PlainZIP

Shippensburg, PA · standard

ZIP Code 17257

Cumberland County, Pennsylvania - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

27,996
92/sq mi
$71,181
Median income
$227,900
Median home value
23.3%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Shippensburg pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

49th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 48%
home value, US ZIPs
92
people per sq mi
68%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 17257 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 17257 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Shippensburg, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, with 27,996 residents across 304.3 square miles, a density of 92 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 17257 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $71,181 (9% below the Pennsylvania average), while per-capita income is $35,673. Local economic indicators show a 10.7% poverty rate alongside 4.7% unemployment. The typical home here is valued at $227,900 (0% above the state average); renters pay a median of $1,046 monthly, and 67.5% of units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 23.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 34, and the average commute is 23 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 4 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 17257, plus 6 more within Cumberland County, give a clearer read than the national average alone.

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 17257

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Shippensburg, PA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 17257.

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 17257, Shippensburg, 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

27,996

Population

304.3

Area (sq mi)

92

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 17257?

34.0

Median Age

49.3%

Male

50.7%

Female

2.9%

Foreign-Born

White 89.0%
African American 4.1%
Asian 1.4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.1%
Hispanic or Latino 3.1%

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?

$71,181

Median Household Income

-9% vs state

$35,673

Per Capita Income

10.7%

Poverty Rate

4.7%

Unemployment Rate

23.3 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 17257 ranks nationally

Shippensburg, PA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$71,181 49th percentile higher than 49% 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%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $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 67.3%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 23.3%

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

What does housing look like?

11,619

Total Housing Units

10,786

Occupied Units

833

Vacant Units

2.49

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 67.5%
Renter 32.5%

$227,900

Median Home Value

+0% vs state

$1,046

Median Rent

1981

Median Year Built

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

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+6.3%

YoY Change (2024)

235

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+135%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 17257 have increased 6.3% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +135% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +4.4% 165
2021 +8.7% 179
2022 +13.4% 203
2023 +8.8% 221
2024 +6.3% 235

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 485 business establishments in ZIP 17257, employing approximately 7,590 people with a combined annual payroll of $371,657,000.

485

Businesses

7,590

Employees

$371.7M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Other services (except public administration) 85 17.5%
Retail trade 77 15.9%
Construction 51 10.5%
Accommodation and food services 45 9.3%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 37 7.6%
Manufacturing 35 7.2%
Health care and social assistance 31 6.4%
Transportation and warehousing 30 6.2%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 22 4.5%
Wholesale trade 17 3.5%
Finance and insurance 16 3.3%
Real estate and rental and leasing 16 3.3%
Information 6 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 5 1.0%
Utilities 4 0.8%
Educational services 4 0.8%

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 17257 vs 17266 →

ZIP 17257 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 17257 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 17257 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 17257 ranks #4 of 5 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
17266 Walnut Bottom, PA 581 5.0 mi
17254 Scotland, PA 89 7.6 mi
17240 Newburg, PA 3,345 8.7 mi
17241 Newville, PA 11,853 10.0 mi

More ZIP Codes in Cumberland County

17011 standard
Camp Hill, PA
Pop: 34,586
17013 standard
Carlisle, PA
Pop: 34,575
17055 standard
Mechanicsburg, PA
Pop: 34,237
17050 standard
Mechanicsburg, PA
Pop: 32,815
17015 standard
Carlisle, PA
Pop: 20,798
17025 standard
Enola, PA
Pop: 16,778

Related Areas

Cumberland County Shippensburg, PA Pennsylvania

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 17257 in? ▼
ZIP code 17257 (Shippensburg) is located in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. Cumberland County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/cumberland-pa.
What is the population of ZIP code 17257? ▼
ZIP code 17257 in Shippensburg, PA has a population of 27,996 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 17257? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 17257 is $71,181, which is 7% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 17257? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 17257 is $227,900, which is 18% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 17257? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 17257 is White at 89.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 17257? ▼
ZIP code 17257 has 485 business establishments employing approximately 7,590 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 17257? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 17257 are: Other services (except public administration) (85), Retail trade (77), Construction (51). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 17257? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 17257 increased by 6.3% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 135%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 17257? ▼
In ZIP code 17257, 67.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 23.3% 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 17257? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 17257 is 23.3 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 17257? ▼
In ZIP code 17257, approximately 67.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 32.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 17257? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 17257 is 10.7% 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.