | $73,434 | $34,564 |
| 18 | Collinsburg | 1,328 | 7.5% | $156,199 | $56,616 |
| 19 | Bobtown | 1,066 | 5.8% | $70,545 | $48,233 |
| 20 | Hiller | 1,536 | 10.6% | $86,052 | $78,015 |
| 21 | Rankin | 1,793 | 10.4% | $105,540 | $48,145 |
| 22 | Colwyn | 2,325 | 21.2% | $142,312 | $46,935 |
| 23 | Canton | 1,531 | 8.1% | $140,313 | $42,132 |
| 24 | Girardville | 1,110 | 5.1% | $36,469 | $41,964 |
| 25 | Union City | 2,887 | 7.5% | $162,686 | $44,004 |
| 26 | California | 4,864 | 10.8% | $116,355 | $48,606 |
| 27 | Honesdale | 4,467 | 9.8% | $292,431 | $47,485 |
| 28 | Farrell | 4,199 | 7.9% | $49,723 | $42,595 |
| 29 | Nesquehoning | 3,344 | 13.9% | $192,657 | $61,354 |
| 30 | Donora | 4,527 | 12.7% | $44,599 | $39,544 |
| 31 | Braddock | 2,039 | 33.6% | $58,272 | $37,813 |
| 32 | Eddystone | 2,562 | 8.1% | $141,312 | $51,953 |
| 33 | Falls Creek | 1,220 | 5.3% | $133,259 | $50,536 |
| 34 | East Uniontown | 2,195 | 7.8% | $127,537 | $48,305 |
| 35 | Weatherly | 2,551 | 7.3% | $215,296 | $52,125 |
| 36 | Montrose | 1,512 | 5.5% | $246,695 | $53,269 |
| 37 | Clymer | 1,106 | 12.1% | $119,047 | $44,044 |
| 38 | Rochester | 3,422 | 9.4% | $129,759 | $43,080 |
| 39 | Troy | 1,408 | 1.7% | $173,197 | $51,016 |
| 40 | Trevorton | 1,775 | 5.5% | $124,501 | $59,167 |
| 41 | Fairchance | 1,241 | 5.6% | $137,774 | $39,767 |
| 42 | Wilmerding | 1,761 | 12.7% | $70,141 | $36,467 |
| 43 | North Warren | 2,104 | 6.6% | $134,980 | $56,549 |
| 44 | Linesville | 1,132 | 12.6% | $140,422 | $54,000 |
| 45 | Charleroi | 4,202 | 7.1% | $90,660 | $43,265 |
| 46 | Cambridge Springs | 2,408 | 7.3% | $181,490 | $54,400 |
| 47 | McAdoo | 2,501 | 6.7% | $163,348 | $45,753 |
| 48 | Elkland | 1,588 | 6.5% | $128,614 | $54,531 |
| 49 | Biglerville | 1,070 | 10.2% | $304,635 | $52,407 |
| 50 | Minersville | 4,396 | 3.9% | $99,213 | $53,416 |
| 51 | Arnold | 4,704 | 9.9% | $75,917 | $45,417 |
| 52 | Ashland | 2,324 | 6.4% | $125,819 | $52,708 |
| 53 | Queens Gate | 1,602 | 4.6% | $262,628 | $41,202 |
| 54 | West Brownsville | 1,100 | 7.2% | $91,986 | $64,449 |
| 55 | Hallstead | 1,217 | 12.8% | $200,579 | $50,833 |
| 56 | New Berlinville | 1,432 | 21.0% | $188,305 | $77,143 |
| 57 | Throop | 4,081 | 5.3% | $183,751 | $57,462 |
| 58 | Fairhope | 1,082 | 9.3% | $179,661 | $37,014 |
| 59 | Shenandoah Heights | 1,262 | 16.9% | $99,319 | $87,314 |
| 60 | North York | 2,812 | 13.6% | $154,977 | $63,927 |
| 61 | Versailles | 1,533 | 8.3% | $107,873 | $42,500 |
| 62 | Summit Hill | 3,137 | 8.5% | $155,307 | $65,268 |
| 63 | Lykens | 1,878 | 3.7% | $119,205 | $73,318 |
| 64 | Maso | 3,201 | 12.6% | $140,313 | $53,676 |
| 65 | South Connellsville | 1,807 | 2.0% | $124,426 | $48,250 |
| 66 | Mercer | 2,006 | 8.0% | $217,676 | $47,054 |
| 67 | Athens | 3,243 | 9.4% | $185,750 | $53,000 |
| 68 | Chevy Chase Heights | 1,101 | 18.5% | $151,978 | $51,930 |
| 69 | Port Vue | 3,620 | 11.1% | $91,653 | $58,194 |
| 70 | Northern Cambria | 3,494 | 3.2% | $72,917 | $54,673 |
| 71 | Youngsville | 1,803 | 12.4% | $132,217 | $58,789 |
| 72 | Glen Lyon | 1,925 | 0.0% | $115,412 | $48,333 |
| 73 | West Mayfield | 1,332 | 10.6% | $151,978 | $54,731 |
| 74 | Weissport East | 1,646 | 23.9% | $214,968 | $54,837 |
| 75 | Palmdale | 1,542 | 4.3% | $290,401 | $62,628 |
| 76 | Mansfield | 2,990 | 6.1% | $243,529 | $47,685 |
| 77 | Dravosburg | 1,643 | 4.4% | $115,649 | $51,715 |
| 78 | Larksville | 4,255 | 8.8% | $208,739 | $56,942 |
| 79 | Orchard Hills | 1,546 | 3.3% | $139,757 | $61,442 |
| 80 | Birchwood Lakes | 1,399 | 15.9% | $187,417 | $67,500 |
| 81 | Clarion | 4,192 | 9.8% | $181,306 | $47,181 |
| 82 | Edgewood | 2,078 | 5.0% | $94,653 | $45,759 |
| 83 | Stony Creek Mills | 1,081 | 13.4% | $190,416 | $60,833 |
| 84 | White Haven | 1,014 | 5.7% | $236,236 | $67,656 |
| 85 | Sugarcreek | 4,716 | 6.7% | $120,204 | $63,987 |
| 86 | William | 1,345 | 11.7% | $111,872 | $61,757 |
| 87 | New Eagle | 2,085 | 10.5% | $122,892 | $51,716 |
| 88 | Everett | 2,052 | 5.0% | $205,896 | $38,565 |
| 89 | Homestead | 2,874 | 5.5% | $79,936 | $39,052 |
| 90 | Point Marion | 1,178 | 1.8% | $92,676 | $60,298 |
| 91 | Whitaker | 1,140 | 14.9% | $119,264 | $63,194 |
| 92 | East Conemaugh | 1,006 | 5.3% | $48,993 | $42,500 |
| 93 | Smethport | 1,462 | 6.8% | $117,206 | $60,455 |
| 94 | Johnsonburg | 2,424 | 7.0% | $80,415 | $61,484 |
| 95 | Fairview-Ferndale | 1,742 | 5.4% | $96,430 | $43,359 |
| 96 | Mount Oliver | 3,319 | 5.5% | $107,651 | $52,297 |
| 97 | Oliver | 2,393 | 4.1% | $160,421 | $55,602 |
| 98 | West Hamburg | 1,896 | 7.8% | $128,203 | $65,467 |
| 99 | Waymart | 1,114 | 1.7% | $281,678 | $51,544 |
| 100 | Nanty-Glo | 2,598 | 2.4% | $92,986 | $51,604 |
Source: FBI crime data + U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024 via Saturday Night Science. 688 Pennsylvania towns between 1,000 and 5,000 residents.
Summary
There You Have It – The Worst Small Towns In Pennsylvania
If you’re analyzing teeny places in the Keystone State with the worst economic situations, where there’s high crime and there’s not a lot to do, this is an accurate list.
The worst small towns in Pennsylvania are Woodland Heights, Hyde, Nemacolin, Renovo, Bentleyville, Shenandoah, Mahanoy City, Susquehanna Depot, Reynoldsville, and Mount Union. Not sold on Pennsylvania? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
