Thanks for stopping by our site! It’s our mission to offer an online experience for Cambria County showcasing our wonderful businesses, local events and attractions, as well as job listing, rentals, fun contest, and a sense of community. A central virtual hub of local businesses to list their services and for shoppers to take a look around. Imagine visiting your favorite Cambria county farmers markets, craft shops, or taking a stroll downtown to frequent your favorite businesses: we’re like that, except online! 

Whether you’ve lived here your entire life or you’re considering a move, we thought you might be interested in learning a bit more about what makes Cambria county what it is. 

Geography 

Located in the Allegheny mountains, Cambria county stretches over 694 square miles reaching just west of Altoona and just east of Indiana. It features rolling and mountainous topography with a wide variety of usable waterways throughout. The Blacklick, Stonycreek, and Conemaugh rivers run through the area and can be used via the Mainline Canal Greenway to reach Pittsburgh or Altoona. There are 44 towns and cities in the area. 

Cambria county features three beautiful state parks: Laurel Ridge, Gallitzin State Forest, Prince Gallitzin State Park, and dozens of trails and local parks. 

Interesting Fact:

Pennsylvania has the most extended, most varied fall foliage season in the world. It is the meeting ground of northern trees that flourish on mountain tops farther south and southern trees at the northernmost limits of their range. 

Demographics 

As of the ‘20 census, the population in Cambria county was 133,472. The largest city is Johnstown, and the county seat is Ebensburg. 

We’re proud to say that 10,700 veterans call our county home!

Real Estate

Cambria county has very affordable real estate!

Of the 66,000 properties listed on the ’20 census, the median home value was $91,900. Total costs of home-owners paying a mortgage are $1,041 and gross rent is $634. There is a 1% transfer tax on all home sales. 

The housing market was reflective of the U.S. during ’20 and ’21, with many homes selling over list price within a week of going on the market. During ’21, Cambria-Somerset offered $5,000 for remote workers to relocate to the area with a great deal of success. 

Economy

The median household income in Cambria county is $46,659. 

The largest employment sectors in Johnstown include healthcare at 21.1, manufacturing at 9.6%, and retail at 11.7%. The top employers are Conemaugh Health System, Wal-Mart, Laurel Technologies, Sheetz, and government positions. The $53m Iron To Arts Corridor infrastructure boost will add jobs and a facelift to Johnstown in ’22, contributing to the surrounding areas. 

See our next blog for a list of tips and tools for starting or developing your business in the area!

Cost of Living

Cambria county is a highly affordable place to live. Healthcare, groceries, utilities, housing, and transportation are all below the Pennsylvania and U.S. averages. With a 6% sales tax and a flat 3.07% state income tax, the area is favorable here. Townships and boroughs may charge additional income tax ranging from .5-1.5%, generally used for area development projects. 

The county levies a 33.5 mill rate property tax. Each of the 91 boroughs or townships imposes a separate tax in addition to a school district tax. Total taxes range from 85.75 mills in Summerhill Boro to 145.5 in Brownstown Boro. 

Education

Thirty-seven public schools in 13 school districts will serve over 17,000 students in the 21-22 school year. Five of its schools rank in the top 30% of Pennsylvania public schools. The area also features some well-respected private schools.  

For those seeking additional education, Cambria offers a wide variety of options: 

• Greater Johnstown Career & Technology Center offers high school, adult education, and post-secondary classes, including a “Career in a Year” program. 
• Mount Aloysius is a private Catholic liberal arts college in Cresson which offers a wide range of programs, including Masters.
• St Francis is a private Catholic school ranked in the top 20 regional universities with top-ranked nursing and physical therapy programs.
• University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown offers a wide variety of programs. It is well known for its Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center, which hosts the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra and the Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art. 
• Penn Highlands Community College is a public community college that offers affordable degrees in programming, coding, accounting, and more.
• Hiram G Andrews Center is the world’s first and largest rehabilitation facility specifically designed to provide comprehensive rehab services under one roof. 

History

Johnstown has a great deal of history and has sites worth visiting with the Flood Museum, Discovery Center, and Children’s Museum. Grandview Cemetery has some incredible monuments and headstones along with its panoramic view. 

But there are plenty of other spots throughout the county to see. Cambria county lists 31 items on the National Registry of historic places, including historic districts in several towns and cities, bridges and structures, and the Ebensburg Courthouse. 

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