South Fork, PA · standard
ZIP Code 15956
Cambria County, Pennsylvania - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 2,739
- 131/sq mi High-density area
- $52,448
- Median income Below-median income area
- $87,700
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 12.3%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
South Fork pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 17th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 6th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 131
- people per sq mi
- 87%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 15956 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 15956 covers 20.9 square miles in South Fork, Cambria County, Pennsylvania (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 2,739 residents on file, a density of 131 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 15956 reports a modest median household income of $52,448 (33% below the average Pennsylvania ZIP), while per-capita income is $30,565. The poverty rate is 13.3%, with unemployment at 1.1%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $87,700 (61% below the average Pennsylvania ZIP), and median rent is $738; owner occupancy is 87.0%.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 12.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 49.5, and the average commute is 23 minutes. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Cambria County, so 15956 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 15956
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in South Fork, PA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 15956.
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
11 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
5 establishments
- Manufacturing 3
Manufacturing
3 establishments
- Wholesale trade 3
Wholesale trade
3 establishments
- Accommodation and food services 3
Accommodation and food services
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 15956, South Fork, 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
2,739
Population
20.9
Area (sq mi)
131
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 15956?
49.5
Median Age
47.6%
Male
52.4%
Female
0.4%
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?
$52,448
Median Household Income
-33% vs state ZIP avg
$30,565
Per Capita Income
13.3%
Poverty Rate
1.1%
Unemployment Rate
22.8 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 15956 ranks among Pennsylvania ZIPs
South Fork, 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)
$52,448 11th percentile higher than 11% 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
1,233housing units
1,233
Total Housing Units
1,077
Occupied Units
156
Vacant Units
2.11
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$87,700
Median Home Value
-61% vs state ZIP avg
$738
Median Rent
1938
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 33 business establishments in ZIP 15956, employing approximately 187 people with a combined annual payroll of $6,872,000.
33
Businesses
187
Employees
$6.9M
Annual Payroll
5
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Other services (except public administration) | 11 | 33.3% |
| Retail trade | 5 | 15.2% |
| Manufacturing | 3 | 9.1% |
| Wholesale trade | 3 | 9.1% |
| Accommodation and food services | 3 | 9.1% |
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 15956 vs 15951 →
ZIP 15956 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 15904
Johnstown (15904)
16,608 residents
- 15956 2,739
South Fork (15956)
2,739 residents
- 15955 2,551
Sidman (15955)
2,551 residents
- 15958 2,301
Summerhill (15958)
2,301 residents
- 15942 2,079
Mineral Point (15942)
2,079 residents
- 15952 1,413
Salix (15952)
1,413 residents
- 15951 453
Saint Michael (15951)
453 residents
- 15934 218
Elton (15934)
218 residents
- 15945 198
Parkhill (15945)
198 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 15956 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 15956 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 15942
Mineral Point (15942)
$84,875 median income
- 15945
Parkhill (15945)
$68,203 median income
- 15904
Johnstown (15904)
$67,394 median income
- 15958
Summerhill (15958)
$66,250 median income
- 15955
Sidman (15955)
$59,327 median income
- 15951
Saint Michael (15951)
$58,104 median income
- 15962
Wilmore (15962)
$55,469 median income
- 15956
South Fork (15956)
$52,448 median income
- 15921
Beaverdale (15921)
$44,545 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 15956 ranks #8 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15951 | Saint Michael, PA | 453 | 1.3 mi |
| 15952 | Salix, PA | 1,413 | 3.1 mi |
| 15942 | Mineral Point, PA | 2,079 | 4.1 mi |
| 15934 | Elton, PA | 218 | 4.8 mi |
| 15945 | Parkhill, PA | 198 | 4.3 mi |
| 15958 | Summerhill, PA | 2,301 | 4.0 mi |
| 15904 | Johnstown, PA | 16,608 | 4.4 mi |
| 15962 | Wilmore, PA | 149 | 4.7 mi |
| 15955 | Sidman, PA | 2,551 | 5.0 mi |
| 15921 | Beaverdale, PA | 176 | 4.9 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 15956, 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 (2,739 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 15956 in?
ZIP code 15956 (South Fork) 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 15956?
ZIP code 15956 in South Fork, PA has a population of 2,739 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 15956?
The median household income in ZIP 15956 is $52,448, which is 31% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 15956?
The median home value in ZIP 15956 is $87,700, which is 68% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 15956?
The largest racial group in ZIP 15956 is White at 96.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 15956?
ZIP code 15956 has 33 business establishments employing approximately 187 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 15956?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 15956 are: Other services (except public administration) (11), Retail trade (5), Manufacturing (3). There are 5 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 15956?
In ZIP code 15956, 63.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 12.3% 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 15956?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 15956 is 22.8 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 15956?
In ZIP code 15956, approximately 87.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 13.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 15956?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 15956 is 13.3% 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 15956's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 15956 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where South Fork, 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.