Mount Carmel, PA · standard
ZIP Code 17851
Northumberland County, Pennsylvania - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 7,841
- 200/sq mi High-density area
- $53,637
- Median income Below-median income area
- $79,300
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 18.2%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Mount Carmel pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 19th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 4th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 200
- people per sq mi
- 79%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 17851 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 17851 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Mount Carmel, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, home to 7,841 residents across 39.2 square miles, a density of 200 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 17851 reports a modest median household income of $53,637 (31% below the average Pennsylvania ZIP), while per-capita income is $27,140. The poverty rate is 15.8%, with unemployment at 7.5%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $79,300 (65% below the average Pennsylvania ZIP), and median rent is $751; owner occupancy is 78.9%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 18.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 43.3, and the average commute is 25 minutes. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Northumberland County, so 17851 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 17851
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Mount Carmel, PA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 17851.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
28 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
19 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
15 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
12 establishments
- Manufacturing 6
Manufacturing
6 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 17851, Mount Carmel, 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
7,841
Population
39.2
Area (sq mi)
200
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 17851?
43.3
Median Age
51.3%
Male
48.7%
Female
1.8%
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?
$53,637
Median Household Income
-31% vs state ZIP avg
$27,140
Per Capita Income
15.8%
Poverty Rate
7.5%
Unemployment Rate
25.0 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 17851 ranks among Pennsylvania ZIPs
Mount Carmel, 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)
$53,637 13th percentile higher than 13% 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
4,020housing units
4,020
Total Housing Units
3,011
Occupied Units
1,009
Vacant Units
2.35
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$79,300
Median Home Value
-65% vs state ZIP avg
$751
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 103 business establishments in ZIP 17851, employing approximately 1,327 people with a combined annual payroll of $50,110,000.
103
Businesses
1,327
Employees
$50.1M
Annual Payroll
10
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 28 | 27.2% |
| Health care and social assistance | 19 | 18.4% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 15 | 14.6% |
| Accommodation and food services | 12 | 11.7% |
| Manufacturing | 6 | 5.8% |
| Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction | 4 | 3.9% |
| Finance and insurance | 4 | 3.9% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 4 | 3.9% |
| Construction | 3 | 2.9% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 3 | 2.9% |
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 17851 vs 17832 →
ZIP 17851 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 17851
Mount Carmel (17851)
7,841 residents
- 17921
Ashland (17921)
7,676 residents
- 17820
Catawissa (17820)
5,556 residents
- 17824
Elysburg (17824)
4,115 residents
- 17834
Kulpmont (17834)
3,565 residents
- 17832 628
Marion Heights (17832)
628 residents
- 17840 533
Locust Gap (17840)
533 residents
- 17920 331
Aristes (17920)
331 residents
- 17888 326
Wilburton (17888)
326 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 17851 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 17851 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 17824
Elysburg (17824)
$118,176 median income
- 17921
Ashland (17921)
$71,141 median income
- 17820
Catawissa (17820)
$67,685 median income
- 17834
Kulpmont (17834)
$56,167 median income
- 17851
Mount Carmel (17851)
$53,637 median income
- 17832
Marion Heights (17832)
$52,569 median income
- 17945 $24,813
Locustdale (17945)
$24,813 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 17851 ranks #5 of 7 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17832 | Marion Heights, PA | 628 | 1.4 mi |
| 17840 | Locust Gap, PA | 533 | 2.2 mi |
| 17834 | Kulpmont, PA | 3,565 | 2.5 mi |
| 17888 | Wilburton, PA | 326 | 2.9 mi |
| 17945 | Locustdale, PA | 180 | 3.3 mi |
| 17943 | Lavelle, PA | 229 | 4.0 mi |
| 17920 | Aristes, PA | 331 | 5.5 mi |
| 17824 | Elysburg, PA | 4,115 | 4.9 mi |
| 17820 | Catawissa, PA | 5,556 | 6.6 mi |
| 17921 | Ashland, PA | 7,676 | 5.2 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 17851, 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 (7,841 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Northumberland County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 17851 in?
ZIP code 17851 (Mount Carmel) is located in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. Northumberland County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/northumberland-pa.
What is the population of ZIP code 17851?
ZIP code 17851 in Mount Carmel, PA has a population of 7,841 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 17851?
The median household income in ZIP 17851 is $53,637, which is 30% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 17851?
The median home value in ZIP 17851 is $79,300, which is 71% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 17851?
The largest racial group in ZIP 17851 is White at 91.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 17851?
ZIP code 17851 has 103 business establishments employing approximately 1,327 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 17851?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 17851 are: Retail trade (28), Health care and social assistance (19), Other services (except public administration) (15). There are 10 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 17851?
In ZIP code 17851, 64.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 18.2% 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 17851?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 17851 is 25.0 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 17851?
In ZIP code 17851, approximately 78.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 21.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 17851?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 17851 is 15.8% 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 17851's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 17851 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Mount Carmel, 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.