RANK #374 / 1001 NAT · #20 / 44 PA · POP 143,558
1YR FORECAST: +2.8%
5YR OUTLOOK: +19%
Pottsville, home to America's oldest brewery, Yuengling, serves as the county seat and a central hub for Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. Located in the east-central mountains, the county is approximately 97 miles northwest of Philadelphia and 47 miles west of Allentown. This region offers a slower pace of life compared to larger metropolitan areas, with nearly 70% of the county covered in forests, alongside rivers and streams. Outdoor recreation is a significant draw, featuring three state parks—Locust Lake, Tuscarora, and Swatara—along with sections of the Appalachian Trail and Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, providing opportunities for hiking, fishing, and boating.
Life in Schuylkill County often appeals to those seeking affordability and a quieter community atmosphere. Commute times to nearby cities like Allentown or Reading can be around 45 minutes, while Philadelphia is about an hour and a half away. The Schuylkill Transportation System provides bus service within the county. Local public schools, such as Blue Mountain West/St. Ambrose School and Pine Grove Elementary School, are among the top-ranked in the county. The economy is driven by sectors like manufacturing, agriculture, and logistics, with ongoing investments in areas such as specialty gases manufacturing and distribution centers.
Schuylkill County is one of 145 U.S. counties in this market profile — weaker than typical on the BoomTown Index. Within this cohort, its recent home-price change of +4.5% matches the profile's typical +4.9%.
See all 145 Heartland Steady Growth counties →Overvalued relative to economy
Moderate climate & terrain
Housing looks overvalued at 7.8x — home prices are high relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.
Bars show trailing 12-month growth. The dashed Forecast bars are the model's next-12-month projection; the whisker marks the ±1% range (cooling–accelerating).
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
Source: Homicide rates from CDC/NCHS vital-statistics mortality data — a multi-year average that stabilizes counts in smaller counties — compiled in the County Health Rankings 2025 release. Rates per 100,000 population; U.S. average ≈ 6.5. Grade reflects homicide rate relative to the national average. Learn more →
See where Schuylkill County stands nationally: safest large counties in America · highest homicide-rate counties.
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
AWS Data Center Campus
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
|
$20,000M | Planned |
|
KRNL Data Centers Campus
KRNL Data Centers
|
$500M | Proposed |
|
EMD Electronics Expansion
EMD Electronics
|
$300M | Under Construction |
|
Rattlin Run Hydropower Plant
Merchant Hydro
|
$300M | Proposed |
|
Amazon Fulfillment Center
Amazon
|
$50M | Completed |
|
Renewable Natural Gas Plant
Archaea Energy (BP) & UGI Energy Services
|
$50M | Completed |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
With a Boom Town Index score of 62/100, Schuylkill County sits in the upper half of all 1001 ranked counties. and median household income stands at $68,313 — indicators that suggest solid fundamentals even if it's not among the fastest-growing counties in PA.
By national standards, Schuylkill County is quite affordable. Homes here have a median value of $153,000, and the income-to-home-value ratio of 0.45 is well above the U.S. average — especially with median rent at just $876/month. Residents can generally buy a home without being cost-burdened.
Population and employment in Schuylkill County are both close to flat — population +0.2% YoY and jobs +0.4%. Home values shifted +4.5% over the past 12 months. A steady-state county, neither expanding quickly nor shrinking.
Not particularly — 1.99% of Schuylkill County's population moved in from another state, which is below the national average. Most residents are long-term locals rather than recent transplants.