1st Advantage MortgageThe median Perry County household earns $79,444, and 8% 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
- Perry County at a glance
- Employment and commuting in Perry County
- What Perry County households earn
- What it costs to live in Perry County
- Perry County next to its neighbors
- Places inside Perry County
- Debt-to-income at Perry County's medians
- Perry County households compared
- What the numbers mean for Perry County borrowers
- Licensing and complaints for Perry County
- A Perry County borrower's checklist
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Perry County at a glance
The latest five-year Census estimate puts Perry County's population at 46,239; only 45 of Pennsylvania's 67 county-level areas are larger. It covers 551 square miles of land, or about 84 people per square mile. It is one of the counties that make up the Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA metropolitan statistical area (OMB, 2023). Of the 9 Census places inside Perry County, Marysville leads by population with about 2,681; 9 of the 9 are incorporated.
Employment and commuting in Perry County
Education and health care employs 20% of working residents, the largest share; retail trade is next with 12%. Compared with Pennsylvania, the county leans toward construction (11% against 6%). ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 3.1% in Perry County. Long commutes are common here: 27% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. Households without a car make up 5.7% of the total (10.4% statewide).
| Where residents work | Perry County | Difference from Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 19.6% | -7.1 pts |
| Retail trade | 11.7% | +0.7 pts |
| Construction | 11.5% | +5.5 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 9.5% | +3.4 pts |
| Manufacturing | 8.4% | -3.0 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 8.2% | -3.2 pts |
A lender verifies what your own job pays. The county's industry mix tells you about the local economy, not about your application.
What Perry County households earn
Perry County households have a median income of $79,444 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 15th of 67 in Pennsylvania.
| Yearly household income | Perry County | Gap to Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 17.9% | -4.1 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 43.9% | +4.8 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 30.4% | +3.4 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 7.7% | -4.1 pts |
About 18% of households earn under $35,000, while 38% clear $100,000. Census counts 8.0% of Perry County residents in poverty, against 11.7% across Pennsylvania. None of these numbers decides a Perry County application. Lenders weigh your own documented income against your own debts.
What it costs to live in Perry County
Renters in Perry County pay a median of $874 a month, 28% below the Pennsylvania figure of $1,209. By the Census definition, 43% of Perry County renters are cost-burdened. Home values center on $236,400, or 3.0 years of median income. The ownership rate is 82%. Median construction year: 1976.
| Perry County | Pennsylvania | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $874/mo | $1,209/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $236,400 | $254,500 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 82% | 69% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 43% | 48% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 24% | 24% | n/a |
In an owner-heavy county like Perry County, many borrowers can also choose a home equity loan or line of credit. Those can price lower but put the house on the line, so compare the two in writing; our personal loan vs. HELOC guide walks through it.
Perry County next to its neighbors
Distances run center to center, from Juniata County at 12 miles out to Adams County at 37. Income ranges from $63,953 in Mifflin County to $87,494 in Cumberland County; 2 of these neighbors top Perry County's median.
| Neighbor | Distance | Income | Rent | Own |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perry County | - | $79,444 | $874/mo | 82% |
| Juniata County, PA | 12 mi | $66,318 | $756/mo | 74% |
| Cumberland County, PA | 16 mi | $87,494 | $1,249/mo | 71% |
| Mifflin County, PA | 25 mi | $63,953 | $822/mo | 71% |
| Dauphin County, PA | 25 mi | $76,242 | $1,217/mo | 63% |
| Snyder County, PA | 27 mi | $66,876 | $929/mo | 76% |
| Adams County, PA | 37 mi | $84,092 | $1,115/mo | 79% |
Places inside Perry County
The table lists the 9 largest of 9 Census places in Perry County, by population. Together all 9 hold about 8,956 people, so roughly 81% of residents live outside any named place. Millerstown has the highest median household income on the list ($91,964) and Duncannon the lowest ($51,103), counting places with at least 500 residents. Rent is cheapest in Millerstown ($735) and steepest in Bloomfield ($1,049). This guide covers each of the 9 places and the rural areas around them.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marysville | borough | 2,681 | $68,889 | $799 | 18 mi |
| Newport | borough | 1,621 | $62,944 | $938 | 9 mi |
| Duncannon | borough | 1,391 | $51,103 | $808 | 13 mi |
| Bloomfield | borough | 1,090 | $73,542 | $1,049 | 4 mi |
| Liverpool | borough | 850 | $59,539 | $798 | 19 mi |
| Millerstown | borough | 736 | $91,964 | $735 | 12 mi |
| Blain | borough | 278 | $73,750 | $1,078 | 14 mi |
| Landisburg | borough | 261 | $59,375 | $1,182 | 4 mi |
| New Buffalo | borough | 48 | n/a | $942 | 16 mi |
Debt-to-income at Perry County's medians
Perry County at the medians, through a lender's eyes (what DTI means):
- Median income divided by twelve: $6,620 before taxes
- Less median rent of $874, which is 13% of it
- At 35%, room after rent is $1,443 a month
- 45% debt-to-income limit: $2,105 left for all other debt payments
Subtract what you already pay on other debts. A new payment should fit in what remains, with some to spare.
Perry County households compared
20% of Perry County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. The uninsured rate is 10.3%, against 5.6% for Pennsylvania.
| Residents | Perry County | Pennsylvania | Middle U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.8 | 40.9 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 20.2% | 35.2% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 10.5% | 7.9% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 10.3% | 5.6% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 5.7% | 10.4% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 15.3% | 15.6% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 8.0% | 11.7% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 3.1% | 5.3% | 4.4% |
| Trip time | Share |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 16.1% |
| 15 to 29 min | 25.0% |
| 30 to 44 min | 32.1% |
| 45 to 59 min | 16.6% |
| 60+ min | 10.2% |
What the numbers mean for Perry County borrowers
A few patterns in the Perry County data, and the practical point behind each:
- Health costs. With 10% of the county uninsured, an interest-free hospital payment plan usually beats a loan (medical bills).
- Long drives. With 27% of commutes over 45 minutes, tires and repairs are fixed costs in many Perry County budgets.
- Combining balances. It helps when total cost falls and the cards stay paid down (consolidation).
Licensing and complaints for Perry County
The Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities is the place to verify any lender's Pennsylvania license. Federal complaints: consumerfinance.gov. See the Pennsylvania state guide for the statewide picture.
A Perry County borrower's checklist
Before you apply, wherever you live in Perry County:
- Borrow the amount the job needs; extra cash adds interest.
- Line up offers side by side: APR, fees in dollars, total cost.
- Only work with lenders licensed for Pennsylvania borrowers.
- Pick the shortest term whose payment still fits.
Nearby and statewide guides
For statewide rules and data, see the Pennsylvania guide.
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Perry County earn?
The median is $79,444; 38% earn $100,000 or more and 18% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
What do renters pay in Perry County?
$874 a month at the median, about 13% of median household income.
I live in a small Perry County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Marysville, Newport, Duncannon, Bloomfield, Liverpool and 4 more.
Does living in Perry County change what I qualify for?
Not in our fit check, which uses only the amount, credit range, income and payments you enter, the same for a Perry County resident as anyone. Lenders decide under fair-lending law.
Is there a Perry County office that licenses lenders?
No, licensing is statewide. In Pennsylvania it is the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities.