HomePennsylvaniaDauphin County
Dauphin County, Pennsylvania: commercial real estate data.
Dauphin County, Pennsylvania had an estimated 293,029 residents on July 1, 2024, up 2.3 percent since the 2020 census base of 286,392, across 525 square miles. County output reached $28.91 bn in 2024, 6,951 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 248 7(a) approvals worth $174.5 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Dauphin County
How many people live in Dauphin County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024289,593
- Households121,358
- Average household size2.39
- Median household income$76,242
- Median age39.4
- Median gross rent$1,217 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$236,400
- Home value to household income3.1 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income19.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher34.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree12.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over201,254
- Population under 1864,718
- Share under 1822.3 percent
- Population 65 and over52,221
- Share 65 and over18.0 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64172,654
- Civilian labor force149,361
- Unemployment rate4.5 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over66.4 percent
- Rank by population among Pennsylvania counties14th of 67
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included249th of 3,222
Dauphin County is the 14th largest of 67 Pennsylvania counties by population. A median home costs 3.1 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 22.3 percent against 18.0 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Dauphin County
Is Dauphin County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024293,029
- Census 2020 base population286,392
- Population change since the 2020 census base2.32 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 20242,143
- Births, 20243,111
- Deaths, 20242,841
- Natural change, 2024270
- Net domestic migration, 2024-586
- Net international migration, 20242,452
- Total net migration, 20241,866
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-521
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1070th of 3,144
The county has grown 2.32 percent since the 2020 census base. The population grew in 2024 from both sources: births exceeded deaths and more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Dauphin County
Where are people moving to Dauphin County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving8,066
- People arriving, from those returns13,627
- Tax returns filed by households leaving8,492
- Net household movement-426
- Adjusted gross income arriving$453.9 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-95.7 m
- Average income of an arriving household$56,269
- Average income of a leaving household$64,710
- Largest single originCumberland County (1,152 households)
- Largest single destinationCumberland County (1,741 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cumberland County | 1,152 | 1,741 | $61.2 m |
| Lancaster County | 671 | 1,046 | $41.6 m |
| Lebanon County | 568 | 929 | $28.7 m |
| York County | 449 | 696 | $25.9 m |
| Philadelphia County | 204 | 347 | $9.6 m |
| Schuylkill County | 164 | 245 | $9.1 m |
| Perry County | 152 | 292 | $7.4 m |
| Berks County | 130 | 202 | $11.2 m |
Households arriving report $8,441 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Cumberland County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Dauphin County
What is the Dauphin County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$28.91 bn
- County GDP, 2023$27.67 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20244.5 percent
- GDP change over five years25.8 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Pennsylvania areas BEA publishes9th of 67
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes201st of 3,127
- GDP per resident$99,828
Output grew 4.5 percent in the latest year and 25.8 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Dauphin County
Employment by industry in Dauphin County
- Covered employment, annual average190,296
- Establishments reporting7,552
- Average annual pay$68,012
- Average weekly wage$1,308
- Health care and social assistance, employment39,478
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$72,781
- Retail trade, employment13,747
- Retail trade, average annual pay$36,338
- Transportation and warehousing, employment13,694
- Transportation and warehousing, average annual pay$58,359
- Accommodation and food services, employment12,508
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$26,473
- Manufacturing, employment12,447
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment9,317
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 39,478 | 1,221 | $72,781 |
| Retail trade | 13,747 | 866 | $36,338 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 13,694 | 239 | $58,359 |
| Accommodation and food services | 12,508 | 667 | $26,473 |
| Manufacturing | 12,447 | 208 | $81,746 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 9,317 | 422 | $44,831 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 8,144 | 837 | $101,399 |
| Wholesale trade | 6,892 | 329 | $85,005 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 39,478 jobs, 20.7 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Dauphin County
How many businesses are in Dauphin County?
- Establishments, all industries6,951
- Employment at those establishments157,994
- Annual payroll$10.36 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents24.0
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Dauphin County
Building permits in Dauphin County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024499
- Declared construction value permitted$102.9 m
- Single family units authorized287
- Multifamily units authorized212
- Multifamily share of units42.5 percent
- Average declared value per unit$206,305
- Units authorized per 1,000 households4.1
Multifamily is 42.5 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Dauphin County
SBA loans in Dauphin County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded248
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$174.5 m
- Average 7(a) approval$703,754
- Median 7(a) approval$193,100
- 10th percentile approval$20,000
- 90th percentile approval$2,502,600
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)3,563
- Jobs per approval14.4
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active53
- Distinct industries receiving approvals105
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer16.5 percent
- Loans on real estate terms41
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter189
- Franchise loans36
- Franchise share of approvals14.5 percent
- Leading industry by approval countGeneral Automotive Repair (13)
- Most active lenderManufacturers and Traders Trust Company (60)
- 504 approvals recorded41
- 504 gross approval dollars$35.4 m
- Average 504 approval$864,268
- Median 504 approval$515,000
- Distinct CDCs active9
- 504 jobs per approval10.3
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved11.9
- Most active CDCSouth Eastern Economic Development Company of Pennsylvania (19)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$210.0 m
The average approval of $703,754 sits well above the median of $193,100, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 16.5 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Dauphin County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Dauphin County
Do SBA loans in Dauphin County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded56
- Paid in full54
- Charged off2
- Charge-off rate on resolved loans3.6 percent
- Status: Exempt from disclosure144
- Status: Paid in full54
- Status: Cancelled30
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed18
- Status: Charged off2
Of the 56 loans that have reached a final outcome, 3.6 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Dauphin County
SBA lending by place in Dauphin County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending15
- Harrisburg, approvals152
- Hershey, approvals25
- Hummelstown, approvals24
- Middletown, approvals14
- Halifax, approvals6
- Grantville, approvals5
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Harrisburg | 152 | $112,752,500 |
| Hershey | 25 | $6,320,000 |
| Hummelstown | 24 | $25,131,500 |
| Middletown | 14 | $18,031,600 |
| Halifax | 6 | $3,273,200 |
| Grantville | 5 | $3,029,300 |
| Dauphin | 5 | $1,232,500 |
| Steelton | 5 | $145,300 |
| 7 other borrower cities | 12 | $4,615,000 |
Harrisburg accounts for 152 approvals against 25 in Hershey. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Dauphin County
How large is Dauphin County?
- Land area525 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Pennsylvania counties44th of 67
- Width, east to west25.9 mi
- Height, north to south37.2 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land552
- Establishments per square mile13.24
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Dauphin County
Flood risk in Dauphin County
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book39
- Of those, participating in the NFIP39
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 8
- Communities carrying a CRS class2
- Radon levels in Dauphin County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
The EPA places Dauphin County in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. The best Community Rating System class among the county's communities is 8, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Dauphin County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Dauphin County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024289,593
- Households121,358
- Average household size2.39
- Median household income$76,242
- Median age39.4
Common questions
Dauphin County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania?
The Census Bureau estimates 293,029 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 289,593, in 121,358 households, ranking 14th of 67 Pennsylvania counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Dauphin County's population growing?
The population has grown 2.32 percent since the 2020 census base of 286,392, to 293,029 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 3,111 births against 2,841 deaths, with net migration of 1,866. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Dauphin County?
$76,242. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $236,400, which is 3.1 times income, and median gross rent is $1,217 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Dauphin County?
6,951 establishments, employing 157,994 people with an annual payroll of $10.36 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Dauphin County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 39,478 jobs, 20.7 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 190,296 jobs at an average annual pay of $68,012, or $1,308 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Dauphin County?
248 7(a) approvals totaling $174.5 m since FY2020, across 53 lenders, with a median approval of $193,100, plus 41 504 approvals worth $35.4 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Dauphin County get paid back?
Of the 56 loans that have reached a final outcome, 54 were paid in full and 2 charged off, a charge-off rate of 3.6 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
How many building permits were issued in Dauphin County?
499 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $102.9 m. Multifamily was 42.5 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Dauphin County?
Zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Dauphin County come from?
The largest single origin is Cumberland County, with 1,152 households. Arriving households report an average income of $56,269 against $64,710 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Dauphin County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Dauphin County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Dauphin County
Cities and places in Dauphin.
32 Census places lie wholly or partly in Dauphin County. All 32 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harrisburg | city | 50,287 | 152 | Wholly in this county |
| Colonial Park | CDP | 18,032 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Hershey | CDP | 14,242 | 25 | Wholly in this county |
| Progress | CDP | 11,017 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Middletown | borough | 9,632 | 14 | Wholly in this county |
| Linglestown | CDP | 6,957 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Rutherford | CDP | 6,890 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Steelton | borough | 6,296 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Lawnton | CDP | 4,765 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Skyline View | CDP | 4,704 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Hummelstown | borough | 4,527 | 24 | Wholly in this county |
| Paxtonia | CDP | 4,074 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Penbrook | borough | 3,266 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Highspire | borough | 2,732 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Millersburg | borough | 2,531 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Bressler | CDP | 2,060 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Lykens | borough | 1,878 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Paxtang | borough | 1,662 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Palmdale | CDP | 1,542 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Elizabethville | borough | 1,350 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Williamstown | borough | 1,345 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Enhaut | CDP | 1,197 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Dauphin | borough | 1,075 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Royalton | borough | 941 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Union Deposit | CDP | 808 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Lenkerville | CDP | 775 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Gratz | borough | 745 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Wiconsico | CDP | 734 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Halifax | borough | 515 | 6 | Wholly in this county |
| Berrysburg | borough | 301 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Oberlin | CDP | 269 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Pillow | borough | 264 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 7 of the county's 248 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Dauphin County, the largest being Grantville (5), Manheim (1), Mechanicsburg (1). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.