Population 289,593 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Dauphin County
Household size in Dauphin County
| Period | Dauphin County | Harrisburg area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.45 | 2.41 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.44 | 2.43 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.43 | 2.42 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.43 | 2.44 | 2.46 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.02 | +0.03 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
The average household in Dauphin County has 2.43 people, under the U.S. average of 2.65. That is in line with the rest of the Harrisburg area.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Dauphin County
| Period | Dauphin County | Harrisburg area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.1 | 39.8 | 40.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.7 | 40.6 | 41.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.9 | 40.9 | 41.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.7 | 40.7 | 42.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.6 | +0.8 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Dauphin County are younger than 39.7 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The median age has crept up from 39.1 in 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. Only two of Pennsylvania's 67 counties are younger.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Dauphin County
| Period | Dauphin County | Harrisburg area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.8% | 10.0% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.0% | 10.7% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.1% | 10.2% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.3% | 10.2% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.5 pts | +0.2 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Dauphin County as they are nationally: 12.3%, against 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in the wider Harrisburg area (10.2%). Dauphin County has a higher share of single-parent households than at least four in five Pennsylvania counties.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Dauphin County
Renters in Dauphin County
| Period | Dauphin County | Harrisburg area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.5% | 30.3% | 29.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 35.7% | 31.6% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 36.8% | 32.4% | 31.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 36.9% | 32.0% | 30.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.4 pts | +1.7 pts | +1.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Dauphin County is about as common as it is nationally: 36.9% of households rent, against 34.8%. Renters make up a bigger share here than in the wider Harrisburg area (32.0%). Among homeowners, 40.2% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. The renter share has risen 2.4 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Dauphin County
| Period | Dauphin County | Harrisburg area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.0% | 8.1% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.4% | 8.6% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.0% | 8.6% | 10.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.2% | 6.5% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.8 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Dauphin County: 6.2% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. Vacancy has fallen 3.8 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Dauphin County has a lower vacancy rate than the great majority of Pennsylvania counties.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Dauphin County
| Period | Dauphin County | Harrisburg area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1965 | 1969 | 1963 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1967 | 1970 | 1964 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1967 | 1971 | 1965 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1971 | 1974 | 1967 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +5 | +4 | +6 |
Dauphin County is a place of older homes: half were built before 1971, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1965 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the north, while the west has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Dauphin County
| Period | Dauphin County | Harrisburg area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $800 | $808 | $829 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $893 | $909 | $923 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,025 | $1,045 | $1,039 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,286 | $1,304 | $1,323 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$486 | +$496 | +$494 | +$606 |
Rent in Dauphin County runs $1,286 a month at the median, utilities included, below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $486 a month since 2006–10, up 61%, roughly in step with the nation. The typical renter here spends 28.7% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the southwest; the highest are in the north.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Dauphin County
Bachelor's degrees in Dauphin County
| Period | Dauphin County | Harrisburg area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.1% | 28.6% | 27.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 27.9% | 29.4% | 28.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.7% | 32.7% | 31.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 33.6% | 35.9% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.5 pts | +7.3 pts | +8.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
About a third of adults 25 and older in Dauphin County (33.6%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 6.5 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the east and least in the southwest.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Dauphin County
| Period | Dauphin County | Harrisburg area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.3% | 89.0% | 87.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.4% | 89.8% | 88.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.7% | 90.8% | 90.3% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.5% | 91.8% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.2 pts | +2.8 pts | +4.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Dauphin County is close to the national rate: 90.5% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 2.2 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Dauphin County
| Period | Dauphin County | Harrisburg area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.3% | 5.6% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.9% | 6.9% | 8.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.0% | 4.2% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.0% | 4.2% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | −1.4 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.0%, unemployment in Dauphin County is close to the national rate of 5.4%. The rate is higher than in the Harrisburg area as a whole (4.2%). Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Dauphin County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dauphin County | 2.43 | 39.7 | 12.3% | 36.9% | 6.2% | 1971 | $1,286 | 33.6% | 90.5% | 5.0% |
| Cumberland County | 2.45 | 41.2 | 8.0% | 28.7% | 6.6% | 1978 | $1,389 | 41.0% | 93.7% | 3.5% |
| Lebanon County | 2.53 | 41.5 | 10.0% | 28.7% | 6.6% | 1971 | $1,242 | 24.6% | 88.2% | 4.2% |
| Perry County | 2.54 | 43.6 | 9.4% | 18.2% | 8.8% | 1974 | $898 | 19.6% | 89.1% | 3.2% |
| Berks County | 2.64 | 40.8 | 13.2% | 28.7% | 5.9% | 1967 | $1,310 | 26.6% | 87.4% | 6.0% |
| Huntingdon County | 2.38 | 44.7 | 7.5% | 20.8% | 21.6% | 1969 | $859 | 20.7% | 91.9% | 4.6% |
| Blair County | 2.38 | 42.9 | 10.0% | 27.6% | 10.5% | 1961 | $936 | 24.5% | 93.9% | 4.6% |
| Bucks County | 2.62 | 44.8 | 8.0% | 22.2% | 4.2% | 1975 | $1,800 | 44.8% | 94.9% | 4.3% |
| Cambria County | 2.28 | 44.9 | 10.5% | 23.6% | 12.6% | 1958 | $774 | 24.3% | 93.1% | 4.6% |
| Mercer County | 2.68 | 40.3 | 12.3% | 37.8% | 6.7% | 1967 | $1,780 | 45.3% | 88.4% | 6.6% |
| Middlesex County | 2.87 | 40.6 | 10.7% | 36.4% | 4.7% | 1972 | $1,956 | 46.3% | 88.6% | 6.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Lafayette Parish, LA · Ottawa County, MI · Onslow County, NC · Oneida County, NY · Northampton County, PA · Norfolk City, VA · Niagara County, NY · New London County, CT · New Hanover County, NC · Montgomery County, TN
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Dauphin County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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