Clarion County Courthouse and Jail · National Register of Historic Places
Clarion’s story
187 years in pictures
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1839Clarion is settled
ClarionPA
A town of 4,192, settled in 1839. A regional job hub with 1,964 jobs.
2 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Doug Kerr from Albany, NY, United States · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
4,192
−25.5% since 2010
Median home value
$163K
Census ACS
Household income
$47K
median
Median age
23.1
years
Jobs based here
1,964
A job hub
What makes Clarion stand out
The 3 things Clarion does most differently from other towns.
1,964jobs here
Work
1,964 jobs
based in Clarion, a regional job hub
16% of working residents work in town.
Outdoors
#93 most walkable in PA
2.2 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
2.1% of the town is conserved land.
B+School Grade
Schools
Better than 73%
of PA districts
School Grade B+.
A shrinking town
Clarion has shrunk 25.5% since 2010
5,276 people in 2010; 4,192 today.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 · ACS
Clarion’s report card
Now in Clarion
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Clarion is #1 of 1,057 in PA for “Shortest commute”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Clarion’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →72°
Clear
Tonight L 62°
Local news
All →- Autumn Leaf Festival Returns to Clarion October 3–11, 2026explorejeffersonpa.com · Sep 28
- SPONSORED: Bronco Sport Specials Available This Month at Clarion Fordexplorejeffersonpa.com · Sep 28
- Clarion Football: Golden Eagles Disarm Fighting Scots in 30-19 Winexplorejeffersonpa.com · Sep 27
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Clarion. Another town gets a different order.
Work & commute
About one in six working residents works right in Clarion
Most working residents leave Clarion for work: only 16% work in town. The top destinations are Paint (8%), Monroe (7%) and Clarion (5%). Half commute less than 20 miles.
16%work in town
Where working residents work
In Clarion16%
Paint8%
Monroe7%
Clarion5%
Pittsburgh3%
20 mi
median commute distance
1,964
jobs based in Clarion
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Outdoors
2.1% of Clarion is conserved land
2.2 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves.
#145for trails in PA
2.1%
conserved · 22 of 1,029 acres
2.2 mi
of trails · 1.4 per sq mi
#93
most walkable in PA
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Student Recreation Area | — | 4 |
| 2. Paul A. Weaver Community Park | — | 1 |
| 3. Veterans Memorial Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Natural hazards
Very low risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 2% of U.S. communities.
2risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingLightningCold waves
1
paid flood claims since 1979
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Schools
Clarion’s public schools outperform 73% of Pennsylvania districts
The public schools Clarion’s kids attend outperform 73% of Pennsylvania’s districts on state tests. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.
B+School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clarion Area El Sch | K–5 | 352 | B |
| Immaculate Conception School Private | K–6 | 70 | |
| Clarion Area JSHS | 6–12 | 426 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within PA on state testsAll 3 schools →
Climate
Four seasons, pleasant summers
Clarion has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 17°, and about 35 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
35″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter20–36°
Spring35–59°
Summer56–80°
Fall40–61°
Oct 11
typical first frost
May 9
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Safety
Crime reported in Clarion
Clarion's reported crime rate is well below Pennsylvania's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. 5 violent crimes were reported in 2024.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Clarion1.1
Pennsylvania2.5
U.S.3.6
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Clarion6.8
Pennsylvania14.7
U.S.17.7
5
violent crimes reported in 2024
30
property crimes reported in 2024
FBI crime data, 2024 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Health
How healthy Clarion is
Clarion beats the Pennsylvania average on 0 of 5 CDC measures and trails it on 1.
5 measures vs. Pennsylvania
0 better4 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Clarion | PA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults seeing a dentist | 59.7% | 64.4% |
Independence Health System Clarion Hospital
1.1 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
A job hub
Every workday, about 1,765 people come to Clarion for work
Where Clarion’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
1,964jobs based in Clarion
16%of working residents work in town
20 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Landmarks
2 places in Clarion on the National Register of Historic Places.
Famous people from Clarion
5 notable people were born in Clarion.
About Clarion
Borough in Pennsylvania, US
Clarion is a borough in Clarion County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. The population was 3,931 at the 2020 census. It is located 77 miles (124 km) north-northeast of Pittsburgh along the Clarion River and is part of the Pittsburgh DMA. Clarion was settled in 1839 and incorporated in 1841. In the past, the surrounding area produced natural gas, oil, lumber and coal. It is home to the annual Autumn Leaf Festival and PennWest Clarion. The county courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1839
- Population
- 3,931
- Area
- 1.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,491 ft
- ZIP code
- 16214
- Area code
- 814
Clarion’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with Clarion.
ClarionHighlandClarion
More about Clarion
Still missing for Clarion:archive photosupcoming events