RANK #570 / 996 · POP 50,475 · PA
PROJECTED GROWTH: +0.5%
Venango County, Pennsylvania, is known as the birthplace of the modern oil industry, with Edwin Drake drilling the first successful commercial oil well near Titusville in 1859. Located in northwestern Pennsylvania, approximately halfway between Pittsburgh and Erie, the county offers a rural community feel with access to larger cities within a three-hour drive. The landscape features the Allegheny River and French Creek valleys, providing scenery and opportunities for outdoor recreation like hiking, biking on trails such as the Allegheny River Trail, and water activities. Public transportation, including fixed routes and shared-ride services, is available through Venango County Transit and the Crawford Area Transportation Authority.
Life in Venango County is characterized by a small-town atmosphere and a lower cost of living. The community is largely rural, with Franklin serving as the county seat and Oil City also being a notable urban area. Educational options include four public school districts: Cranberry Area, Franklin Area, Oil City Area, and Valley Grove. The economy, historically rooted in manufacturing and oil, continues to see activity in these sectors, alongside growth in services, retail, and tourism. Recent economic developments include investments in manufacturing operations.
Contracting economy
Prices declining
Below-average climate & terrain
Below national median (13x)
Housing looks undervalued at 3.2x — home prices are low relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
Nova Energy LLC Cryptocurrency Data Center
Nova Energy LLC
|
$500M | Proposed |
|
Aspen Road Solar
Urban Grid
|
$100M | Planned |
|
Wilson Solar Project
Wilson Solar (subsidiary of Birch Creek Development)
|
$80M | Planned |
|
Eclipse-Piney 115 kV III Battery Project
Undisclosed
|
$80M | Planned |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 996 counties.
Venango County has a Boom Town Index score of 43/100, ranking #570 among 996 U.S. counties. With job growth at -1.6% and a median household income of $59,278, it faces some economic headwinds compared to faster-growing counties.
The median home value in Venango County is $108,500 with median rent at $740/month. The income-to-home-value ratio is 0.5463, which is more affordable than the national average.
Population growth: -0.7% year-over-year. Job growth: -1.6%. Home values changed -2.8% in the past 12 months.