What Hardiness Zone Is Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania spans USDA hardiness zones 5b–8a on the 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map. The most common zone is 6b, covering 36% of Pennsylvania's ZIP codes, followed by zone 7a (29%). Zone 6b means the coldest night of an average winter reaches −5°F to 0°F (−21°C to −18°C). Enter your ZIP code for your exact zone.
Pennsylvania hardiness zones by share of ZIP codes
What the zones mean for Pennsylvania gardeners
- Coldest and warmest towns: among towns with NOAA weather stations, Coudersport 7SE (2,150 ft) is in zone 5b, while Philadelphia Intl Airport (10 ft) is in zone 7b. That is a difference of about 20°F in the coldest night of a typical winter.
- Same zone, different frost dates: within zone 6b, the median last spring frost ranges from April 5 at Braddock Lock 2 to May 8 at Indiana 3 SE, 33 days apart. Your zone tells you which perennials survive winter; your frost dates tell you when to plant.
Typical frost dates in each Pennsylvania zone
Medians across NOAA weather stations in each zone. Colder zones usually have later spring frosts, but local terrain can shift the dates by weeks.
| Zone | Last spring frost | First fall frost | Stations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5b | May 15 | October 3 | 14 |
| 6a | May 6 | October 11 | 45 |
| 6b | April 27 | October 20 | 55 |
| 7a | April 19 | October 25 | 40 |
| 7b | April 2 | November 10 | 5 |
Hardiness zones for Pennsylvania cities
Zones at the National Weather Service stations, mostly city airports, with their median frost dates.
| Allentown Intl Airport | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 390 | Apr 20 | Oct 24 |
| Altoona Blair County Airport | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 1,480 | Apr 23 | Oct 21 |
| Avondale 2 N | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 400 | Apr 19 | Oct 26 |
| Bradford Regional Airport | 5b | −15°F to −10°F | 2,117 | May 18 | Oct 1 |
| Clearfield Lawrence Airport | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 1,516 | May 4 | Oct 11 |
| Doylestown Airport | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 394 | Apr 13 | Oct 30 |
| Dubois Jefferson County Airport | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 1,814 | May 6 | Oct 14 |
| Erie Intl Airport | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 730 | Apr 26 | Nov 4 |
| Harrisburg Cptl Cy Airport | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 340 | Apr 9 | Nov 1 |
| Johnstown Cambria County Airport | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 2,284 | Apr 29 | Oct 21 |
| Lancaster Airport | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 403 | Apr 18 | Oct 25 |
| Middletown Harrisburg Intl Airport | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 312 | Apr 9 | Nov 2 |
| Mount Pocono Mountains Airport | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 1,916 | May 6 | Oct 8 |
| Philadelphia Intl Airport | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 10 | Apr 2 | Nov 10 |
| Philadelphia NE Airport | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 100 | Apr 4 | Nov 7 |
| Pittsburgh Allegheny County Airport | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 1,248 | Apr 18 | Oct 28 |
| Pittsburgh Intl Airport | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 1,203 | Apr 23 | Oct 23 |
| Port Meadville Airport | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 1,400 | Apr 30 | Oct 23 |
| Pottstown Limerick Airport | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 291 | Apr 20 | Oct 23 |
| Reading Spaatz Field | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 341 | Apr 14 | Oct 29 |
| Selinsgrove Penn Valley Airport | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 444 | Apr 27 | Oct 16 |
| Wilkes-barre Intl Airport | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 930 | Apr 23 | Oct 20 |
| Williamsport | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 520 | Apr 24 | Oct 23 |
| Willow Grove NAS | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 361 | Apr 11 | Nov 1 |
| York Airport | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 486 | Apr 27 | Oct 18 |
Hardiness zones for 159 towns in Pennsylvania
Each NOAA weather station is shown with the USDA zone of the nearest ZIP code (within 8 miles). Coldest night is the zone's range for the average annual extreme minimum temperature. Click a column to sort.
| Acmetonia Lock 3 | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 748 | Apr 16 | Nov 1 |
| Allentown Intl Airport | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 390 | Apr 20 | Oct 24 |
| Altoona 3 W | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 1,320 | Apr 25 | Oct 21 |
| Altoona 7 SW | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 1,180 | Apr 25 | Oct 20 |
| Altoona Blair County Airport | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 1,480 | Apr 23 | Oct 21 |
| Alvin R Bush Dam | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 930 | Apr 29 | Oct 21 |
| Avondale 2 N | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 400 | Apr 19 | Oct 26 |
| Bear Gap | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 1,015 | Apr 27 | Oct 20 |
| Beaver Falls 1 NE | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 760 | Apr 27 | Oct 25 |
| Benton 3 NE | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 1,095 | May 4 | Oct 11 |
| Biglerville | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 720 | Apr 15 | Oct 27 |
| Bloserville 1 N | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 700 | Apr 18 | Oct 26 |
| Blue Marsh Lake | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 350 | Apr 26 | Oct 19 |
| Braddock Lock 2 | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 730 | Apr 5 | Nov 10 |
| Bradford 4SW Rsch 5 | 5b | −15°F to −10°F | 1,660 | May 18 | Oct 4 |
| Bradford Regional Airport | 5b | −15°F to −10°F | 2,117 | May 18 | Oct 1 |
| Bucksville | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 387 | Apr 29 | Oct 16 |
| Butler 2 SW | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 1,000 | May 7 | Oct 14 |
| Canton | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 1,140 | May 16 | Oct 2 |
| Carlisle Wtp | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 430 | Apr 23 | Oct 18 |
| Cashtown 1S | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 710 | Apr 28 | Oct 17 |
| Chalk Hill 2 ENE | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 1,980 | May 19 | Oct 1 |
| Chambersburg 1 ESE | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 640 | Apr 18 | Oct 25 |
| Chandlers Valley 1SE | 5b | −15°F to −10°F | 1,490 | May 22 | Sep 30 |
| Charleroi Lock 4 | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 749 | Apr 13 | Nov 5 |
| Clarence | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 1,390 | May 21 | Sep 27 |
| Clarion 3 SW | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 1,040 | May 9 | Oct 11 |
| Clearfield Lawrence Airport | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 1,516 | May 4 | Oct 11 |
| Clermont 1 NW | 5b | −15°F to −10°F | 2,080 | May 15 | Oct 3 |
| Coatesville 2 W | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 640 | Apr 19 | Oct 25 |
| Confluence 1 SW Dam | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 1,490 | Apr 30 | Oct 18 |
| Connellsville 2 SSW | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 900 | Apr 22 | Oct 27 |
| Cooksburg 2 NW | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 1,450 | May 13 | Oct 7 |
| Coudersport 1 SW | 5b | −15°F to −10°F | 1,650 | May 22 | Oct 1 |
| Coudersport 7SE | 5b | −15°F to −10°F | 2,150 | May 14 | Oct 4 |
| Cowanesque Dam | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 1,150 | May 9 | Oct 12 |
| Dehart Dam | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 537 | May 1 | Oct 16 |
| Donegal 2 NW | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 1,800 | Apr 30 | Oct 17 |
| Donora 1 SW | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 762 | Apr 27 | Oct 22 |
| Doylestown Airport | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 394 | Apr 13 | Oct 30 |
| Dubois Jefferson County Airport | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 1,814 | May 6 | Oct 14 |
| Dushore | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 1,530 | May 14 | Oct 2 |
| E Stroudsburg | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 471 | May 1 | Oct 12 |
| Ebensburg Sewage Plt | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 1,940 | May 17 | Oct 2 |
| Eisenhower Nhs | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 540 | Apr 24 | Oct 21 |
| Emporium | 5b | −15°F to −10°F | 1,040 | May 7 | Oct 15 |
| Emsworth L/d Ohio River | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 717 | Apr 24 | Oct 27 |
| Erie Intl Airport | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 730 | Apr 26 | Nov 4 |
| Everett | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 1,000 | Apr 27 | Oct 17 |
| Ford City 4 S Dam | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 930 | May 4 | Oct 16 |
| Francis E Walter Dam | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 1,509 | May 7 | Oct 6 |
| Franklin | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 1,015 | May 2 | Oct 23 |
| Glen Hazel 2 NE Dam | 5b | −15°F to −10°F | 1,720 | May 14 | Oct 6 |
| Glenmoore | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 500 | Apr 11 | Nov 1 |
| Glenwillard Dashields L&d | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 710 | Apr 8 | Nov 8 |
| Grampian 1E | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 1,510 | May 4 | Oct 13 |
| Graterford 1 E | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 279 | Apr 24 | Oct 15 |
| Grays Landing | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 800 | Apr 28 | Oct 21 |
| Hamburg | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 369 | Apr 16 | Oct 25 |
| Hanover 4 SW | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 558 | Apr 24 | Oct 20 |
| Harrisburg 1 NE | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 420 | Apr 15 | Oct 23 |
| Harrisburg Cptl Cy Airport | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 340 | Apr 9 | Nov 1 |
| Hawley 1 E | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 890 | May 10 | Oct 4 |
| Hidden Valley | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 2,876 | May 2 | Oct 17 |
| Hopewell Morgantown | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 550 | Apr 16 | Oct 27 |
| Indiana 3 SE | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 1,102 | May 8 | Oct 13 |
| Jamestown 2 NW | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 1,040 | May 4 | Oct 14 |
| Johnstown Cambria County Airport | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 2,284 | Apr 29 | Oct 21 |
| Kane 1NNE | 5b | −15°F to −10°F | 1,750 | May 24 | Sep 28 |
| Lancaster 2NE Fltr Plt | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 270 | Apr 19 | Oct 24 |
| Lancaster Airport | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 403 | Apr 18 | Oct 25 |
| Landisville 2 NW | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 360 | Apr 30 | Oct 10 |
| Laporte | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 1,966 | May 6 | Oct 7 |
| Laurel Mountain | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 2,760 | Apr 26 | Oct 17 |
| Laurel Summit | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 2,730 | May 6 | Oct 12 |
| Laurelton Center | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 800 | Apr 25 | Oct 19 |
| Lebanon 2 W | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 450 | Apr 20 | Oct 25 |
| Lehighton 1SSW | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 455 | Apr 21 | Oct 23 |
| Lewisburg | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 500 | Apr 26 | Oct 20 |
| Lewistown | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 460 | Apr 21 | Oct 24 |
| Linesville 1 S | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 1,030 | Apr 30 | Oct 23 |
| Lock Haven Sewage Plt | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 566 | Apr 30 | Oct 20 |
| Loyalhanna Lake | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 990 | May 2 | Oct 14 |
| Mahanoy City 2 N | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 1,710 | Apr 30 | Oct 22 |
| Marcus Hook | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 10 | Mar 30 | Nov 16 |
| Matamoras | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 459 | May 2 | Oct 12 |
| McKeesport | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 740 | May 2 | Oct 20 |
| Mercer | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 1,220 | May 15 | Oct 3 |
| Meyersdale 2 SSW | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 2,000 | May 12 | Oct 5 |
| Middletown Harrisburg Intl Airport | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 312 | Apr 9 | Nov 2 |
| Milanville | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 760 | May 3 | Oct 9 |
| Millheim | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 1,120 | May 5 | Oct 6 |
| Montgomery L&d | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 690 | Apr 28 | Oct 26 |
| Montrose | 5b | −15°F to −10°F | 1,420 | May 14 | Oct 2 |
| Moon Twp | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 1,172 | Apr 28 | Oct 18 |
| Mount Pleasant | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 1,003 | May 1 | Oct 13 |
| Mount Pocono Mountains Airport | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 1,916 | May 6 | Oct 8 |
| Murrysville 2 SW | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 860 | Apr 22 | Oct 25 |
| Natrona Lock 4 | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 760 | Apr 16 | Nov 2 |
| Neshaminy Falls | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 40 | Apr 21 | Oct 25 |
| New Castle 1 N | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 825 | Apr 30 | Oct 23 |
| New Holland 2 SE | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 605 | Apr 14 | Nov 1 |
| Norristown | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 62 | Apr 8 | Oct 31 |
| Octoraro Lake | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 260 | Apr 26 | Oct 22 |
| Oswayo 1 ENE | 5b | −15°F to −10°F | 1,710 | May 20 | Sep 29 |
| Phila Franklin Inst | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 60 | Mar 30 | Nov 17 |
| Philadelphia Intl Airport | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 10 | Apr 2 | Nov 10 |
| Philadelphia NE Airport | 7b | 5°F to 10°F | 100 | Apr 4 | Nov 7 |
| Philipsburg 2 S | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 1,720 | May 13 | Oct 1 |
| Phoenixville 1 E | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 85 | Apr 18 | Oct 27 |
| Pittsburgh Allegheny County Airport | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 1,248 | Apr 18 | Oct 28 |
| Pittsburgh Intl Airport | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 1,203 | Apr 23 | Oct 23 |
| Pleasant Mount 1 W | 5b | −15°F to −10°F | 1,800 | May 14 | Oct 1 |
| Point Marion Lock 8 | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 810 | Apr 30 | Oct 23 |
| Port Allegany | 5b | −15°F to −10°F | 1,475 | May 15 | Oct 6 |
| Port Meadville Airport | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 1,400 | Apr 30 | Oct 23 |
| Pottstown Limerick Airport | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 291 | Apr 20 | Oct 23 |
| Prince Gallitzin State Park | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 1,520 | May 10 | Oct 5 |
| Putneyville 2 SE Dam | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 1,280 | May 10 | Oct 12 |
| Raystown HQ | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 995 | Apr 19 | Oct 29 |
| Reading 4 NNW | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 360 | Apr 10 | Oct 31 |
| Reading Spaatz Field | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 341 | Apr 14 | Oct 29 |
| Rector 3 SSW | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 1,330 | May 5 | Oct 6 |
| Renovo | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 660 | Apr 30 | Oct 22 |
| Ridgway | 5b | −15°F to −10°F | 1,360 | May 13 | Oct 11 |
| Rodale Rsch Center | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 550 | Apr 26 | Oct 14 |
| S Mountain | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 1,520 | Apr 27 | Oct 20 |
| Safe Harbor Dam | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 195 | Apr 1 | Nov 10 |
| Salina 3 W | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 1,109 | Apr 29 | Oct 20 |
| Schenley Lock 5 | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 783 | Apr 21 | Oct 30 |
| Selinsgrove 2 S | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 420 | Apr 25 | Oct 22 |
| Selinsgrove Penn Valley Airport | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 444 | Apr 27 | Oct 16 |
| Sellersville | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 302 | Apr 26 | Oct 17 |
| Shawnee State Park | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 1,275 | May 4 | Oct 10 |
| Shippensburg | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 680 | Apr 19 | Oct 24 |
| Slippery Rock 1 SSW | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 1,260 | May 7 | Oct 14 |
| Springboro 3 WNW | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 1,005 | May 8 | Oct 16 |
| Springtown 1 NNE | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 860 | Apr 21 | Oct 22 |
| State College | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 1,170 | Apr 20 | Oct 26 |
| Stevenson Dam | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 932 | May 10 | Oct 16 |
| Sunbury | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 575 | Apr 30 | Oct 13 |
| Tioga Hammond Dam | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 1,230 | May 6 | Oct 10 |
| Tionesta 2 SE Lake | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 1,200 | May 1 | Oct 25 |
| Titusville Wtr Wks | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 1,220 | May 12 | Oct 10 |
| Towanda 1 S | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 760 | May 2 | Oct 15 |
| Union City Filtration Plant | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 1,400 | May 7 | Oct 10 |
| Uniontown 1 NE | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 956 | Apr 30 | Oct 18 |
| W Chester 2 NW | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 375 | Apr 26 | Oct 18 |
| Warren | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 1,210 | May 4 | Oct 21 |
| Washington 3 NE | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 1,300 | Apr 24 | Oct 23 |
| Waynesburg 1 E | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 940 | May 3 | Oct 15 |
| Wellsboro 4 SW | 6a | −10°F to −5°F | 1,818 | May 10 | Oct 5 |
| Wilkes-barre Intl Airport | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 930 | Apr 23 | Oct 20 |
| Williamsport | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 520 | Apr 24 | Oct 23 |
| Williamsport 2 | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 525 | Apr 25 | Oct 24 |
| Willow Grove NAS | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 361 | Apr 11 | Nov 1 |
| Wolfsburg | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 1,185 | Apr 29 | Oct 13 |
| York 3 SSW Pump Station | 7a | 0°F to 5°F | 390 | Apr 26 | Oct 19 |
| York Airport | 6b | −5°F to 0°F | 486 | Apr 27 | Oct 18 |
Frequently asked questions
What hardiness zone is Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania is in USDA hardiness zones 5b–8a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zone 6b is the most common, covering 36% of Pennsylvania's ZIP codes, and zone 7a covers 29%. Enter your ZIP code for your exact zone.
What does zone 6b mean?
Zone 6b means the average annual extreme minimum temperature, the coldest night of a typical winter, is −5°F to 0°F (−21°C to −18°C). Perennials, shrubs and trees rated for zone 6b or colder should survive winter there.
What is the coldest hardiness zone in Pennsylvania?
Zone 5b is the coldest zone mapped in Pennsylvania, found around Coudersport 7SE, and zone 8a is the warmest.
Did Pennsylvania's hardiness zones change in 2023?
The USDA released a new Plant Hardiness Zone Map in November 2023, based on 1991–2020 temperatures instead of 1976–2005. About half of the United States shifted half a zone warmer. Check your ZIP code here, because plant tags and older books may still list your 2012 zone.
When should I plant in zone 6b?
Hardiness zones don't set planting dates; frost dates do. Inside zone 6b in Pennsylvania, the median last spring frost varies from April 5 to May 8. Look up your local frost dates and plant tender crops such as tomatoes after the 10%-risk last-frost date.
Zone and frost dates: use both
Your hardiness zone answers one question: will this plant survive the winter here? Choose perennials, shrubs, trees and bulbs rated for your zone or a colder one. For vegetables and annuals, what matters is the length of the frost-free season. See Pennsylvania frost dates by town, or get a planting calendar for your ZIP code with start-indoors, transplant and sowing dates for 30 crops.
Sources and method
Zones are from the USDA 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP-code files published by the PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University, based on 1991–2020 minimum temperatures. ZIP codes are assigned to states by USPS prefix. Town zones use the ZIP code nearest each NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals station. This is an independent tool, not an official USDA site. Full methodology.
Hardiness zones in other states
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