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Lakes → Pennsylvania → Raystown Lake

Raystown Lake

Pennsylvania · Reservoir impounded 1973 · near Hesston

8,300 acres 200 ft deep 18 ft clarity Water B

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5.8SCORE

Survey summary · Pennsylvania

8,300

Surface acres

200 ft

Max depth

118 mi

Shoreline

18 ft

Typical clarity

786 ft

Elevation

Raystown Lake covers 8,300 acres in Pennsylvania and drops to 200 feet at its deepest point. It is a reservoir impounded in 1973 and managed by USACE. Short-term rental posture: Huntingdon County. Confirm at the municipal level before underwriting rental income.

What stands out

Deep water — 200 ft max
Houseboating
Boating

Watch outs

USACE shoreline permitting — private dock approval is not guaranteed

Score breakdown

Water 7.8

Recreation 5.5

Value 3.5

Access 6.1

Investment 5.2

Each axis is computed by published formula from this lake's own attributes. How we score.

Water quality grade

Water A

ExcellentClear, low-nutrient water. Typically oligotrophic with high clarity and little seasonal algae.

Water B

GoodHealthy water with moderate clarity. Some seasonal variation, no persistent problems.

Water C

FairProductive water — good fishing, reduced clarity. Algae possible in late summer.

Water D

PoorNutrient-rich or heavily drawn down. Swimmable conditions vary; check before you rely on them.

Computed from measured clarity, trophic state, and drawdown magnitude — not an opinion. See the formula.

Overall score, 1–10

8.0+

ExceptionalStrong on every axis we measure.

7.0–7.9

StrongClearly above average, usually with one standout axis.

6.0–6.9

SolidA good lake with a trade-off worth understanding.

5.0–5.9

MixedReal strengths and real compromises.

Under 5

CompromisedSomething material — volatility, water quality, or access.

Weighted: water 26% · recreation 22% · investment 20% · value 18% · access 14%.

Fishery

Striped bassSmallmouth bassLake troutWalleye

On the water

HouseboatingBoatingMountain biking

Live from USGS gauge 01562000. These are direct sensor readings, not estimates.

2.37 ft

Gage height

2026-08-04

Gauge history

Daily values from USGS. Loading up to one year.

What the drawdown looks like

Full pool vs winter low · Raystown Lake

The dock sits at full-pool elevation. At low pool the waterline retreats and the reach to navigable water changes. Scale is illustrative; the 8 ft figure is from published operations for this lake.

Where it is

True shoreline from USGS NHD 33 km²

The outline is this lake's actual boundary from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset, not an approximation — 620 boundary points. Basemap is USGS topographic with contours and hydrography. Switch layers at the top right.

Depth profile

Idealized cross-section. Max depth 200 ft, average 64 ft. Depth at a specific dock depends on local bathymetry — verify at the property.

Level behaviour

Level stabilityManaged Typical drawdown8 ft Drawdown seasonWinter Trophic stateOligotrophic Typical clarity18 ft Water quality gradeB Elevation786 ft Managing authorityUSACE

Dock & shoreline

Permitting authorityUSACE Baltimore District Wake / speed rulesNo-wake in coves

A dock is never guaranteed. Confirm in writing with USACE Baltimore District that the specific parcel is eligible before you remove contingencies.

Short-term rental posture

Huntingdon County

Generally permitted, but rules change. Confirm the specific municipality and any HOA covenant.

Model rental income →

Modeled estimates. Market figures are derived from lake attributes and regional patterns, not from MLS data. Treat them as a starting point, not a comp.

$580,000

Median waterfront

$4,691

Per shoreline foot

-3.2%

Year over year

228

Est. inventory

Avg days on market

$791

Est. nightly rate

Rental snapshot

Modeled occupancy68% Booked nights / yr179 Gross revenue$151,686 Net operating income$77,983 Yield on median price13.45%

Open the full model →

What a median-priced home on Raystown Lake actually costs to carry, with waterfront-specific line items most calculators omit.

$4,860

All-in per month

$133,170

Cash to close + setup

$13,120

Beyond P&I, tax, insurance

Where the annual cost goes

Principal & interest $36,671 (64%) Maintenance reserve (1.1%) $6,380 (11%) Property taxes $6,090 (11%) Utilities $2,700 (5%) Hazard insurance $2,436 (4%) Shoreline / seawall reserve $960 (2%) Dock maintenance $900 (2%) Winterization / seasonal close $750 (1%)

Annual carry

Principal & interest	$36,671
Property taxes	$6,090
Hazard insurance	$2,436
Flood insurance	$650
Utilities	$2,700
Maintenance reserve (1.1%)	$6,380
Septic service	$520
Well & water testing	$260
Dock maintenance	$900
Winterization / seasonal close	$750
Shoreline / seawall reserve	$960
Total	$58,317