PlainZIP

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
$59,344
Median income
$109,400
Median home value
21.1%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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 Pennsylvania average), while per-capita income is $32,433. 10.6% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 4.4%. Housing costs here run $109,400 for a typical home value (52% below the state average), with rent averaging $708 a month; 78.7% of homes are owner-occupied.

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. To put 15853 in local context, 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Elk County, for a geography-aware comparison.

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.

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 · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

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

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 15853?

46.2

Median Age

50.7%

Male

49.3%

Female

0.6%

Foreign-Born

White 95.4%
African American 0.3%
Asian 0.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 4.0%
Hispanic or Latino 0.7%

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

$32,433

Per Capita Income

10.6%

Poverty Rate

4.4%

Unemployment Rate

20.3 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 15853 ranks nationally

Ridgway, PA household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$59,344 28th percentile higher than 28% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US 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?

High School Graduate or Higher 64.3%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 21.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

3,476

Total Housing Units

2,767

Occupied Units

709

Vacant Units

2.31

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 78.7%
Renter 21.3%

$109,400

Median Home Value

-52% vs state

$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.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 15853 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 15853 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

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.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
15824 Brockway, PA 5,407 10.3 mi
15845 Johnsonburg, PA 3,197 8.9 mi
15823 Brockport, PA 1,431 10.3 mi

More ZIP Codes in Elk County

15857 standard
Saint Marys, PA
Pop: 13,212
15846 standard
Kersey, PA
Pop: 3,636
15845 standard
Johnsonburg, PA
Pop: 3,197
15823 standard
Brockport, PA
Pop: 1,431
15868 standard
Weedville, PA
Pop: 1,350
15870 standard
Wilcox, PA
Pop: 1,326

Related Areas

Elk County Ridgway, PA Pennsylvania

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.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.