Dauphin County, Pennsylvania Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, including popular demographics data like median age, number of households, household income, gender, employment and unemployment rates, occupations, religion, and more.

We are using the latest American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year survey data from the US Census Bureau, which is accurate up to 2021.

Table of Contents

Population

There is a lot of data that lets us see how many people live in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. The estimated population of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania is 284,199 people, with a median age of 39.5.

We can look at the total population in Dauphin County over the last 5 years to see how much it has changed.

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
284,199
+2.57%
+3.98%
2020
277,071
+0.52%
-
2019
275,632
+0.41%
-
2018
274,515
+0.43%
-
2017
273,329
 - -

Population of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania by Race and Ethnicity

We can also look at how the population has changed over the last 5 years by each of the race/ethnicity types as defined by the US Census Bureau.

Race 2021 2017 Change
White
63.7%
67.1%
 -5.07%
Black/African American
17.5%
17.7%
 -1.13%
Native
0.1%
0.1%
 0.00%
Hispanic
10.1%
8.5%
 +18.82%
Asian
5.1%
3.9%
 +30.77%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
3%
2.5%
 +20.00%
Other
0.4%
0.2%
 +100.00%

This data can be very important for a number of reasons, including social and economic research, planning and development, and marketing to a multi-cultural population.

Note that the Native group includes both Native American and Alaskan Native people.

Population of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania by Age and Gender

The age and gender of a population is another interesting demographic statistic because it lets us track trends in the population over time. For example, we can see how the population has changed over the last 5 years by median age as a total, and also by male and female.

Year Total Male Female
2021 39.5 -0.25% 37.9 +0.26% 40.8 -0.24%
2020 39.6 -0.25% 37.8 -1.05% 40.9 +0.25%
2019 39.7 -0.25% 38.2 0% 40.8 -0.97%
2018 39.8 +0.51% 38.2 +0.26% 41.2 +0.49%
2017 39.6 - 38.1 - 41 -

The median age of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania gives you an idea of the age distribution, with half of the population being older than the median age and half being younger.

This can then be used to infer and compare against birth rates, parent ages, and more metrics to understand the population. For example, an increasing median age indicates an aging population, which can be a sign of a declining population in terms of birth rates and workforce participation.

Age 2021 2017
(Years) Male Female Male Female
0 to 9 17,076 +6.12% 16,527 +4.7% 18,132 17,302
10 to 19 17,354 +4.01% 16,463 +3.74% 18,037 17,074
20 to 29 17,737 +1.99% 18,219 +0.81% 18,093 18,368
30 to 39 17,042 +7.29% 17,471 +5.2% 18,290 18,387
40 to 49 16,860 +1.41% 17,505 +0.32% 17,083 17,542
50 to 59 19,260 -2.65% 20,781 -8.81% 18,744 19,005
60 to 69 15,817 +9.38% 17,661 +10.39% 17,350 19,525
70+ 11,184 +15.71% 16,372 +10.97% 13,043 18,224

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania is $66,480.00.

In simple terms, the median income is the middle income of a group of people. Half of the people in the group make more than the median income, and half make less. The median income is a good indicator of the overall income of a group of people, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more.

Median Income by Age

We can also look at the median income by age to see how the median income varies by age, and how it compares to the overall median income for Dauphin County.

  • Under 25
    $34,583.00
  • 25 to 44
    $73,342.00
  • 45 to 64
    $80,240.00
  • 65 and over
    $51,846.00

Average Household Income

Whenever we ask what is the average household income in Dauphin County, we are actually talking about the mean household income.

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Dauphin County, and then dividing that number by the total number of households. This is a good way to get a general idea of the average income of a group of people, but it can be skewed by a very high or very low incomes.

The average household income of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania is currently $88,455.00.

In terms of accurately summarizing income at a geographic level, the median income is a better metric than the average income because it isn't affected by a small number of very high or very low incomes.

If you had an area where the average income was greater than the median, it can mean that there is significant income inequality, with income being concentrated in a small number of wealthy households.

6.72% of households in Dauphin County are classed as high income households (making $200,000+ per year).

Household Income Tiers

The US Census Bureau divides households into income tiers based on the median income for the area. This is a good way to compare the income of Dauphin County against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    16.67%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    19.63%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    19.35%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    14.23%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    16.51%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    6.89%
  • $200,000 or more
    6.72%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Dauphin County is $36,600.00.

Per capita income is the average income of a person in a given area. It is calculated by dividing the total income of Dauphin County by the total population of Dauphin County.

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, including people like children, the elderly, unemployed people, retired people, and more.

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in Dauphin County to see how many people have a high school degree, a bachelor's degree, or a graduate degree.

Educational attainment is a good indicator of the overall education level of a population, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more to see how education levels affect income, unemployment rates, and more.

  • Master's degree or higher
    12.16%
  • Bachelor's degree
    31.31%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    9.63%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    44.40%
  • Less than high school diploma
    2.51%

Employment

Employment rates are all based around the total population in Dauphin County that are over the age of 16.

The total population of Dauphin County over the age of 16 is 227,225.

Of those people, a total of 65.80% are working or actively looking for work. This is called the labor force participation rate.

The participation rate is a useful market measure because it shows the relative amount of labor resources available to the economy.

The employment to total population rate in Dauphin County is 62.70%.

Employment by Age

We can look at the employment rates by age to see how it compares to the overall employment rate.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
16 to 19 years 13,571 42.20% 12.10%
20 to 24 years 16,541 77.30% 8.70%
25 to 29 years 19,920 84.40% 4.20%
30 to 34 years 19,263 87.40% 5.10%
35 to 44 years 33,913 86.30% 3.50%
45 to 54 years 36,480 85.40% 2.80%
55 to 59 years 19,395 77.40% 5.00%
60 to 64 years 19,961 64.20% 3.00%
65 to 74 years 29,195 27.00% 4.10%
75 years and over 18,986 6.40% 2.80%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Dauphin County. The table below shows the rates for each of the ethnicity groups types defined by the US Census Bureau.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
White 161,400 65.70% 3.20%
Black or African American 39,469 64.90% 9.20%
American Indian and Alaska Native 755 77.00% 6.20%
Asian 11,311 65.60% 3.20%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 70 25.70% 0.00%
Other 5,948 59.60% 5.20%
Two or more races 8,272 76.30% 7.90%
Hispanic or Latino 18,550 71.30% 3.90%
Not Hispanic or Latino 153,606 65.20% 3.30%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Dauphin County as well as the gender breakdown and earnings of them.

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in Dauphin County is 142,392, with median earnings of $43,103.00.

Women in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania earning approximately 75.40% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 142,392 $43,103.00
Male 73,137 $49,170.00
Female 69,255 $37,066.00

Occupations by Category

In the table below, we can break down the population and earnings even further by occupation. The list of occupation categories below will show you how many people are employed in each category and the median earnings of each profession.

Occupation Employed Earnings
Management 13,605 $70,611.00
Business and Financial 8,629 $63,931.00
Computer and Mathematical 4,933 $76,187.00
Architecture and Engineering 2,650 $71,801.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 1,148 $66,983.00
Community and Social Service 3,649 $41,988.00
Legal 1,771 $75,521.00
Educational and Library 7,086 $41,777.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 2,033 $40,516.00
Healthcare Practitioners 10,660 $63,535.00
Healthcare Support 5,005 $27,286.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 1,495 $31,911.00
Law Enforcement 1,362 $67,500.00
Food Preparation and Serving 7,367 $15,996.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 4,908 $22,188.00
Personal Care and Service 4,768 $26,111.00
Sales 13,207 $37,526.00
Office and Administrative Support 17,833 $37,143.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 560 $25,272.00
Construction and Extraction 5,101 $46,591.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 4,105 $45,787.00
Production 6,476 $37,751.00
Transportation and Material Moving 4,546 $43,486.00

Occupations by Gender

The table below shows the same occupations from the list above, but we have split them by male and female to see how many male and females work in each occupation, the median earnings, and the male to female ratio of earnings.

That last metric is important because it can be used to look at the gender pay gap between men and women.

Occupation Male Female
Population Earnings Population Earnings
Management 8,277 $80,862.00 5,328 $61,084.00
Business and Financial 4,327 $70,469.00 4,302 $60,234.00
Computer and Mathematical 3,659 $78,410.00 1,274 $70,000.00
Architecture and Engineering 2,265 $70,322.00 385 $82,847.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 616 $75,758.00 532 $66,149.00
Community and Social Service 1,153 $45,164.00 2,496 $41,182.00
Legal 986 $105,417.00 785 $57,288.00
Educational and Library 1,838 $54,766.00 5,248 $34,769.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 1,048 $44,210.00 985 $31,513.00
Healthcare Practitioners 2,446 $83,178.00 8,214 $58,887.00
Healthcare Support 825 $35,125.00 4,180 $25,345.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 1,086 $30,805.00 409 $40,548.00
Law Enforcement 1,052 $73,684.00 310 $62,018.00
Food Preparation and Serving 3,799 $18,892.00 3,568 $14,199.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 2,765 $24,116.00 2,143 $19,665.00
Personal Care and Service 1,060 $22,813.00 3,708 $27,443.00
Sales 6,950 $54,013.00 6,257 $23,498.00
Office and Administrative Support 4,609 $41,659.00 13,224 $35,095.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 424 $25,349.00 136 $24,844.00
Construction and Extraction 4,927 $46,739.00 174 $21,326.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 3,769 $47,404.00 336 $26,524.00
Production 4,300 $42,390.00 2,176 $30,145.00
Transportation and Material Moving 3,930 $45,846.00 616 $25,000.00

Households and Family Size

A household defined bu the US Census Bureau is a group of people who occupy a housing unit. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or single room occupied as separate living quarters.

There are currently 115,703 households in Dauphin County, with an average household size of 2.4 people.

A family is defined as a group of two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption who live together in the same household.

There are 70,948 families in Dauphin County with an average family size of 3.06 people.

Households by Marital Status

The four categories of household by marital status are:

  • Married-couple family
  • Male householder with no spouse present
  • Female household with no spouse present
  • Nonfamily household

The table below shows the total number of households and families, with the average sizes of each.

Married Male Female Nonfamily
Total Households 50,991 4,810 15,147 44,755
Average Household Size 3.11 3.11 3.26 1.22
Total Families 50,991 4,810 15,147 0
Average Household Size 3.09 2.76 3.07 0

Poverty

Of the 70,948 families in Dauphin County, 8.80% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Dauphin County:

Household Size Poverty Threshold
1 Person $14,580.00
2 People $19,720.00
3 People $24,860.00
4 People $30,000.00
5 People $35,140.00
6 People $40,280.00
7 People $45,420.00
8 People $50,560.00

Housing

There are 125,981 housing units in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.

The table below shows the split between occupied and vacant units:

Total Percentage
Occupied 115,703 91.84%
Vacant 10,278 8.16%

32.12% of the total 125,981 housing units in Dauphin County are rental units. This is approximately 40,459 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 73,916 are occupied by the owner - or 58.67% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Dauphin County is $1,014.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Dauphin County that fall into a particular rent range. These can then be used to compare with other areas, or to see how they have changed over time.

  • No rent paid
    1,328
  • Less than $500
    3,391
  • $500 to $999
    16,254
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    15,532
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    4,298
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    801
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    111
  • $3,000 or more
    72

Property Value

The median value of a property in Dauphin County is $181,400.00.

Just like with rental rates, we can look at the number of properties in Dauphin County that fall into a particular value range.

  • Less than $50,000
    3,404
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    8,589
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    14,045
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    16,351
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    17,639
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    10,640
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    2,843
  • $1,000,000 or more
    405

Property Age

We can also look at the age of properties in Dauphin County. The chart below shows the number of properties in Dauphin County that fall into a particular age range.

  • 1939 or earlier
    26,299
  • 1940 to 1949
    7,389
  • 1950 to 1959
    17,530
  • 1960 to 1969
    12,836
  • 1970 to 1979
    17,695
  • 1980 to 1989
    12,856
  • 1990 to 1999
    13,770
  • 2000 to 2009
    11,209
  • 2010 to 2013
    6,212
  • 2014 or later
    185

Vehicles per Household

The number of vehicles available per household can be a good indicator of the level of affluence in an area. The chart below shows the number of households in Dauphin County that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    10,502
  • 1 vehicle available
    41,945
  • 2 vehicles available
    41,353
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    21,903

Commuting to Work

In this section, we can also look at how people in Dauphin County get to work. The chart below shows the number of people in Dauphin County that commute to work in a particular way.

21.7 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Dauphin County.

These commute times can be compared to other date like income and educational levels to see how they relate to each other and if there are any trends in the data that might suggest a correlation.

  • Less than 5 minutes
    4,597
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    13,568
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    21,153
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    25,039
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    22,434
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    8,469
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    14,396
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    2,692
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    2,796
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    6,364
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    3,263
  • 90 or more minutes
    1,906

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Dauphin County, Pennsylvania in this article! Hopefully you have found it very useful in your research of the area.

If you use any of the data found on this page, please consider linking back to USPopulation.org as the source and if you have any feedback or data requests, click here to contact us.

Places in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania

We have data for 38 places in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. Click on a place below to see more information about the demographics of that place.