Columbia, PA · standard
ZIP Code 17512
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 17,836
- 423/sq mi High-density area
- $66,684
- Median income Near-median income area
- $245,200
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 23.7%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Columbia pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.
- 41st pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 44%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 423
- people per sq mi
- 65%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 17512 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 17512 (Columbia, PA) rose +10.7% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 235.3 in 2023 to 260.4 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 17512 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Columbia, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, home to 17,836 residents across 42.2 square miles, a density of 423 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 17512 reports a modest median household income of $66,684 (14% below the average Pennsylvania ZIP), while per-capita income is $39,740. The poverty rate is 13.3%, with unemployment at 2.1%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $245,200 (8% above the average Pennsylvania ZIP) and median rent is $1,072; 65.0% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 23.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 43.6, and the average commute is 24 minutes. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Lancaster County, so 17512 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 17512
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Columbia, PA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 17512.
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
56 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
50 establishments
- Construction
Construction
39 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
32 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
32 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 17512, Columbia, 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
17,836
Population
42.2
Area (sq mi)
423
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 17512?
43.6
Median Age
50.2%
Male
49.8%
Female
4.3%
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?
$66,684
Median Household Income
-14% vs state ZIP avg
$39,740
Per Capita Income
13.3%
Poverty Rate
2.1%
Unemployment Rate
23.5 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 17512 ranks among Pennsylvania ZIPs
Columbia, 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)
$66,684 40th percentile higher than 40% 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
8,127housing units
8,127
Total Housing Units
7,692
Occupied Units
435
Vacant Units
2.30
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$245,200
Median Home Value
+8% vs state ZIP avg
$1,072
Median Rent
1959
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
+10.7%
YoY Change (2024)
260
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+160%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 17512 have increased 10.7% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +160% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +6.3% | 169 |
| 2021 | +11.8% | 189 |
| 2022 | +17.2% | 221 |
| 2023 | +6.4% | 235 |
| 2024 | +10.7% | 260 |
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 309 business establishments in ZIP 17512, employing approximately 4,099 people with a combined annual payroll of $189,911,000.
309
Businesses
4,099
Employees
$189.9M
Annual Payroll
15
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Other services (except public administration) | 56 | 18.1% |
| Retail trade | 50 | 16.2% |
| Construction | 39 | 12.6% |
| Health care and social assistance | 32 | 10.4% |
| Accommodation and food services | 32 | 10.4% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 18 | 5.8% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 17 | 5.5% |
| Manufacturing | 14 | 4.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 13 | 4.2% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 11 | 3.6% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 8 | 2.6% |
| Finance and insurance | 7 | 2.3% |
| Information | 3 | 1.0% |
| Educational services | 3 | 1.0% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 3 | 1.0% |
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 17512 vs 17554 →
ZIP 17512 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 17603
Lancaster (17603)
61,973 residents
- 17512 17,836
Columbia (17512)
17,836 residents
- 17552 17,831
Mount Joy (17552)
17,831 residents
- 17554 7,525
Mountville (17554)
7,525 residents
- 17547 7,378
Marietta (17547)
7,378 residents
- 17368 7,322
Wrightsville (17368)
7,322 residents
- 17538 6,045
Landisville (17538)
6,045 residents
- 17582 2,026
Washington Boro (17582)
2,026 residents
- 17550 790
Maytown (17550)
790 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 17512 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 17512 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 17582
Washington Boro (17582)
$100,263 median income
- 17554
Mountville (17554)
$98,431 median income
- 17552
Mount Joy (17552)
$97,683 median income
- 17368
Wrightsville (17368)
$92,694 median income
- 17547
Marietta (17547)
$92,199 median income
- 17570
Rheems (17570)
$90,833 median income
- 17317
East Prospect (17317)
$88,906 median income
- 17538
Landisville (17538)
$86,719 median income
- 17603
Lancaster (17603)
$77,084 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 17512 ranks #null of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17554 | Mountville, PA | 7,525 | 3.2 mi |
| 17368 | Wrightsville, PA | 7,322 | 4.2 mi |
| 17552 | Mount Joy, PA | 17,831 | 4.9 mi |
| 17582 | Washington Boro, PA | 2,026 | 4.9 mi |
| 17317 | East Prospect, PA | 755 | 5.1 mi |
| 17538 | Landisville, PA | 6,045 | 5.1 mi |
| 17547 | Marietta, PA | 7,378 | 5.7 mi |
| 17550 | Maytown, PA | 790 | 5.7 mi |
| 17603 | Lancaster, PA | 61,973 | 7.3 mi |
| 17570 | Rheems, PA | 291 | 7.6 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 17512, 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 (17,836 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Lancaster County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 17512 in?
ZIP code 17512 (Columbia) is located in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Lancaster County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/lancaster-pa.
What is the population of ZIP code 17512?
ZIP code 17512 in Columbia, PA has a population of 17,836 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 17512?
The median household income in ZIP 17512 is $66,684, which is 13% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 17512?
The median home value in ZIP 17512 is $245,200, which is 12% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 17512?
The largest racial group in ZIP 17512 is White at 78.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 16.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 17512?
ZIP code 17512 has 309 business establishments employing approximately 4,099 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 17512?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 17512 are: Other services (except public administration) (56), Retail trade (50), Construction (39). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 17512?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 17512 increased by 10.7% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 160%. 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 17512?
In ZIP code 17512, 64.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 23.7% 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 17512?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 17512 is 23.5 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 17512?
In ZIP code 17512, approximately 65.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 35.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 17512?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 17512 is 13.3% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
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What to do with ZIP 17512's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 17512 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Columbia, PA ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.