PlainZIP

Lancaster, PA · standard

ZIP Code 17603

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

61,973
803/sq mi
$77,084
Median income
$262,400
Median home value
37.7%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Lancaster pairs an above-median household income with above-median home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated and unusually populous area.

Top 42%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 40%
home value, US ZIPs
803
people per sq mi
62%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 17603 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 17603 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Lancaster, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, with 61,973 residents across 77.2 square miles, a density of 803 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 17603 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $77,084 (1% below the Pennsylvania average), while per-capita income is $42,414. Poverty here runs at 13.0%, with unemployment measured at 5.3%. Housing costs here run $262,400 for a typical home value (15% above the state average), with rent averaging $1,355 a month; 61.9% of homes are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 37.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 35.7, and the average commute is 24 minutes. To put 17603 in local context, 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Lancaster 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 17603

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Lancaster, PA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 17603.

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 17603, Lancaster, 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

61,973

Population

77.2

Area (sq mi)

803

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 17603?

35.7

Median Age

47.1%

Male

52.9%

Female

9.7%

Foreign-Born

White 62.6%
African American 7.6%
Asian 3.7%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.6%
Two or More Ethnicities 13.9%
Hispanic or Latino 27.3%

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?

$77,084

Median Household Income

-1% vs state

$42,414

Per Capita Income

13.0%

Poverty Rate

5.3%

Unemployment Rate

23.8 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 17603 ranks nationally

Lancaster, PA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$77,084 Top 42% higher than 58% 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 69.8%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 37.7%

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

What does housing look like?

28,466

Total Housing Units

27,248

Occupied Units

1,218

Vacant Units

2.37

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 61.9%
Renter 38.1%

$262,400

Median Home Value

+15% vs state

$1,355

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

+7.8%

YoY Change (2024)

308

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+208%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 17603 have increased 7.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +208% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +5.4% 199
2021 +12.6% 224
2022 +17.6% 263
2023 +8.5% 286
2024 +7.8% 308

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 1,501 business establishments in ZIP 17603, employing approximately 26,331 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,346,446,000.

1,501

Businesses

26,331

Employees

$1.3B

Annual Payroll

17

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 213 14.2%
Other services (except public administration) 194 12.9%
Health care and social assistance 185 12.3%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 176 11.7%
Accommodation and food services 174 11.6%
Construction 101 6.7%
Real estate and rental and leasing 75 5.0%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 74 4.9%
Manufacturing 67 4.5%
Finance and insurance 63 4.2%
Wholesale trade 60 4.0%
Transportation and warehousing 32 2.1%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 26 1.7%
Educational services 23 1.5%
Information 18 1.2%
Management of companies and enterprises 14 0.9%
Industries not classified 4 0.3%

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 17603 vs 17551 →

ZIP 17603 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 17603 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 17603 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 17603 ranks #9 of 9 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
17551 Millersville, PA 10,857 2.6 mi
17520 East Petersburg, PA 4,686 5.9 mi
17516 Conestoga, PA 4,496 5.2 mi
17601 Lancaster, PA 49,779 4.6 mi
17554 Mountville, PA 7,525 4.3 mi
17602 Lancaster, PA 52,452 5.6 mi
17582 Washington Boro, PA 2,026 5.7 mi
17565 Pequea, PA 2,537 8.0 mi
17538 Landisville, PA 6,045 6.2 mi
17584 Willow Street, PA 8,957 5.9 mi

More ZIP Codes in Lancaster County

17602 standard
Lancaster, PA
Pop: 52,452
17601 standard
Lancaster, PA
Pop: 49,779
17543 standard
Lititz, PA
Pop: 42,626
17522 standard
Ephrata, PA
Pop: 32,483
17022 standard
Elizabethtown, PA
Pop: 29,602
17545 standard
Manheim, PA
Pop: 21,256

Related Areas

Lancaster County Lancaster, PA Pennsylvania

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 17603 in? ▼
ZIP code 17603 (Lancaster) 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 17603? ▼
ZIP code 17603 in Lancaster, PA has a population of 61,973 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 17603? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 17603 is $77,084, which is 1% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 17603? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 17603 is $262,400, which is 6% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 17603? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 17603 is White at 62.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 27.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 17603? ▼
ZIP code 17603 has 1,501 business establishments employing approximately 26,331 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 17603? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 17603 are: Retail trade (213), Other services (except public administration) (194), Health care and social assistance (185). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 17603? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 17603 increased by 7.8% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 208%. 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 17603? ▼
In ZIP code 17603, 69.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 37.7% 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 17603? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 17603 is 23.8 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 17603? ▼
In ZIP code 17603, approximately 61.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 38.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 17603? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 17603 is 13.0% 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.