The 10 Worst Small Towns In Pennsylvania For 2025

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 681 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:

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Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table

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These are the worst small towns in Pennsylvania for 2025:

1. Lansford
2. Renovo
3. Nesquehoning
4. Girardville
5. Shenandoah
6. Honesdale
7. Reynoldsville
8. Mount Union
9. Canton
10. Bobtown

So what is the worst small town to call home in Pennsylvania for 2025? According to the most recent census data, Lansford is the worst small town to live in Pennsylvania.

While many of these small towns have seen better days, they have wonderful communities and people. This report in no way means to knock the folks that call towns like Lansford home. Everyone

Read on below to see how we crunched the numbers, or scroll to the bottom to see how your town ranked.

And if you already know about the small towns, check out the best places to live in Pennsylvania or the worst places to live in Pennsylvania.

If you’re looking for something more national, check out the worst cities in America or the worst states in America.

The 10 Worst Small Towns In Pennsylvania For 2025

1. Lansford

Source: Wikipedia User Hshuvaeva | CC BY-SA 3.0

Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 4,144
Median Home Value: $48,700
Median Income: $44,078
Unemployment Rate: 21.3%

2. Renovo

Overall SnackAbility

3
/10

Population: 1,168
Median Home Value: $61,300
Median Income: $30,491
Unemployment Rate: 23.1%

3. Nesquehoning

Source: Wikipedia User Hshuvaeva | CC BY-SA 3.0

Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 3,345
Median Home Value: $105,400
Median Income: $53,571
Unemployment Rate: 13.9%

4. Girardville

Overall SnackAbility

3
/10

Population: 1,094
Median Home Value: $41,200
Median Income: $37,639
Unemployment Rate: 10.6%

5. Shenandoah

Source: Wikipedia User Shuvaev | CC BY-SA 4.0

Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 4,256
Median Home Value: $43,500
Median Income: $40,702
Unemployment Rate: 11.2%

6. Honesdale

Source: Wikipedia User Andrew Rodland | GFDL

Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 4,465
Median Home Value: $180,600
Median Income: $38,469
Unemployment Rate: 9.4%

7. Reynoldsville

Source: Wikipedia User Doug Kerr | CC BY-SA 2.0

Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 2,622
Median Home Value: $89,000
Median Income: $46,433
Unemployment Rate: 7.9%

8. Mount Union

Source: Public domain

Overall SnackAbility

3
/10

Population: 2,349
Median Home Value: $99,000
Median Income: $38,947
Unemployment Rate: 13.2%

9. Canton

Source: Wikipedia User Doug Kerr | CC BY-SA 2.0

Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 1,717
Median Home Value: $120,900
Median Income: $41,629
Unemployment Rate: 8.6%

10. Bobtown

Overall SnackAbility

/10

Population: 1,117
Median Home Value: $55,700
Median Income: $49,125
Unemployment Rate: 7.6%

Next 10 Towns

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 2019-2023 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 – 681 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 2025, which is our tenth time ranking the worst small places to live in Pennsylvania.

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 Lansford, Renovo, Nesquehoning, Girardville, Shenandoah, Honesdale, Reynoldsville, Mount Union, Canton, and Bobtown.

If you’re curious enough, here are the best small towns to live in Pennsylvania, according to science:

1. Village Shires (Pop. 3,360)
2. Ne (Pop. 2,234)
3. Aspinwall (Pop. 2,866)

For more Pennsylvania reading, check out:

Worst Small Towns In Pennsylvania

Rank	Town	Population	Unemployment Rate	Home Value	Median Income
1	Lansford	4,144	21.3%	$48,700	$44,078
2	Renovo	1,168	23.1%	$61,300	$30,491
3	Nesquehoning	3,345	13.9%	$105,400	$53,571
4	Girardville	1,094	10.6%	$41,200	$37,639
5	Shenandoah	4,256	11.2%	$43,500	$40,702
6	Honesdale	4,465	9.4%	$180,600	$38,469
7	Reynoldsville	2,622	7.9%	$89,000	$46,433
8	Mount Union	2,349	13.2%	$99,000	$38,947
9	Canton	1,717	8.6%	$120,900	$41,629
10	Bobtown	1,117	7.6%	$55,700	$49,125
11	Rankin	1,729	14.5%	$84,400	$29,783
12	Mahanoy City	3,522	12.8%	$35,300	$38,047
13	Woodland Heights	1,446	17.6%	$110,300	$51,607
14	Hyde	1,071	18.1%	$117,300	$53,750
15	Brownsville	2,539	8.8%	$63,900	$28,656
16	Nemacolin	1,107	15.4%	$92,600	$17,774
17	Farrell	4,239	8.5%	$76,200	$40,405
18	Northern Cambria	3,515	7.5%	$84,400	$50,448
19	Union City	2,911	7.9%	$101,000	$42,754
20	East Uniontown	2,181	9.3%	$107,600	$45,275
21	Collinsburg	1,278	8.2%	$132,900	$57,440
22	Falls Creek	1,084	5.2%	$104,700	$47,589
23	Bentleyville	2,343	5.4%	$135,900	$56,179
24	Glassport	4,400	12.9%	$82,400	$45,354
25	Ashley	2,599	6.2%	$82,800	$46,655
26	North Braddock	4,255	13.7%	$53,400	$36,563
27	Dravosburg	1,600	6.6%	$98,300	$47,016
28	Montrose	1,427	7.0%	$160,000	$56,484
29	Republic	1,171	19.3%	$103,800	$50,978
30	Westfield	1,241	4.0%	$86,000	$46,875
31	Coaldale Borough (Schuylkill County)	2,353	8.9%	$69,300	$60,982
32	Susquehanna Depot	1,312	6.9%	$84,200	$57,560
33	Colwyn	2,683	21.5%	$105,800	$53,092
34	North Warren	2,074	7.0%	$113,200	$55,551
35	Lykens	1,830	7.4%	$101,300	$69,125
36	Glen Lyon	1,956	0.0%	$84,300	$34,416
37	Rochester	3,445	7.4%	$109,300	$40,710
38	Mercer	1,847	7.5%	$130,300	$44,865
39	South Connellsville	1,848	4.2%	$98,000	$49,821
40	Clymer	1,133	10.2%	$74,800	$43,750
41	New Philadelphia	1,008	7.6%	$84,400	$45,903
42	Mcadoo	2,617	6.1%	$84,800	$45,239
43	Braddock	1,979	33.9%	$57,300	$24,489
44	Hallstead	1,223	10.4%	$116,900	$51,705
45	West Mayfield	1,326	12.4%	$141,600	$51,688
46	Wilmerding	1,781	17.0%	$65,000	$37,764
47	Fairchance	1,429	6.9%	$159,000	$38,427
48	Waterford	1,254	10.1%	$163,000	$58,875
49	Donora	4,536	14.1%	$57,700	$42,851
50	Windsor	1,281	6.3%	$179,300	$58,895
51	Eddystone	2,212	13.2%	$117,500	$53,665
52	Hiller	1,340	11.1%	$128,900	$90,898
53	Maso	3,238	17.8%	$116,700	$49,536
54	Cambridge Springs	2,357	6.5%	$107,200	$57,321
55	Everett	2,150	4.6%	$122,000	$40,903
56	Forest City	1,700	10.8%	$138,500	$58,125
57	Sugarcreek	4,745	6.6%	$100,000	$59,594
58	Point Marion	1,151	2.3%	$94,700	$50,781
59	Ashland	2,495	3.0%	$60,000	$52,283
60	Ridgway	3,991	6.8%	$87,000	$52,059
61	Midland	2,433	8.5%	$90,700	$61,250
62	Emporium	2,005	13.2%	$70,800	$36,167
63	Mount Oliver	3,347	7.2%	$84,700	$50,379
64	Arnold	4,738	10.9%	$76,800	$48,119
65	North York	2,503	14.0%	$120,700	$62,143
66	Mansfield	3,014	7.2%	$179,600	$46,250
67	Fairview-Ferndale	1,721	6.4%	$77,000	$36,429
68	Pitcairn	3,065	10.9%	$68,600	$34,400
69	Avonmore	1,008	2.5%	$88,800	$50,417
70	Mcconnellsburg	1,005	11.2%	$173,800	$36,563
71	Linesville	1,021	8.1%	$119,400	$59,375
72	Minersville	4,391	3.1%	$80,400	$55,938
73	Shenandoah Heights	1,284	12.1%	$85,000	$88,417
74	Larksville	4,248	8.5%	$145,700	$56,620
75	Waymart	1,198	4.6%	$187,300	$54,318
76	Paint	1,031	9.3%	$94,900	$42,679
77	Wesleyville	3,189	9.1%	$100,700	$46,506
78	Gallitzin	1,460	4.8%	$88,300	$56,600
79	Knox	1,032	8.0%	$117,800	$55,380
80	Birchwood Lakes	1,255	13.8%	$171,900	$52,164
81	Whitaker	1,168	12.4%	$87,800	$62,339
82	Port Allegany	2,430	9.2%	$105,200	$57,837
83	Nanty-Glo	2,399	3.0%	$81,100	$47,933
84	New Berlinville	1,745	16.1%	$148,300	$83,827
85	Clarion	4,202	9.9%	$155,300	$42,063
86	Mill Hall	1,313	6.6%	$145,500	$53,750
87	New Eagle	2,148	11.2%	$103,100	$52,612
88	Fairhope	1,113	5.6%	$115,600	$36,917
89	Braddock Hills	1,567	2.8%	$108,900	$38,070
90	Biglerville	1,194	9.8%	$212,800	$51,000
91	Youngsville	1,669	12.6%	$105,900	$55,282
92	Susquehanna Trails	2,219	9.6%	$209,800	$62,011
93	Troy	1,373	0.5%	$148,600	$49,583
94	Curwensville	2,544	9.6%	$95,700	$50,679
95	Weatherly	2,556	5.8%	$148,300	$55,298
96	Mcclure	1,113	5.9%	$130,200	$68,833
97	Chevy Chase Heights	1,094	18.7%	$134,800	$65,288
98	Dewart	1,241	5.8%	$157,100	$53,365
99	William	1,289	11.2%	$95,200	$61,875
100	Marcus Hook	2,236	2.6%	$108,000	$50,952