Alum Bank, PA · standard
ZIP Code 15521
Bedford County, Pennsylvania - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 1,872
- 20/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $53,947
- Median income Below-median income area
- $209,700
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 10.3%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Alum Bank pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 20th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 46th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 20
- people per sq mi
- 91%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 15521 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 15521 covers 92.2 square miles in Alum Bank, Bedford County, Pennsylvania (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 1,872 residents on file, a density of 20 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 15521 reports a modest median household income of $53,947 (31% below the average Pennsylvania ZIP), while per-capita income is $28,145. The poverty rate is 15.9%, with unemployment at 1.4%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $209,700 (8% below the average Pennsylvania ZIP) and median rent is $990; 90.6% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 10.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 51.9, and the average commute is 28 minutes. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Bedford County, so 15521 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →
Top industries in ZIP 15521
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Alum Bank, PA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 15521.
- Construction
Construction
9 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
9 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
5 establishments
- Transportation and warehousing
Transportation and warehousing
4 establishments
- Manufacturing 3
Manufacturing
3 establishments
What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 15521, Alum Bank, PA · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
1,872
Population
92.2
Area (sq mi)
20
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 15521?
51.9
Median Age
48.4%
Male
51.6%
Female
0.0%
Foreign-Born
Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How much do residents earn?
$53,947
Median Household Income
-31% vs state ZIP avg
$28,145
Per Capita Income
15.9%
Poverty Rate
1.4%
Unemployment Rate
27.8 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 15521 ranks among Pennsylvania ZIPs
Alum Bank, PA household income vs. every Pennsylvania ZIP code
Median household income among 1,642 reporting Pennsylvania ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$53,947 14th percentile higher than 14% of 1,642 Pennsylvania ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Pennsylvania ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What is the education profile here?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
762housing units
762
Total Housing Units
684
Occupied Units
78
Vacant Units
2.50
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$209,700
Median Home Value
-8% vs state ZIP avg
$990
Median Rent
1975
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 38 business establishments in ZIP 15521, employing approximately 410 people with a combined annual payroll of $25,406,000.
38
Businesses
410
Employees
$25.4M
Annual Payroll
7
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 9 | 23.7% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 9 | 23.7% |
| Health care and social assistance | 5 | 13.2% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 4 | 10.5% |
| Manufacturing | 3 | 7.9% |
| Retail trade | 3 | 7.9% |
| Accommodation and food services | 3 | 7.9% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
Nearby ZIP Codes
Want a side-by-side? Compare 15521 vs 15554 →
ZIP 15521 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 15963
Windber (15963)
11,114 residents
- 15554 2,553
New Paris (15554)
2,553 residents
- 15955 2,551
Sidman (15955)
2,551 residents
- 15559 1,968
Schellsburg (15559)
1,968 residents
- 15521 1,872
Alum Bank (15521)
1,872 residents
- 16655 1,601
Imler (16655)
1,601 residents
- 16667 1,392
Osterburg (16667)
1,392 residents
- 15539 498
Fishertown (15539)
498 residents
- 15930 241
Dunlo (15930)
241 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 15521 ranks #5 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 15521 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 15930
Dunlo (15930)
$146,114 median income
- 16667
Osterburg (16667)
$74,167 median income
- 16655
Imler (16655)
$66,823 median income
- 15559
Schellsburg (15559)
$61,902 median income
- 15963
Windber (15963)
$61,566 median income
- 15955
Sidman (15955)
$59,327 median income
- 15521 $53,947
Alum Bank (15521)
$53,947 median income
- 15554 $50,500
New Paris (15554)
$50,500 median income
- 15539 $45,893
Fishertown (15539)
$45,893 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 15521 ranks #7 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15554 | New Paris, PA | 2,553 | 5.2 mi |
| 15539 | Fishertown, PA | 498 | 5.4 mi |
| 16667 | Osterburg, PA | 1,392 | 5.6 mi |
| 16655 | Imler, PA | 1,601 | 5.6 mi |
| 15963 | Windber, PA | 11,114 | 6.9 mi |
| 15930 | Dunlo, PA | 241 | 8.0 mi |
| 15921 | Beaverdale, PA | 176 | 8.9 mi |
| 15955 | Sidman, PA | 2,551 | 9.1 mi |
| 15559 | Schellsburg, PA | 1,968 | 10.2 mi |
| 16670 | Queen, PA | 47 | 8.0 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 15521, both outside PA so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (1,872 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Bedford County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 15521 in?
ZIP code 15521 (Alum Bank) is located in Bedford County, Pennsylvania. Bedford County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/bedford-pa.
What is the population of ZIP code 15521?
ZIP code 15521 in Alum Bank, PA has a population of 1,872 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 15521?
The median household income in ZIP 15521 is $53,947, which is 29% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 15521?
The median home value in ZIP 15521 is $209,700, which is 25% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 15521?
The largest racial group in ZIP 15521 is White at 98.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 0.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 15521?
ZIP code 15521 has 38 business establishments employing approximately 410 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 15521?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 15521 are: Construction (9), Other services (except public administration) (9), Health care and social assistance (5). There are 7 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 15521?
In ZIP code 15521, 64.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 10.3% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 15521?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 15521 is 27.8 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 15521?
In ZIP code 15521, approximately 90.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 9.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 15521?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 15521 is 15.9% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 15521's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 15521 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Alum Bank, PA ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.