4,392
Classified Level 3 — High — the highest-risk designation in Pennsylvania registry records
720
Listed as absconders — whereabouts currently unverified by the registry
284
Registered within the last 90 days
1,506
Pennsylvania cities & towns with at least one registered offender
253.2
Per 10,000 residents in Harrisburg — highest rate of the major cities (9.7× the state average)
+8%
Pennsylvania's rate vs. the national average of ~24 per 10,000
City breakdown

Sex offenders by city in Pennsylvania

Registered sex offender counts for the 12 largest cities in Pennsylvania, with each city's rate per 10,000 residents. Raw counts track population — the per-capita column is the fair comparison, and the spread is dramatic: Harrisburg's rate is 43× Wilkes-Barre's. Click a city for its full breakdown, or a column header to sort.

Key facts
  • Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg account for 67% of the registered offenders across the 12 cities tracked.
  • Adjusted for population, living in Harrisburg means 43× more registered offenders per resident than Wilkes-Barre.
  • Registered sex offenders live in 1,506 different Pennsylvania cities and towns — no community is exempt.
#CityRegistered offendersPopulationPer 10,000 residents
1 Philadelphia
5,082
1,603,794 31.7
2 Pittsburgh
1,412
302,960 46.6
3 Harrisburg
1,268
50,080 253.2
4 York
887
44,793 198.0
5 Erie
832
95,017 87.6
6 Lancaster
695
58,051 119.7
7 Reading
569
95,100 59.8
8 Allentown
385
125,855 30.6
9 Bethlehem
158
75,795 20.8
10 Altoona
140
43,951 31.9
11 Scranton
64
76,340 8.4
12 Wilkes-Barre
26
44,349 5.9

Counts as of July 2026, compiled from official registry records. City populations from the 2020 U.S. Census. red = 1.5× the state rate or more · green = well below the state rate.

City-by-city breakdowns

Every Pennsylvania city we track has its own page with neighborhood-level numbers, risk levels, and recent registrations:

Every Pennsylvania municipality with registered offenders (top 60 shown)
Philadelphia 5,082Pittsburgh 1,412Harrisburg 1,268Huntingdon 1,228Camp Hill 932York 887Erie 832Lancaster 695Reading 569Chester 446Allentown 385Bellefonte 358Collegeville 313Somerset 308Norristown 305Marienville 273Lebanon 242Williamsport 235Waynesburg 226Albion 223Mckeesport 209Carlisle 205Houtzdale 199Johnstown 191Coal Township 185Wilkes Barre 183Easton 172Mercer 167Chambersburg 166Frackville 166Butler 163Greensburg 160Bethlehem 158La Belle 157Philipsburg 153Mckees Rocks 153New Castle 144Steelton 142Altoona 140Dallas 138Coatesville 136Pottstown 135Washington 129Doylestown 124Lewistown 116Mechanicsburg 112Sharon 112Stroudsburg 109Uniontown 109Waymart 106Upper Darby 94Aliquippa 94Muncy 92Warren 92Meadville 90Braddock 89Leesport 88Pottsville 81Bensalem 69Indiana 67
The rules in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania sex offender laws & risk levels

Tier I–III with SVP designation. Pennsylvania assigns Tier I (15 years), Tier II (25 years), and Tier III (lifetime); courts separately designate Sexually Violent Predators, who face lifetime registration and active community notification. All current registrants appear on the Megan's Law site.

No statewide residency restriction. Pennsylvania courts struck down local residency ordinances, and the state has no distance statute — location conditions apply only through supervision.

Registration & verification. Registrants must keep their address, employment, and schooling current with the registry, and verify in person on a recurring schedule — more frequently for higher-risk or higher-tier registrants. Failure to register or verify is itself a crime and commonly appears as a listed offense on registry records.

Current risk-level breakdown in Pennsylvania:

Lifetime
6,539
Tier 1
5,059
Tier 3
4,235
Tier 2
3,446
Out-Of-State
1,601
Common questions

Pennsylvania sex offender registry FAQ

How many registered sex offenders live in Pennsylvania?

As of July 2026, there are 33,865 registered sex offenders in Pennsylvania — about 26 for every 10,000 residents, 8% above the national average. Counts change as offenders register, move, or are removed from the registry.

Which city in Pennsylvania has the most sex offenders?

Philadelphia has the most registered sex offenders in Pennsylvania with 5,082. Raw counts track population, so the fairer comparison is per capita: adjusted for population, Harrisburg has the highest rate among major cities at 253.2 per 10,000 residents, while Wilkes-Barre has the lowest at 5.9.

How do I find sex offenders near my address in Pennsylvania?

Use the free Predator Map app to search any Pennsylvania address and see registered offenders around it on a map, with photos and offense details from official registry records. You can also search the official Pennsylvania Megan's Law website (PSP) website directly.

Why is this number different from the official Pennsylvania registry website?

Public registry websites only show what the state chooses to publish. Pennsylvania publishes all current registrants on the Megan's Law site. Statistics on this page are compiled from aggregated official registry records, so they can differ from — and often exceed — what a manual search of the public site returns.

Does Pennsylvania restrict where sex offenders can live?

No statewide residency restriction. Pennsylvania courts struck down local residency ordinances, and the state has no distance statute — location conditions apply only through supervision. Address-level monitoring matters more than assumptions about "safe" neighborhoods.

What do Pennsylvania's tiers mean?

Pennsylvania assigns Tier I (15-year registration, annual verification), Tier II (25-year, semi-annual), and Tier III (lifetime, quarterly). Sexually Violent Predators additionally face lifetime counseling and neighbor notification. There are currently 4,392 registrants at the highest classification in Pennsylvania.

How current is this data?

Statistics on this page are compiled from official state registry records and refreshed monthly. This page was last updated in July 2026. Always verify individual records with the official state registry.

Can I get alerts when a sex offender moves near me in Pennsylvania?

Yes. Predator Map Pro monitors up to 5 addresses daily and sends push and email alerts when a registered offender moves in nearby, a new offender registers, or someone moves away.

Is it legal to look up sex offenders near me?

Yes. Registry information is public record under federal and state law (Megan's Law), and anyone may search it to protect themselves and their family. What the law prohibits is using registry information to harass, threaten, or commit a crime against a registrant — misuse can be prosecuted.

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Methodology: Statistics are compiled from aggregated official state registry records and refreshed monthly. City figures count the city listed on each registry record. Per-capita rates use 2020 U.S. Census populations. Aggregated counts can exceed what public registry websites display because some classification levels are excluded from public searches. Figures are estimates and change daily as registries update — always verify individual records with the official state registry.