Potter County, Pennsylvania Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Potter 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 Potter County, Pennsylvania. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Potter County, Pennsylvania. The estimated population of Potter County, Pennsylvania is 16,478 people, with a median age of 47.7.

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

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
16,478
 -1.24% -3.47%
2020
16,685
 -0.72% -
2019
16,806
 -0.77% -
2018
16,937
 -0.78% -
2017
17,070
 - -

Population of Potter 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
95.8%
96.7%
 -0.93%
Black/African American
0.4%
0.4%
 0.00%
Native
0.1%
0.2%
 -50.00%
Hispanic
1.5%
1.2%
 +25.00%
Asian
0.4%
0.3%
 +33.33%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
1.6%
1.1%
 +45.45%
Other
0.1%
0%
 0.00%

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 Potter 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 47.7 +0.63% 46.7 +1.3% 48.7 -0.81%
2020 47.4 +0.42% 46.1 +0.22% 49.1 +0.82%
2019 47.2 +1.07% 46 +0.44% 48.7 +1.25%
2018 46.7 0% 45.8 +1.78% 48.1 -0.21%
2017 46.7 - 45 - 48.2 -

The median age of Potter 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 9 961 -11.81% 921 -3.75% 852 886
10 to 19 1,106 -4.72% 934 -0.01% 1,053 933
20 to 29 930 -7.16% 820 -4.96% 860 780
30 to 39 861 -5.61% 824 -3.45% 812 793
40 to 49 970 -8.27% 946 -9.07% 890 860
50 to 59 1,324 -11.42% 1,374 -15.97% 1,178 1,167
60 to 69 1,242 +10.25% 1,255 +12.55% 1,374 1,419
70+ 1,210 +1.37% 1,392 +0.43% 1,226 1,395

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Potter County, Pennsylvania is $50,944.00.

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 Potter County.

  • Under 25
    $38,194.00
  • 25 to 44
    $61,588.00
  • 45 to 64
    $58,968.00
  • 65 and over
    $41,333.00

Average Household Income

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

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Potter 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 Potter County, Pennsylvania is currently $64,820.00.

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.

2.38% of households in Potter 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 Potter County against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    21.06%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    28.33%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    20.69%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    12.78%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    10.88%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    3.87%
  • $200,000 or more
    2.38%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Potter County is $26,890.00.

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

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Potter 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 Potter 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
    6.53%
  • Bachelor's degree
    17.13%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    9.74%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    64.20%
  • Less than high school diploma
    2.40%

Employment

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

The total population of Potter County over the age of 16 is 13,501.

Of those people, a total of 53.00% 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 Potter County is 49.80%.

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 747 37.10% 5.80%
20 to 24 years 789 78.30% 11.70%
25 to 29 years 851 79.80% 12.10%
30 to 34 years 768 72.80% 12.30%
35 to 44 years 1,663 78.80% 4.50%
45 to 54 years 2,027 76.30% 1.90%
55 to 59 years 1,242 63.40% 7.40%
60 to 64 years 1,460 49.90% 4.30%
65 to 74 years 2,304 23.90% 3.10%
75 years and over 1,650 6.10% 6.90%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Potter 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 13,114 53.20% 5.90%
Black or African American 53 22.60% 0.00%
American Indian and Alaska Native 14 42.90% 0.00%
Asian 69 36.20% 8.00%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0 0.00% 0.00%
Other 29 44.80% 0.00%
Two or more races 222 57.20% 18.90%
Hispanic or Latino 172 48.80% 4.80%
Not Hispanic or Latino 12,987 53.20% 5.90%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Potter 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 Potter County is 6,717, with median earnings of $35,514.00.

Women in Potter County, Pennsylvania earning approximately 72.00% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 6,717 $35,514.00
Male 3,594 $41,550.00
Female 3,123 $29,931.00

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 638 $39,423.00
Business and Financial 286 $49,457.00
Computer and Mathematical 84 $60,313.00
Architecture and Engineering 92 $82,813.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 52 $77,000.00
Community and Social Service 159 $36,563.00
Legal 44 $55,000.00
Educational and Library 317 $46,771.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 39 $23,750.00
Healthcare Practitioners 437 $53,750.00
Healthcare Support 200 $20,893.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 56 $23,750.00
Law Enforcement 62 $38,571.00
Food Preparation and Serving 282 $16,250.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 270 $19,861.00
Personal Care and Service 190 $18,971.00
Sales 600 $26,278.00
Office and Administrative Support 744 $32,569.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 143 $27,813.00
Construction and Extraction 462 $39,375.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 270 $43,092.00
Production 714 $42,838.00
Transportation and Material Moving 309 $41,354.00

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 425 $42,019.00 213 $38,036.00
Business and Financial 143 $71,477.00 143 $42,917.00
Computer and Mathematical 54 $60,833.00 30 $56,250.00
Architecture and Engineering 71 $88,125.00 21 $52,679.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 36 $78,750.00 16 $12,000.00
Community and Social Service 76 $38,462.00 83 $35,521.00
Legal 20 $68,750.00 24 $41,154.00
Educational and Library 61 $54,375.00 256 $44,722.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 16 $37,500.00 23 $9,250.00
Healthcare Practitioners 111 $62,875.00 326 $52,667.00
Healthcare Support 34 $16,250.00 166 $21,161.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 21 $25,417.00 35 $14,821.00
Law Enforcement 51 $53,750.00 11 $18,125.00
Food Preparation and Serving 65 $18,274.00 217 $15,380.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 170 $25,469.00 100 $16,500.00
Personal Care and Service 43 $19,028.00 147 $18,906.00
Sales 243 $37,969.00 357 $17,083.00
Office and Administrative Support 80 $40,500.00 664 $31,959.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 126 $28,125.00 17 $19,821.00
Construction and Extraction 432 $40,982.00 30 $16,250.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 257 $43,059.00 13 $0.00
Production 559 $44,089.00 155 $30,750.00
Transportation and Material Moving 280 $43,500.00 29 $12,344.00

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 6,385 households in Potter County, with an average household size of 2.54 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 4,231 families in Potter County with an average family size of 3.12 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 3,448 242 541 2,154
Average Household Size 3.07 3.9 3.59 1.27
Total Families 3,448 242 541 0
Average Household Size 3.05 3.48 3.4 0

Poverty

Of the 4,231 families in Potter County, 8.40% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Potter 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 12,452 housing units in Potter County, Pennsylvania.

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

Total Percentage
Occupied 6,385 51.28%
Vacant 6,067 48.72%

9.16% of the total 12,452 housing units in Potter County are rental units. This is approximately 1,140 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 5,023 are occupied by the owner - or 40.34% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Potter County is $688.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Potter 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
    222
  • Less than $500
    286
  • $500 to $999
    762
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    81
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    7
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    4
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    0
  • $3,000 or more
    0

Property Value

The median value of a property in Potter County is $117,000.00.

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

  • Less than $50,000
    624
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    1,502
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    898
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    724
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    794
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    313
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    129
  • $1,000,000 or more
    39

Property Age

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

  • 1939 or earlier
    3,072
  • 1940 to 1949
    660
  • 1950 to 1959
    1,072
  • 1960 to 1969
    1,556
  • 1970 to 1979
    2,071
  • 1980 to 1989
    1,414
  • 1990 to 1999
    1,381
  • 2000 to 2009
    946
  • 2010 to 2013
    269
  • 2014 or later
    11

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 Potter County that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    478
  • 1 vehicle available
    2,164
  • 2 vehicles available
    2,467
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    1,276

Commuting to Work

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

25 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Potter 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
    584
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    928
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    939
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    719
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    727
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    305
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    676
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    118
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    183
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    397
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    199
  • 90 or more minutes
    277

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Potter 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 Potter County, Pennsylvania

We have data for 26 places in Potter County, Pennsylvania. Click on a place below to see more information about the demographics of that place.