Metro Life Score
Chambersburg, PA
Below-median composite Life Score — grade C+, 43rd percentile of the national corpus.
- 48.0
- Life Score / 100
- C+
- Grade (curved)
- #221
- of 387 metros
- 43%
- composite percentile
Data updated August 2026
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The verdict
Chambersburg is below-median composite Life Score — #221 of 387 (48.0/100, grade C+, 43rd percentile). Carried by safety at 77/100; held back most by schools at 17/100.
- 43rd
- composite percentile
- #221
- of 387 peers
- 45th
- cost dimension percentile
- 49th
- wages dimension percentile
Life Score shape · MID · SAFE-LED · signature composite
Chambersburg: mid-curve composite with a readable shape
Chambersburg is a mid-curve MID · SAFE-LED metro (composite #221, 48.0/100, 42nd percentile). Cost MID (45th) · wages MID (49th). Strongest safety 77/100; weakest schools 17/100; dimension gap 60. According to PlainCompare's federal Life Score corpus ranking, Chambersburg, PA ranks #221 of 387 metros by composite Life Score (highest = #1) and #212 of 387 by cost-of-living dimension score (highest = #1). Methodology.
BEA RPP 94.6 (rent-RPP 71.9). BLS median salary $63,947, 55,010 jobs (Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand, Stockers and Order Fillers, Retail Salespersons). HUD 2BR FMR $1,379/mo (studio $1,014).
FBI UCR (PA): 250 violent, 1457 property/100K. NCES: 13.0:1 ratio, 6.0% charter. EPA: 127 Superfund sites (PA).
Where Chambersburg sits among all US metros
Composite Life Score vs the national field
48 43rd percentile higher than 43% of 387 US metros
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US metros. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source PlainCompare composite of BEA, BLS, HUD, FBI, NCES, DOL, EPA data · August 2026
How the 48.0 is built
Chambersburg's Life Score, decomposed
Dimension detail
How Chambersburg scores, dimension by dimension
Score Breakdown
Dimension Scores
Key Data Points
Geography used: crime, schools, childcare, and environment cards above are PA state-level when metro-specific feeds are unavailable, see the scope key at the top of this page.
Compare Chambersburg With...
Ranking Context
Chambersburg outranks 43% of U.S. metros.
| Rank | Metro | Score | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| #218 | Portland-South Portland, ME | 48.1 | C+ |
| #219 | Niles, MI | 48.1 | C+ |
| #220 | Jacksonville, NC | 48.1 | C+ |
| #221 | Chambersburg, PA | 48.0 | C+ |
| #222 | Victoria, TX | 48.0 | C+ |
| #223 | Walla Walla, WA | 48.0 | C+ |
| #224 | Tyler, TX | 47.9 | C+ |
Quality vs. Affordability
Chambersburg, PA's quality rank (bottom 43% lowest-quality) and affordability rank (bottom 45% least affordable) sit close together -- an unusually proportionate metro where overall quality and cost-of-living move together.
PA Metro Scores
Read with Chambersburg
Nearest composite peers and cost poles for Chambersburg (MID · SAFE-LED · MID/MID), replacing the fixed Explore/Guides strip.
Victoria, TX
ABS(composite) peer at 48.0 (Δ 0.0 vs this metro); higher Life Score · grade C+ vs this page's MID · SAFE-LED · MID/MID.
Walla Walla, WA
ABS(composite) peer at 48.0 (Δ 0.0 vs this metro); higher Life Score · grade C+ vs this page's MID · SAFE-LED · MID/MID.
Jacksonville, NC
ABS(composite) peer at 48.1 (Δ 0.1 vs this metro); higher Life Score · grade C+ vs this page's MID · SAFE-LED · MID/MID.
Niles, MI
ABS(composite) peer at 48.1 (Δ 0.1 vs this metro); higher Life Score · grade C+ vs this page's MID · SAFE-LED · MID/MID.
Pittsburgh, PA (cost pole)
ABS(cost_score) orthogonal peer at 45/100 (Δ 0); cost stamp MID vs this metro's MID.
Idaho Falls, ID (cost pole)
ABS(cost_score) orthogonal peer at 46/100 (Δ 0); cost stamp MID vs this metro's MID.
Chambersburg, PA relocation guide
Stamp-branched guide for MID · SAFE-LED · MID/MID - how to read federal Life Score inputs before a move.
Using Chambersburg's middle-third Life Score
Chambersburg scores 48.0/100 overall, but Safety (76.9) and Schools (17.4) sit 59.6 points apart, so decide which of the two matters more to you before leaning on the total.
- Safety is the strongest of Chambersburg's seven dimensions (weighted 15% in the composite); if it is your priority, this is where the metro earns its rank. See all seven dimensions
- Schools is the weakest (weighted 10% in the composite); if it is a dealbreaker, weigh it before the ranking does. Rank metros on the composite
- Johnstown is the nearest comparison this page can offer; put the two side by side on the same seven dimensions. Compare with Johnstown
A middle-third composite is a weighted blend; individual dimensions can sit well above or below it.