Cambria County is located in west-central Pennsylvania, in the Allegheny Plateau region east of Pittsburgh and northwest of Altoona. Established in 1804, it developed as part of the state’s historic coal-and-steel belt, with Johnstown emerging as a major industrial center and the site of the notable 1889 Johnstown Flood. The county is mid-sized, with a population of roughly 130,000 residents. Its landscape is characterized by rugged hills, river valleys, and forested terrain, with a settlement pattern that combines small cities and boroughs with extensive rural areas. Historically tied to coal mining, steelmaking, and rail transport, the local economy has diversified toward healthcare, education, light manufacturing, and services. Cultural life reflects a mix of Appalachian and Central European immigrant influences alongside strong community traditions. The county seat is Ebensburg.

Cambria County Local Demographic Profile

Cambria County is located in west-central Pennsylvania, centered on the Johnstown metropolitan area and part of the state’s Appalachian region. The county seat is Ebensburg; local government and planning resources are available via the Cambria County official website.

Population Size

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for Cambria County, Pennsylvania, the county’s population was 133,472 (2020), with an estimated population of 131,730 (2023).

Age & Gender

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts:

  • Persons under 18 years: 18.0%
  • Persons 65 years and over: 24.8%
  • Female persons: 51.2% (male 48.8%)

Racial & Ethnic Composition

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts (race alone or in combination; and Hispanic/Latino of any race):

  • White: 90.9%
  • Black or African American: 3.3%
  • American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.2%
  • Asian: 0.7%
  • Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander: 0.0%
  • Two or more races: 4.8%
  • Hispanic or Latino: 1.3%

Household & Housing Data

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts:

  • Households: 56,194
  • Average household size: 2.26
  • Owner-occupied housing unit rate: 72.3%
  • Median value of owner-occupied housing units (in dollars): $112,200
  • Median selected monthly owner costs (with a mortgage): $1,167
  • Median selected monthly owner costs (without a mortgage): $468
  • Median gross rent: $767
  • Housing units: 64,495

Email Usage

Cambria County’s mix of small cities (Johnstown area) and extensive rural terrain in the Alleghenies lowers population density and increases last‑mile network costs, which can constrain digital communication options outside denser corridors.

Direct countywide email-usage statistics are not routinely published; email adoption is commonly proxied with household internet and device access measures. According to the U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey) data portal, key indicators for Cambria County include broadband subscription and computer ownership rates reported at the county level; these measures track the practical ability to use email at home. Age structure also affects likely email use: older populations tend to have lower overall digital adoption, and Cambria County’s age distribution can be reviewed via Cambria County demographic profiles in data.census.gov. Gender composition is generally close to parity in ACS profiles and is less predictive of email use than age and connectivity.

Infrastructure limitations are reflected in availability maps and provider-reported coverage; the FCC National Broadband Map documents location-level fixed broadband availability and can highlight gaps affecting reliable email access.

Mobile Phone Usage

Cambria County is located in west-central Pennsylvania in the Appalachian Plateau region, with a mix of small urbanized areas (including Johnstown) and extensive rural, mountainous terrain. Elevation changes, ridgelines, and forested valleys can increase signal attenuation and create coverage gaps, especially away from population centers and major road corridors. The county’s settlement pattern is relatively dispersed outside the Johnstown area, which tends to raise the cost-per-mile of network buildout and can affect both mobile coverage quality and backhaul availability.

Definitions used in this overview (availability vs. adoption)

  • Network availability refers to where mobile carriers report service (4G LTE and 5G) as deliverable in a location.
  • Household adoption refers to whether residents subscribe to service (mobile voice/data plans) and use mobile broadband as their internet connection, including “mobile-only” households. County-level measurement often differs by source; adoption and device-type metrics are more commonly published at state or national levels than for individual counties.

Mobile penetration or access indicators (county-level where available)

FCC broadband-service availability (proxy for access, not subscriptions)

The primary county- and census-block–level source for reported mobile broadband availability is the FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). It reports where providers claim they can offer service, not how many people subscribe.

  • FCC availability data can be viewed and downloaded via the FCC National Broadband Map (FCC National Broadband Map) and its data downloads. This is the most direct way to quantify how much of Cambria County is reported as covered by LTE/5G by provider and technology.

Household internet adoption (generally available at county level, but “mobile-only” may be limited)

County-level household internet subscription rates are typically published through the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS). The ACS includes measures such as “households with a broadband Internet subscription,” and separate categories for subscription type exist in some ACS tables (e.g., cable/fiber/DSL/cellular data plan), but county-level detail depends on the specific ACS table and vintage.

  • County-level internet subscription and computer access are accessible through the U.S. Census Bureau data tools (Census.gov data portal).
    Limitations: ACS estimates are survey-based with margins of error, and some detailed subscription-type breakouts may be suppressed or less reliable at county scale.

Mobile internet usage patterns (4G, 5G availability)

4G LTE availability (reported)

Across Pennsylvania, LTE is the baseline wide-area mobile technology, and FCC BDC typically shows extensive LTE coverage along highways and populated areas. In Cambria County, terrain-driven shadowing can affect real-world performance even in areas reported as covered. LTE availability by carrier and the presence of multiple competing LTE networks can be assessed using the FCC map layers.

5G availability (reported) and expected spatial patterning

FCC BDC distinguishes 5G (including different provider-reported 5G footprints). In counties with a mix of urban and rural terrain, 5G availability commonly concentrates around:

  • Johnstown and adjacent developed corridors
  • Major roads and population centers where tower density and backhaul are stronger
  • Areas with existing macro sites that have been upgraded

The FCC map provides the most direct county-specific view; however, the FCC’s availability layers do not, by themselves, indicate 5G spectrum type (low-band vs. mid-band vs. mmWave) in a standardized way for consumer interpretation, and reported coverage can exceed typical on-the-ground experience in difficult terrain.

Actual usage patterns (adoption and behavior) vs. availability

County-specific statistics on “share of residents primarily using mobile data for home internet” or “mobile-only internet households” are not consistently published at the county level in a single authoritative dataset. National surveys and some ACS categories can indicate cellular-data-plan subscriptions, but translating that to “primary internet connection” is not straightforward without supplementary survey evidence. The clearest county-level distinction typically feasible from public data is:

  • Availability: FCC BDC (where service is reported offered)
  • Adoption: ACS household subscription measures (whether households report having internet subscriptions and what types are reported, subject to table availability and reliability)

Common device types (smartphones vs. other devices)

County-level device-type data limitations

A definitive county-level breakdown of smartphone vs. feature phone ownership is generally not published as an official statistic in the same way that household computer/internet access is. Most device-type estimates are available at national/state levels through research surveys rather than county-by-county administrative data.

What is measurable locally: “computer” access vs. internet subscription types (ACS)

The ACS measures household access to computing devices (desktop/laptop/tablet) and internet subscriptions; these indicators indirectly inform likely device reliance:

  • Lower rates of household desktop/laptop access often correlate with higher reliance on smartphones for everyday internet tasks, but ACS does not directly label households as “smartphone-only.”
  • Relevant ACS data can be retrieved for Cambria County through Census.gov (tables covering computer ownership and internet subscriptions).

Demographic or geographic factors influencing mobile usage and connectivity

Terrain and land cover

Cambria County’s Appalachian terrain can reduce line-of-sight and increase the number of sites needed for consistent coverage. Valleys and ridgelines can produce localized dead zones or weak indoor signal conditions. These effects influence:

  • Network availability and quality: higher infrastructure requirements for consistent coverage
  • User experience: greater variability in speeds and call reliability over short distances

Population distribution and density

Mobile networks generally densify where population and traffic demand are higher. The Johnstown area and boroughs tend to have:

  • More consistent multi-carrier coverage
  • Better capacity in busy areas
    More sparsely populated townships often have fewer towers per square mile, which can limit both LTE/5G capacity and indoor coverage.

Socioeconomic and age structure (adoption-related, best measured via Census)

Income, educational attainment, and age composition influence subscription rates and device replacement cycles. These factors are measurable through standard county demographic profiles from the U.S. Census Bureau and can be paired with ACS internet subscription estimates to contextualize adoption.

Fixed-broadband availability as a driver of mobile reliance

In areas where fixed broadband options are limited or costly, households more frequently rely on mobile data plans for connectivity. Fixed-broadband availability at the location level is also mapped by the FCC, enabling a comparison of where fixed options are thin versus where mobile coverage is reported strong.

Public sources commonly used for Cambria County connectivity assessment

Summary of what can be stated definitively at county scale

  • Availability (LTE/5G): The FCC BDC provides the authoritative, mappable representation of where carriers report 4G LTE and 5G in Cambria County, with important caveats about terrain and the difference between reported coverage and experienced performance.
  • Adoption (internet subscriptions): The ACS provides county-level estimates of household internet subscription and computing device access, with margins of error and varying detail by table.
  • Device types (smartphone vs. non-smartphone): No single official county-level dataset consistently reports smartphone ownership shares; device-type statements are generally limited to indirect indicators (ACS device access) unless using proprietary or non-government surveys not standardized at the county level.

Social Media Trends

Cambria County is located in west‑central Pennsylvania and includes Johnstown as its principal city, along with smaller boroughs and townships shaped by a legacy of steelmaking, energy, health care, and outdoor tourism in the Allegheny/Laurel Highlands region. A relatively older age profile than many U.S. metros and a mix of small‑city and rural communities are relevant context for interpreting local social media adoption and platform preferences.

User statistics (penetration / share of residents active)

  • No authoritative, county-specific social media penetration survey is publicly available for Cambria County at the level of detail typically needed (platform-by-platform usage, active-user rates, etc.). Most reputable datasets are reported at national or sometimes state/metro levels rather than by county.
  • Best available benchmark (U.S. adults): About 7 in 10 U.S. adults (≈70%) use at least one social media site, according to the Pew Research Center social media fact sheet (ongoing national survey compilation). This national rate is the most defensible reference point in the absence of county-level measurement.

Age group trends (who uses social media most)

Based on Pew’s national age breakdown (Pew Research Center):

  • 18–29: Highest usage (roughly in the 80–90% range using social media).
  • 30–49: High usage (roughly around 80%).
  • 50–64: Majority use (roughly around 60–70%).
  • 65+: Lower but substantial minority (roughly around 40–50%). Local implication: Cambria County’s comparatively older population profile (relative to many U.S. counties) tends to align with lower overall penetration than youthful college-centered areas, while supporting strong usage on platforms with older-skewing audiences (notably Facebook).

Gender breakdown

  • Overall social media use shows modest gender differences at the national level, with women often slightly more likely to report using social platforms in aggregate; platform-specific differences are more pronounced. Pew’s platform tables provide the most widely cited gender splits (Pew Research Center platform-by-platform demographics).
  • Local note: County-level gender splits by platform are not published in a standard, comparable way by major survey organizations.

Most-used platforms (with percentages where possible)

County-level platform market shares are not reported by Pew or similar national survey houses; the most reliable percentages are therefore U.S. adult usage rates (Pew) that serve as a benchmark:

  • YouTube: ~83% of U.S. adults
  • Facebook: ~68%
  • Instagram: ~47%
  • Pinterest: ~35%
  • TikTok: ~33%
  • LinkedIn: ~30%
  • X (Twitter): ~22%
  • Snapchat: ~27%
    (Percentages are from Pew’s continuously updated summary tables: Social Media Fact Sheet.)

Local implication: In counties with older age structures and many family/household networks across small communities, Facebook typically remains a primary local-network platform, while YouTube functions broadly across age groups for entertainment and “how‑to” content.

Behavioral trends (engagement patterns / preferences)

Using national research patterns that are most applicable to a mixed small‑city/rural county context:

  • Facebook tends to be relationship- and community-oriented, often used for local groups, community announcements, and event coordination; these uses are consistent with the platform’s broad adult reach (Pew platform demographics: Pew Research Center).
  • YouTube is broadly cross‑demographic and commonly used for entertainment, news explainers, and instructional content; Pew consistently finds YouTube to be the top-reach platform among U.S. adults (Pew).
  • Platform “intensity” differs by age: Younger adults report heavier daily usage and higher adoption of short‑form video platforms (e.g., TikTok), while older adults concentrate more on Facebook and YouTube (Pew’s age-by-platform tables: Pew Research Center).
  • News and information behavior: Pew’s broader internet/news research has documented that social platforms function as a major pathway for news for many adults, but usage and trust vary by platform and demographic group (overview: Pew Research Center media and society research). In practice, this often translates into Facebook for local/regional updates and YouTube for longer-form explanations.

Data limitations (Cambria County): Publicly accessible, statistically robust county-level metrics for “active on social platforms,” platform shares, and engagement frequency are not routinely released by major survey organizations; the most defensible approach is to pair county context with national benchmark rates from sources such as Pew Research Center.

Family & Associates Records

Cambria County does not maintain most “vital records” (birth, death, marriage, divorce) at the county level. In Pennsylvania, birth and death certificates are held by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Vital Records. Public access is restricted; certified copies are generally limited to eligible requesters, and informational copies may be available in limited circumstances. See the state overview at Pennsylvania Department of Health: Birth certificates and Pennsylvania Department of Health: Death certificates.

County-level records related to family and associates are commonly maintained through the Court of Common Pleas (Domestic Relations, Orphans’ Court) and the Prothonotary/Clerk of Courts, including civil filings that may involve divorce, custody, support, guardianship, and adoption-related court actions. Access to case dockets and documents may be available through county offices, with limitations for confidential matters. The Cambria County court system and offices are listed at Cambria County: Courts and Cambria County: Prothonotary/Clerk of Courts.

Public databases commonly include searchable docket summaries for non-confidential cases via Pennsylvania’s unified portal: Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania Web Portal. Privacy restrictions frequently apply to juvenile matters, adoptions, certain domestic relations records, and personally identifying information; sealed records are not publicly accessible.

Marriage & Divorce Records

Types of records available

Marriage records (licenses and related filings)

  • Marriage license applications and licenses: Issued by the Cambria County Register of Wills/Clerk of Orphans’ Court (often operating as the “Marriage License Bureau” function within that office).
  • Marriage returns/certificates filed with the county: After a ceremony, the officiant returns proof of solemnization to the issuing office; the county maintains the return as part of the marriage record.

Divorce records (decrees and case files)

  • Divorce decrees: Final court orders ending a marriage, maintained as part of the civil case docket and filings.
  • Divorce case records: Pleadings, notices, settlement-related filings, and orders maintained by the Cambria County Court of Common Pleas (Domestic Relations/Family Division functions are typically administered through the Prothonotary/Clerk of Courts structure for civil filings).

Annulment records

  • Annulment decrees and case files: Court orders declaring a marriage void or voidable, maintained by the Court of Common Pleas as family law matters, with filings and docketing handled through the court’s civil filing offices.

Where records are filed and how they can be accessed

Marriage records (county level)

  • Filing office: Cambria County Register of Wills / Clerk of Orphans’ Court (marriage licenses are a county responsibility in Pennsylvania).
  • Access methods:
    • In-person requests for certified copies and searches through the issuing office.
    • Mail requests are commonly offered by county marriage license offices for certified copies (requirements typically include identification and fees).
    • Some counties provide limited online informational access (index-style lookups); certified copies generally require direct request to the county office.

Divorce and annulment records (court level)

  • Filing office: Cambria County Court of Common Pleas (civil/family docket and filings maintained through the county’s court filing offices such as the Prothonotary/Clerk of Courts, depending on local practice).
  • Access methods:
    • In-person access at the courthouse to review public dockets and obtain copies from the appropriate clerk’s office.
    • Electronic docket access: Pennsylvania provides statewide docket access for many case types through the Unified Judicial System portal, which may include docket summaries for divorce matters and related filings (document images are not uniformly available).
      Link: https://ujsportal.pacourts.us/

Typical information included in these records

Marriage license records

  • Full legal names of both applicants (and prior names in some cases)
  • Dates of birth or ages
  • Residences/addresses at the time of application
  • Marital status (e.g., never married, divorced, widowed) and prior marriage details in some cases
  • Parents’ names (commonly recorded on Pennsylvania marriage applications)
  • Date of application and date of issuance
  • Officiant information and date/location of ceremony (recorded on the return after solemnization)
  • License number and filing/recording details
  • Certified copies typically reproduce the recorded license/return information and the county certification

Divorce decrees and case dockets

  • Names of parties and case caption
  • Docket number and county of filing
  • Key procedural entries (complaint filed, service, affidavits, conferences, orders)
  • Grounds/procedure type (e.g., no-fault process entries reflected in filings)
  • Date of decree and judge’s signature (on the decree)
  • Related orders may appear in the case file (e.g., name change as part of divorce proceedings, though name restoration may be reflected in the decree)

Annulment case records

  • Names of parties and docket number
  • Petition/complaint and basis asserted for annulment
  • Service and hearing entries
  • Court order/decree granting or denying annulment and date entered

Privacy or legal restrictions

Public access and certified copies

  • Marriage license records: Generally treated as public records at the county level, with certified copies issued by the county office. Access procedures can require identity verification and payment of statutory fees.
  • Divorce/annulment dockets and decrees: Court dockets and final decrees are generally public unless sealed. Access to entire case files can be limited by court rules and specific sealing orders.

Confidential information and redaction

  • Pennsylvania courts apply confidentiality rules for certain data elements (commonly including Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and information relating to minors). Records may be redacted or restricted consistent with Pennsylvania Rules of Court and local court policies.
  • Certain filings in family-law matters may be designated confidential, and some documents may be accessible only to parties or their attorneys, depending on the nature of the filing and any protective or sealing orders.

Sealing and restricted cases

  • Courts can seal records or restrict access by order (for example, to protect sensitive personal information). When sealed, public docket information may be limited, and document access is restricted to authorized persons.

Education, Employment and Housing

Cambria County is in west‑central Pennsylvania in the Allegheny Plateau region, anchored by the City of Johnstown and a mix of small boroughs and rural townships. The county has an older‑than‑average age profile relative to Pennsylvania overall and long‑running population decline typical of parts of the former coal/steel belt, with communities organized around the Johnstown metro area, regional healthcare and education employers, and a dispersed rural housing pattern outside the urban core. Key reference sources for the county’s demographic and housing baselines include the U.S. Census Bureau (data.census.gov) and the American Community Survey.

Education Indicators

Public schools (counts and names)

Cambria County’s public K–12 education is delivered through multiple districts serving the Johnstown area and surrounding townships/boroughs. District footprints and school lists are documented through the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) “Search for Public Schools” and Pennsylvania’s education profiles via the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
Note on availability: A single, authoritative “number of public schools in the county” total varies by year due to openings/closures and how centers (e.g., alternative education) are counted; NCES is the most consistent enumerator for named schools.

Commonly recognized public districts operating in Cambria County include:

  • Greater Johnstown School District
  • Westmont Hilltop School District
  • Richland School District
  • Forest Hills School District
  • Central Cambria School District
  • Penn Cambria School District
  • Blacklick Valley School District
  • Conemaugh Valley School District
  • Ferndale Area School District
  • Portage Area School District
  • Northern Cambria School District
  • Tussey Mountain School District (serves parts of Cambria and Bedford Counties)

School names by district (elementary/middle/high) are available from NCES district and school directories and individual district websites; countywide compilation is best sourced from the NCES school list filtered to “Cambria County, PA.”

Student–teacher ratios and graduation rates

  • Student–teacher ratios: District ratios vary, but Cambria County districts generally fall within typical Pennsylvania public school ranges. NCES provides district-level student/teacher staffing counts that can be converted into ratios for each district and school.
  • Graduation rates: Pennsylvania reports cohort graduation rates at the district and school level. Cambria County districts typically cluster around the state’s high‑80s to low‑90s percent range, with variation by district and student subgroup. The most recent official rates are published in PDE’s district/school “Graduation Rate” reporting and in the Pennsylvania School Performance Profile / PA Profiles system.

Proxy note: A single countywide graduation rate is not always published as a consolidated statistic; district-level PDE cohort graduation rates are the standard proxy.

Adult educational attainment

Using the most recent American Community Survey (ACS) county estimates (5‑year series is commonly used for county precision):

  • High school diploma or higher (age 25+): Cambria County is typically in the mid‑to‑high 80% range, similar to many counties in western Pennsylvania.
  • Bachelor’s degree or higher (age 25+): The county is typically below the Pennsylvania statewide share and below major metro counties, reflecting an industrial/service mix and an older age structure.

The definitive values for the current ACS release are available by querying Cambria County in ACS Educational Attainment tables on data.census.gov (table family commonly used: “Educational Attainment,” population 25+).

Notable programs (STEM, CTE, AP, dual enrollment)

  • Career and Technical Education (CTE): The county is served by regional CTE programming through the Greater Johnstown area career and technology system (commonly referred to as Greater Johnstown Career & Technology Center), providing vocational pathways in skilled trades and technical fields aligned with regional employment. Pennsylvania CTE program approval and reporting is administered through PDE (CTE/Perkins).
  • Advanced Placement (AP) and dual enrollment: AP offerings are commonly available in the larger districts and high schools; dual enrollment options are typically coordinated with nearby postsecondary institutions. Course-by-course availability is documented by each district and, in aggregate performance terms, via PDE assessment/reporting systems.
  • STEM: STEM course sequences are generally offered through district science/math departments; specialized academies or grant-funded programs are reported by districts rather than as a single county dataset.

School safety measures and counseling resources

  • Safety measures: Pennsylvania public schools commonly employ controlled-entry procedures, visitor management, emergency operations plans, school police/SRO arrangements (district-dependent), and mandated safety drills. School safety planning is guided at the state level and implemented locally; district safety plans and board policies are the primary sources.
  • Counseling resources: Districts provide student services through school counselors, psychologists, social workers, and Student Assistance Program (SAP) teams. Pennsylvania’s SAP framework is a standardized, statewide approach used by districts to identify and refer students for behavioral health and substance-use supports (program information is maintained through PDE and SAP networks).

Proxy note: Publicly comparable countywide counts of counselors/SROs are not consistently published; district staffing reports and board policy documentation are the most direct sources.

Employment and Economic Conditions

Unemployment rate (most recent year)

Cambria County unemployment is reported monthly and annually by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (Local Area Unemployment Statistics). The most recent annual average rate should be taken from BLS LAUS (county annual average), with month-to-month variation reflecting seasonal patterns.
Proxy note: Without a fixed “as of” month/year specified, the definitive “most recent year” is the latest BLS annual average posted for Cambria County.

Major industries and employment sectors

Based on ACS industry-of-employment profiles and regional employer composition, Cambria County’s largest sectors typically include:

  • Health care and social assistance (major driver in the Johnstown area)
  • Educational services (K–12 and postsecondary)
  • Retail trade
  • Manufacturing (smaller than historic peaks but still present)
  • Accommodation and food services
  • Construction
  • Public administration
  • Transportation and warehousing (generally smaller but regionally relevant)

Industry shares are available in ACS “Industry by Occupation/Industry by Sex/Industry” tables on data.census.gov, and employer-level context is reflected in regional economic development reporting.

Common occupations and workforce breakdown

Occupational distribution (ACS occupation groups) commonly shows concentration in:

  • Office and administrative support
  • Sales and related
  • Healthcare practitioners/support
  • Education, training, and library
  • Production
  • Transportation and material moving
  • Construction and extraction
  • Food preparation and serving

County occupation percentages are available through ACS occupation tables (data.census.gov) and can be compared to Pennsylvania to gauge relative specialization.

Commuting patterns and mean commute time

  • Typical pattern: Many residents commute within the county to the Johnstown area (healthcare, education, retail, local government), while a meaningful share commute to adjacent counties for specialized jobs and higher-wage opportunities.
  • Mean travel time to work: The county’s mean commute time is typically in the low‑to‑mid 20‑minute range (ACS “Travel Time to Work”), consistent with a small-metro/rural county structure rather than large-metro congestion.

Definitive commute-time values and mode shares (drive alone, carpool, work from home, etc.) are provided in ACS commuting tables on data.census.gov commuting/time-to-work tables.

Local employment vs. out-of-county work

ACS “Place of Work” and commuting-flow concepts indicate that a majority of workers typically work within their county of residence in small metro areas, with out‑commuting to nearby counties also present. For a more explicit inflow/outflow view, the Census LEHD/OnTheMap tools provide origin–destination commuting flows (residence vs. workplace) for Cambria County.

Proxy note: “Local employment vs. out-of-county work” is best quantified with LEHD OnTheMap inflow/outflow rather than ACS alone, since ACS is sample-based and less granular for flow accounting.

Housing and Real Estate

Homeownership rate and rental share

Cambria County has a relatively high owner-occupancy profile compared with large metro counties, reflecting single-family housing stock and long-established neighborhoods:

  • Owner-occupied vs. renter-occupied: Owner occupancy commonly exceeds two‑thirds of occupied units in many western Pennsylvania counties; Cambria County follows this pattern.
    Definitive current shares are available in ACS “Tenure” tables on data.census.gov (Tenure).

Median property values and recent trends

  • Median home value: The county’s median owner-occupied housing value is typically well below Pennsylvania’s statewide median and far below Philadelphia/Pittsburgh core counties, reflecting softer long-term demand and a large inventory of older housing.
  • Trend: Values increased notably during 2020–2023 in line with national trends, but appreciation has generally been more moderate than high-growth metro areas.

ACS provides the median value for owner-occupied units and distribution by value bands (most consistent for county comparisons). For market-tracking context, regional MLS summaries and third-party indices exist, but ACS remains the most stable public baseline.

Typical rent prices

  • Median gross rent: Median gross rent is generally lower than Pennsylvania’s statewide median and substantially lower than major metro areas.
    Definitive values appear in ACS “Gross Rent” tables on data.census.gov (Gross Rent).

Types of housing

Housing stock is characterized by:

  • Older single-family detached homes in Johnstown-area neighborhoods and boroughs
  • Small multifamily buildings and apartments concentrated near the urban core and along key corridors
  • Manufactured housing and rural lots in outlying townships
  • Higher-vacancy legacy housing in some older neighborhoods, reflecting long-run population decline and aging stock (vacancy levels are measurable in ACS occupancy/vacancy tables)

Neighborhood characteristics (proximity to schools/amenities)

  • Johnstown/nearby boroughs (more urbanized): Denser blocks, closer proximity to schools, hospitals/clinics, public services, and retail corridors; more multifamily options.
  • Suburban townships (e.g., around Richland/Westmont areas): Predominantly single-family neighborhoods with access to shopping centers and arterial roads.
  • Rural townships: Larger parcels, longer drives to schools and services, and limited apartment inventory.

Proxy note: Countywide “proximity to amenities” is not typically published as a single metric; land-use patterns and settlement geography are the standard descriptors.

Property tax overview (average rate and typical homeowner cost)

Pennsylvania property taxes are levied primarily by school districts, counties, and municipalities, so effective tax burdens vary significantly within Cambria County by locality and school district.

  • Average effective property tax rate: Commonly around 1%–2% of market value in many Pennsylvania localities, with school district millage as the largest component; Cambria County local rates vary by municipality and district.
  • Typical annual tax bill: Best represented by ACS “median real estate taxes paid” for owner-occupied housing units, which provides a countywide median of taxes paid (a practical proxy for “typical homeowner cost”).

Definitive medians and distributions are available in ACS “Real Estate Taxes Paid” tables on data.census.gov, while millage rates are published by each taxing jurisdiction and school district (Pennsylvania’s local tax structure makes a single countywide rate non-uniform by design).

Table of Contents

Other Counties in Pennsylvania