Population 25,490 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Shippensburg
Household size in Shippensburg
| Period | Shippensburg | Harrisburg area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.47 | 2.41 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.47 | 2.43 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.49 | 2.42 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.51 | 2.44 | 2.46 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.04 | +0.03 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in Shippensburg run a little small, averaging 2.51 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 2.47, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the southeast and smallest in the center.
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 Shippensburg
| Period | Shippensburg | Harrisburg area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.3 | 39.8 | 40.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 33.8 | 40.6 | 41.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 35.4 | 40.9 | 41.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 36.7 | 40.7 | 42.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.4 | +0.8 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Shippensburg is 36.7 years old, a few years younger than the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 33.3, mirroring the country. Of the 496 Pennsylvania cities with 5,000+ people, only 26 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 Shippensburg
| Period | Shippensburg | Harrisburg area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.3% | 10.0% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.8% | 10.7% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.9% | 10.2% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.2% | 10.2% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.8 pts | +0.2 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Shippensburg as they are nationally: 11.2%, against 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 2.8 points, even as the national share fell.
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 Shippensburg
Renters in Shippensburg
| Period | Shippensburg | Harrisburg area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.5% | 30.3% | 29.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 40.5% | 31.6% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 37.1% | 32.4% | 31.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 34.7% | 32.0% | 30.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | +1.7 pts | +1.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
Just over a third of households in Shippensburg rent their homes (34.7%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Nearly half of owners (47.2%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the southwest.
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 Shippensburg
| Period | Shippensburg | Harrisburg area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.4% | 8.1% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.6% | 8.6% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.3% | 8.6% | 10.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.8% | 6.5% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +3.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
More homes sit empty in Shippensburg than nationally: 12.8%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy is up 3.4 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 Shippensburg
| Period | Shippensburg | Harrisburg area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1977 | 1969 | 1963 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1981 | 1970 | 1964 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1981 | 1971 | 1965 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1981 | 1974 | 1967 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +5 | +4 | +6 |
Homes in Shippensburg are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1981, versus 1980 nationally. Homes here are newer than in the wider Harrisburg area, where the median home dates to 1974. The median year built has moved up from 1977 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southeast, the oldest in the center.
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 Shippensburg
| Period | Shippensburg | Harrisburg area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $727 | $808 | $829 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $907 | $909 | $923 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $922 | $1,045 | $1,039 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,079 | $1,304 | $1,323 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$352 | +$496 | +$494 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Shippensburg costs $1,079 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $352 a month from 2006–10, a 48% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 28.4% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the southeast; the most affordable are in the west.
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 Shippensburg
Bachelor's degrees in Shippensburg
| Period | Shippensburg | Harrisburg area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.2% | 28.6% | 27.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 21.5% | 29.4% | 28.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.5% | 32.7% | 31.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 25.1% | 35.9% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.9 pts | +7.3 pts | +8.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Shippensburg have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 25.1%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree has risen 4.9 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the north and least in the west.
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 Shippensburg
| Period | Shippensburg | Harrisburg area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 80.6% | 89.0% | 87.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 84.4% | 89.8% | 88.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 86.5% | 90.8% | 90.3% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 85.7% | 91.8% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.1 pts | +2.8 pts | +4.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in seven adults in Shippensburg never finished high school, more than nationally: 85.7% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma is up 5.1 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Of the 496 Pennsylvania cities with 5,000+ people, only 29 have a lower share of high school graduates.
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 Shippensburg
| Period | Shippensburg | Harrisburg area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.5% | 5.6% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.7% | 6.9% | 8.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.9% | 4.2% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.4% | 4.2% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.2 pts | −1.4 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Shippensburg runs below the national rate: 4.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment is down 3.2 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. 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).
Shippensburg compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shippensburg | 2.51 | 36.7 | 11.2% | 34.7% | 12.8% | 1981 | $1,079 | 25.1% | 85.7% | 4.4% |
| Shippensburg University | 2.13 | 19.8 | 18.9% | 100.0% | 82.2% | 1976 | $1,139 | 43.3% | 53.3% | 14.1% |
| Middle Spring | 2.63 | 36.5 | 5.3% | 32.7% | 11.6% | 1993 | $1,181 | 29.4% | 89.2% | 4.5% |
| Cleversburg | 2.23 | 53.1 | 7.0% | 1.4% | 8.5% | 2002 | $1,706 | 10.1% | 91.1% | 5.0% |
| Chestnut Crossroads | 3.27 | 31.2 | 16.1% | 12.7% | 9.9% | 1986 | $1,768 | 26.2% | 89.5% | 5.9% |
| Mainsville | 2.61 | 37.1 | 10.5% | 17.8% | 2.0% | 1992 | $922 | 17.3% | 90.8% | 3.5% |
| Pinola | 2.48 | 49.0 | 4.9% | 23.7% | 2.8% | 1980 | $1,231 | 19.0% | 86.8% | 1.3% |
| Oakville | 2.83 | 36.8 | 11.7% | 20.5% | 5.9% | 1982 | $1,042 | 18.5% | 86.2% | 2.8% |
| Walnut Bottom | 2.80 | 37.3 | 10.7% | 19.5% | 3.9% | 1980 | $1,032 | 20.4% | 83.9% | 1.5% |
| Scotland | 2.51 | 38.1 | 9.3% | 25.3% | 5.5% | 1987 | $1,348 | 33.0% | 92.3% | 2.1% |
| Newburg | 2.70 | 41.6 | 7.8% | 14.4% | 5.9% | 1979 | $1,229 | 18.6% | 83.1% | 4.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Princeton, TX · Kelso, WA · Kenmore, WA · King George, VA · La Grange, KY · Abingdon, VA · Londonderry, NH · Palomas, PR · Pecan Grove, TX · Piqua, OH
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 Shippensburg. 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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