Portage, PA · standard
ZIP Code 15946
Cambria County, Pennsylvania - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 7,093
- 54/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $55,582
- Median income Below-median income area
- $117,000
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 21.4%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Portage pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 22nd pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 15th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 54
- people per sq mi
- 83%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 15946 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 15946 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Portage, Cambria County, Pennsylvania, home to 7,093 residents across 130.9 square miles, a density of 54 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 15946 reports a modest median household income of $55,582 (29% below the average Pennsylvania ZIP), while per-capita income is $33,054. The poverty rate is 13.9%, with unemployment at 2.7%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $117,000 (49% below the average Pennsylvania ZIP), and median rent is $662; owner occupancy is 83.1%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 21.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 49.5, and the average commute is 27 minutes. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Cambria County, so 15946 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 15946
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Portage, PA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 15946.
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
19 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
15 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
15 establishments
- Construction
Construction
10 establishments
- Accommodation and food services 7
Accommodation and food services
7 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 15946, Portage, 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
7,093
Population
130.9
Area (sq mi)
54
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 15946?
49.5
Median Age
49.2%
Male
50.8%
Female
0.2%
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?
$55,582
Median Household Income
-29% vs state ZIP avg
$33,054
Per Capita Income
13.9%
Poverty Rate
2.7%
Unemployment Rate
27.0 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 15946 ranks among Pennsylvania ZIPs
Portage, 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)
$55,582 17th percentile higher than 17% 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
3,194housing units
3,194
Total Housing Units
2,866
Occupied Units
328
Vacant Units
2.25
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$117,000
Median Home Value
-49% vs state ZIP avg
$662
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 85 business establishments in ZIP 15946, employing approximately 711 people with a combined annual payroll of $23,928,000.
85
Businesses
711
Employees
$23.9M
Annual Payroll
7
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Other services (except public administration) | 19 | 22.4% |
| Retail trade | 15 | 17.6% |
| Health care and social assistance | 15 | 17.6% |
| Construction | 10 | 11.8% |
| Accommodation and food services | 7 | 8.2% |
| Finance and insurance | 4 | 4.7% |
| Manufacturing | 3 | 3.5% |
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 15946 vs 15925 →
ZIP 15946 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 15946
Portage (15946)
7,093 residents
- 16630
Cresson (16630)
5,080 residents
- 15940
Loretto (15940)
3,992 residents
- 15938 2,583
Lilly (15938)
2,583 residents
- 15955 2,551
Sidman (15955)
2,551 residents
- 15958 2,301
Summerhill (15958)
2,301 residents
- 16699 1,469
Cresson (16699)
1,469 residents
- 15930 241
Dunlo (15930)
241 residents
- 15921 176
Beaverdale (15921)
176 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 15946 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 15946 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
- 15940
Loretto (15940)
$88,274 median income
- 15938
Lilly (15938)
$71,250 median income
- 15958
Summerhill (15958)
$66,250 median income
- 15955
Sidman (15955)
$59,327 median income
- 16630 $58,315
Cresson (16630)
$58,315 median income
- 15925 $56,944
Cassandra (15925)
$56,944 median income
- 15946 $55,582
Portage (15946)
$55,582 median income
- 15962 $55,469
Wilmore (15962)
$55,469 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 15946 ranks #8 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15925 | Cassandra, PA | 147 | 2.5 mi |
| 15938 | Lilly, PA | 2,583 | 3.5 mi |
| 15962 | Wilmore, PA | 149 | 4.5 mi |
| 15955 | Sidman, PA | 2,551 | 4.8 mi |
| 15958 | Summerhill, PA | 2,301 | 5.4 mi |
| 15921 | Beaverdale, PA | 176 | 5.2 mi |
| 16630 | Cresson, PA | 5,080 | 6.5 mi |
| 16699 | Cresson, PA | 1,469 | 6.4 mi |
| 15940 | Loretto, PA | 3,992 | 10.3 mi |
| 15930 | Dunlo, PA | 241 | 7.0 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 15946, 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 (7,093 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Cambria County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 15946 in?
ZIP code 15946 (Portage) is located in Cambria County, Pennsylvania. Cambria County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/cambria-pa.
What is the population of ZIP code 15946?
ZIP code 15946 in Portage, PA has a population of 7,093 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 15946?
The median household income in ZIP 15946 is $55,582, which is 27% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 15946?
The median home value in ZIP 15946 is $117,000, which is 58% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 15946?
The largest racial group in ZIP 15946 is White at 95.5%.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 15946?
ZIP code 15946 has 85 business establishments employing approximately 711 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 15946?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 15946 are: Other services (except public administration) (19), Retail trade (15), Health care and social assistance (15). There are 7 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 15946?
In ZIP code 15946, 64.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 21.4% 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 15946?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 15946 is 27.0 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 15946?
In ZIP code 15946, approximately 83.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 16.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 15946?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 15946 is 13.9% 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 15946's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 15946 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Portage, 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.