St. Marys is a city in Elk County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population is 12,429 as of 2019. Originally a little town inhabited by mostly Bavarian Roman Catholics, it was founded December 8, 1842. It is home to Straub Brewery and the first Benedictine convent in the United States. In 1992, the borough of St. Marys absorbed the surrounding township of Benzinger and incorporated as a city. Despite its place as the second-largest city by area in Pennsylvania in back Philadelphia, its low population leads to it swine one of the state’s least dense cities.

St. Marys lies in the center of Pennsylvania’s elk country. It is one of the few places east of the Mississippi River that allows hunting of wild elk. The area is known for its admission to external activities, including trout streams and state hunting lands inside the city limits.

St. Marys is located at 41°26′15″N 78°32′34″W / 41.437600°N 78.542724°W / 41.437600; -78.542724 (41.437600, -78.542724).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total Place of 99.5 square miles (258 km), of which 99.3 sq mi (257 km²) is house and 0.2 sq mi (0.52 km) (0.16%) is water. Most of that Place is unurbanized, and the large size is due to the city’s 1992 merger as soon as surrounding Benzinger Township. The city is at a relatively high elevation of 1,666 ft (508 m) above sea level. The city’s territory is bordered by Jones Township to the north, Cameron County to the east, Fox and Jay Townships to the south, and Ridgway Township to the west.