1st Advantage MortgageThe median Dauphin County household earns $76,242, and 13% of residents live below the poverty line. Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- Dauphin County at a glance
- How much Dauphin County households make
- Rent, home values and ownership in Dauphin County
- Work, industries and travel time in Dauphin County
- The counties around Dauphin County
- Places inside Dauphin County
- A Dauphin County household budget, worked through
- Dauphin County residents: age, schooling, coverage
- Borrowing situations common in Dauphin County
- Four steps for Dauphin County borrowers
- Lender oversight for Dauphin County
- More guides for Dauphin County
- Frequently asked questions
Dauphin County at a glance
The latest five-year Census estimate puts Dauphin County's population at 289,593; only 13 of Pennsylvania's 67 county-level areas are larger. It covers 525 square miles of land, or about 552 people per square mile. It is one of the counties that make up the Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA metropolitan statistical area (OMB, 2023). The Census Bureau counts 32 places in the county (17 incorporated, 15 census-designated); the largest is Harrisburg, with about 50,287 residents, or 17% of the county.
How much Dauphin County households make
Dauphin County households have a median income of $76,242 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 22nd of 67 in Pennsylvania.
| Income band | Share in Dauphin County | Difference from Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 21.5% | -0.5 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 42.0% | +2.8 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 26.5% | -0.5 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 10.0% | -1.8 pts |
Some 22% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 37% have six-figure incomes. The poverty rate is 12.9%, 1 point higher than the state's 11.7%. Income from any regular source can count, including Social Security, pensions and disability benefits, as long as you can document it.
Rent, home values and ownership in Dauphin County
Renters in Dauphin County pay a median of $1,217 a month, in line with Pennsylvania's $1,209. By the Census definition, 45% of Dauphin County renters are cost-burdened. With a median value of $236,400, a typical Dauphin County house costs 3.1 times what the median household earns in a year. The ownership rate is 63%. The median home was built in 1972, so roofs, wiring and heating systems are a common source of repair bills.
| Housing | Dauphin County | Pennsylvania statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,217/mo | $1,209/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $236,400 | $254,500 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 63% | 69% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 45% | 48% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 23% | 24% | n/a |
Work, industries and travel time in Dauphin County
By the Census industry count, 26% of employed Dauphin County residents work in education and health care and 11% in retail trade. The sharpest difference from the state is in public administration, at 8% locally and 4% for Pennsylvania. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 4.5% in Dauphin County. 8% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 17% work from home. Households without a car make up 9.4% of the total (10.4% statewide).
| Sector | Dauphin County | Compared with Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 26.0% | -0.6 pts |
| Retail trade | 11.0% | 0.0 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 10.2% | -1.2 pts |
| Public administration | 8.1% | +4.1 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 7.9% | +0.5 pts |
| Manufacturing | 7.9% | -3.5 pts |
A lender verifies what your own job pays. The county's industry mix tells you about the local economy, not about your application.
The counties around Dauphin County
Distances run center to center, from Lebanon County at 17 miles out to Juniata County at 33. Cumberland County leads the group on income ($87,494), Northumberland County trails ($60,583), and Dauphin County out-earns 3 of the six.
| County | Miles | Median household income | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dauphin County | - | $76,242 | $1,217/mo | 63% |
| Lebanon County, PA | 17 mi | $78,425 | $1,110/mo | 71% |
| Perry County, PA | 25 mi | $79,444 | $874/mo | 82% |
| Snyder County, PA | 28 mi | $66,876 | $929/mo | 76% |
| Cumberland County, PA | 30 mi | $87,494 | $1,249/mo | 71% |
| Northumberland County, PA | 31 mi | $60,583 | $806/mo | 75% |
| Juniata County, PA | 33 mi | $66,318 | $756/mo | 74% |
Places inside Dauphin County
32 Census places fall mainly inside Dauphin County; the 14 biggest are below. They account for 167,413 residents, leaving about 42% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $45,625 in Dauphin to $118,051 in Union Deposit. Median rent ranges from $768 in Gratz to $1,897 in Skyline View. One of them, Harrisburg, has a separate city guide (linked); for the rest, this is the local guide.
| Town or CDP | Type | People | Median household income | Median gross rent | Miles from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harrisburg | city | 50,287 | $48,099 | $1,062 | 11 mi |
| Colonial Park | CDP | 18,032 | $73,105 | $1,392 | 8 mi |
| Hershey | CDP | 14,242 | $78,587 | $1,268 | 12 mi |
| Progress | CDP | 11,017 | $73,030 | $1,233 | 9 mi |
| Middletown | borough | 9,632 | $55,765 | $1,234 | 15 mi |
| Linglestown | CDP | 6,957 | $92,558 | $1,618 | 5 mi |
| Rutherford | CDP | 6,890 | $83,636 | $1,155 | 10 mi |
| Steelton | borough | 6,296 | $58,194 | $1,289 | 13 mi |
| Lawnton | CDP | 4,765 | $84,861 | $999 | 10 mi |
| Skyline View | CDP | 4,704 | $97,982 | $1,897 | 6 mi |
| Hummelstown | borough | 4,527 | $63,175 | $1,133 | 11 mi |
| Paxtonia | CDP | 4,074 | $102,594 | $1,387 | 7 mi |
| Penbrook | borough | 3,266 | $62,312 | $987 | 10 mi |
| Highspire | borough | 2,732 | $52,618 | $1,041 | 14 mi |
CDPs are unincorporated communities the Census Bureau defines for counting.
A Dauphin County household budget, worked through
The debt-to-income ratio is the main affordability test lenders use. Applied to Dauphin County's medians:
- Median income divided by twelve: $6,354 before taxes
- Less median rent of $1,217, which is 19% of it
- With a 43% ceiling, about $1,515 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
Subtract what you already pay on other debts. A new payment should fit in what remains, with some to spare.
Dauphin County residents: age, schooling, coverage
College graduates make up 34% of the adult population. 6.4% of residents have no health coverage.
| Measure | Dauphin County | Pennsylvania statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.4 | 40.9 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 34.4% | 35.2% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 8.8% | 7.9% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 6.4% | 5.6% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 9.4% | 10.4% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 16.8% | 15.6% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 12.9% | 11.7% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 4.5% | 5.3% | 4.4% |
| Commute length | Dauphin County |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 31.7% |
| 15 to 29 min | 44.6% |
| 30 to 44 min | 16.1% |
| 45 to 59 min | 3.8% |
| 60+ min | 3.9% |
Borrowing situations common in Dauphin County
The county's numbers point to a few situations that come up often for Dauphin County borrowers.
- 45% rent-burdened. A payment on top of high rent needs a cushion; size it with the calculator.
- Debt consolidation. One fixed payment can save money only if the written APR and fees beat what you pay now (guide).
- Credit reports. Pull free reports at AnnualCreditReport.com and dispute errors before applying.
Four steps for Dauphin County borrowers
Quick steps for Dauphin County:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- Shop at least three lenders, including one Dauphin County-area credit union.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Ask about early-payoff penalties.
Lender oversight for Dauphin County
No county office licenses personal lenders. For Dauphin County, check the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities. Problems with a lender can also go to the CFPB. Statewide data and rules: Pennsylvania guide.
More guides for Dauphin County
City guides inside Dauphin County, and the statewide guide:
Frequently asked questions
What does a typical Dauphin County household make?
About $76,242 a year at the median (ACS 2020-24), 2% below the Pennsylvania median.
Is Dauphin County expensive for renters?
Median rent is $1,217 against $1,209 statewide, and 45% of renter households are cost-burdened.
I live in a small Dauphin County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Harrisburg, Colonial Park, Hershey, Progress, Middletown and 27 more.
Can Dauphin County residents use the questionnaire?
Yes. It asks the same questions in every Pennsylvania county, lists every requirement up front and does not affect your credit score.
Is there a Dauphin County office that licenses lenders?
No, licensing is statewide. In Pennsylvania it is the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities.