Population 6,296 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Steelton
Household size in Steelton
| Period | Steelton | Harrisburg area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.62 | 2.41 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.92 | 2.43 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.83 | 2.42 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.69 | 2.44 | 2.46 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.07 | +0.03 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
At 2.69 people per household, Steelton sits close to the national average of 2.65. The typical household here is bigger than in the wider Harrisburg area, where it has 2.44 people. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 2.62, even as the national average fell.
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 Steelton
| Period | Steelton | Harrisburg area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.5 | 39.8 | 40.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 28.7 | 40.6 | 41.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 32.9 | 40.9 | 41.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 29.2 | 40.7 | 42.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | −5.3 | +0.8 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
Steelton is young: half of its residents are under 29.2, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults and children. The median age has dropped from 34.5 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose. Only one other Pennsylvania city with 5,000+ people is 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 Steelton
| Period | Steelton | Harrisburg area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.4% | 10.0% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 27.2% | 10.7% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 21.0% | 10.2% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 26.7% | 10.2% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +4.3 pts | +0.2 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Steelton: 26.7% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 4.3 points, even as the national share fell. Only two of the 496 Pennsylvania cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of single-parent households.
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 Steelton
Renters in Steelton
| Period | Steelton | Harrisburg area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.0% | 30.3% | 29.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 49.9% | 31.6% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 47.4% | 32.4% | 31.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 51.7% | 32.0% | 30.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +7.7 pts | +1.7 pts | +1.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Steelton rent: 51.7% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. Among owners, 49.9% have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 7.7 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than 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 Steelton
| Period | Steelton | Harrisburg area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.0% | 8.1% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.2% | 8.6% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.7% | 8.6% | 10.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.1% | 6.5% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −4.0 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Steelton than nationally: 8.1%, against 9.6% for the U.S. Still, the rate is higher than in the Harrisburg area overall (6.5%). Vacancy is down 4.0 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Steelton
| Period | Steelton | Harrisburg area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1941 | 1969 | 1963 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1944 | 1970 | 1964 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1942 | 1971 | 1965 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1947 | 1974 | 1967 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +5 | +4 | +6 |
Steelton is a place of older homes: half were built before 1947, 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 1941 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Of the 496 Pennsylvania cities with 5,000+ people, only 27 have older homes.
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 Steelton
| Period | Steelton | Harrisburg area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $554 | $808 | $829 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $949 | $909 | $923 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $833 | $1,045 | $1,039 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,269 | $1,304 | $1,323 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$715 | +$496 | +$494 | +$606 |
Rent in Steelton runs $1,269 a month at the median, utilities included, below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $715 a month from 2006–10, a 129% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 26.8% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Rents run highest in the north and lowest in the southeast.
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 Steelton
Bachelor's degrees in Steelton
| Period | Steelton | Harrisburg area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.2% | 28.6% | 27.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.4% | 29.4% | 28.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 16.1% | 32.7% | 31.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 16.9% | 35.9% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.7 pts | +7.3 pts | +8.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Steelton have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 16.9%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree is up 3.7 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only 30 of the 496 Pennsylvania cities with 5,000+ people have a lower share of college graduates.
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 Steelton
| Period | Steelton | Harrisburg area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.1% | 89.0% | 87.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.8% | 89.8% | 88.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.8% | 90.8% | 90.3% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 87.7% | 91.8% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | +2.8 pts | +4.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in eight adults in Steelton never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 87.7% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has edged down 1.4 points, even as the national rate rose. Steelton has a lower share of high school graduates than the great majority of Pennsylvania cities.
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 Steelton
| Period | Steelton | Harrisburg area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.7% | 5.6% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.4% | 6.9% | 8.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.9% | 4.2% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.6% | 4.2% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −7.1 pts | −1.4 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Steelton runs below the national rate: 4.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment is down 7.1 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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).
Steelton 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelton | 2.69 | 29.2 | 26.7% | 51.7% | 8.1% | 1947 | $1,269 | 16.9% | 87.7% | 4.6% |
| Bressler | 2.64 | 41.6 | 12.9% | 13.1% | 5.0% | 1961 | $1,201 | 23.0% | 87.9% | 3.8% |
| Paxtang | 2.38 | 39.7 | 7.0% | 17.0% | 2.0% | 1938 | $1,091 | 38.4% | 92.5% | 6.6% |
| New Cumberland | 2.40 | 41.7 | 9.0% | 24.7% | 3.7% | 1967 | $1,194 | 37.0% | 94.5% | 2.8% |
| Highspire | 2.03 | 36.8 | 17.3% | 60.6% | 6.7% | 1961 | $1,043 | 13.4% | 93.1% | 4.3% |
| Penbrook | 2.38 | 32.5 | 21.0% | 43.2% | 6.6% | 1950 | $1,024 | 36.0% | 93.0% | 10.4% |
| Lemoyne | 1.92 | 41.7 | 7.6% | 46.4% | 1.6% | 1952 | $1,407 | 38.6% | 88.2% | 2.5% |
| Lower Allen | 2.70 | 35.3 | 15.5% | 38.8% | 7.2% | 1960 | $1,306 | 42.2% | 94.2% | 3.2% |
| Harrisburg area | 2.44 | 40.7 | 10.2% | 32.0% | 6.5% | 1974 | $1,304 | 35.9% | 91.8% | 4.2% |
| Progress | 2.45 | 38.3 | 14.9% | 48.2% | 4.4% | 1964 | $1,309 | 29.0% | 87.1% | 2.9% |
| Wormleysburg | 2.37 | 34.0 | 10.6% | 56.4% | 6.7% | 1967 | $1,387 | 39.4% | 93.1% | 6.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Avon, MA · St. Maries, ID · Baldwin City, KS · Bajadero, PR · Bailey, NC · Baden, PA · Bad Axe, MI · Aynor, SC · Aylett, VA · Avra Valley, AZ
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 Steelton. 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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