Ridgway, PA · standard
ZIP Code 15853
Elk County, Pennsylvania - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 6,578
- 17/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $59,344
- Median income Below-median income area
- $109,400
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 21.1%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Ridgway pairs a below-median household income with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 28th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 13th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 17
- people per sq mi
- 79%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 15853 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 15853 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Ridgway, Elk County, Pennsylvania, home to 6,578 residents across 389.2 square miles, a density of 17 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 15853 reports a modest median household income of $59,344 (24% below the average Pennsylvania ZIP), while per-capita income is $32,433. The poverty rate is 10.6%, with unemployment at 4.4%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $109,400 (52% below the average Pennsylvania ZIP), and median rent is $708; owner occupancy is 78.7%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 21.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 46.2, and the average commute is 20 minutes. The page also surfaces 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Elk County, so 15853 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 15853
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Ridgway, PA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 15853.
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
36 establishments
- Manufacturing
Manufacturing
26 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
24 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
24 establishments
- Construction
Construction
18 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 15853, Ridgway, 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
6,578
Population
389.2
Area (sq mi)
17
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 15853?
46.2
Median Age
50.7%
Male
49.3%
Female
0.6%
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?
$59,344
Median Household Income
-24% vs state ZIP avg
$32,433
Per Capita Income
10.6%
Poverty Rate
4.4%
Unemployment Rate
20.3 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 15853 ranks among Pennsylvania ZIPs
Ridgway, 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)
$59,344 24th percentile higher than 24% 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
3,476housing units
3,476
Total Housing Units
2,767
Occupied Units
709
Vacant Units
2.31
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$109,400
Median Home Value
-52% vs state ZIP avg
$708
Median Rent
1954
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 201 business establishments in ZIP 15853, employing approximately 2,777 people with a combined annual payroll of $142,599,000.
201
Businesses
2,777
Employees
$142.6M
Annual Payroll
15
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 36 | 17.9% |
| Manufacturing | 26 | 12.9% |
| Retail trade | 24 | 11.9% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 24 | 11.9% |
| Construction | 18 | 9.0% |
| Accommodation and food services | 13 | 6.5% |
| Finance and insurance | 12 | 6.0% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 11 | 5.5% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 7 | 3.5% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 7 | 3.5% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 5 | 2.5% |
| Information | 4 | 2.0% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 4 | 2.0% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 3 | 1.5% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 3 | 1.5% |
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 15853 vs 15824 →
ZIP 15853 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 15853
Ridgway (15853)
6,578 residents
- 15824
Brockway (15824)
5,407 residents
- 15845
Johnsonburg (15845)
3,197 residents
- 15823 1,431
Brockport (15823)
1,431 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 15853 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 15853 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 15845
Johnsonburg (15845)
$68,347 median income
- 15824
Brockway (15824)
$64,623 median income
- 15853
Ridgway (15853)
$59,344 median income
- 15823
Brockport (15823)
$51,125 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 15853 ranks #3 of 4 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 15853, 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 (6,578 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Elk County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 15853 in?
ZIP code 15853 (Ridgway) is located in Elk County, Pennsylvania. Elk County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/elk-pa.
What is the population of ZIP code 15853?
ZIP code 15853 in Ridgway, PA has a population of 6,578 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 15853?
The median household income in ZIP 15853 is $59,344, which is 22% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 15853?
The median home value in ZIP 15853 is $109,400, which is 61% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 15853?
The largest racial group in ZIP 15853 is White at 95.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 0.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 15853?
ZIP code 15853 has 201 business establishments employing approximately 2,777 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 15853?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 15853 are: Health care and social assistance (36), Manufacturing (26), Retail trade (24). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 15853?
In ZIP code 15853, 64.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 21.1% 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 15853?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 15853 is 20.3 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 15853?
In ZIP code 15853, approximately 78.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 21.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 15853?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 15853 is 10.6% 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 15853's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 15853 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Ridgway, 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.