PlainZIP

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
$53,637
Median income
$79,300
Median home value
18.2%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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 Pennsylvania average), while per-capita income is $27,140. The poverty rate stands at 15.8% and the unemployment rate at 7.5%. Housing costs here run $79,300 for a typical home value (65% below the state average), with rent averaging $751 a month; 78.9% of homes are owner-occupied.

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. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Northumberland County, so you can benchmark 17851 against its immediate geography rather than a 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 17851

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Mount Carmel, PA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 17851.

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 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

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 17851?

43.3

Median Age

51.3%

Male

48.7%

Female

1.8%

Foreign-Born

White 91.8%
African American 2.1%
Asian 0.2%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.6%
Hispanic or Latino 3.5%

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

$27,140

Per Capita Income

15.8%

Poverty Rate

7.5%

Unemployment Rate

25.0 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 17851 ranks nationally

Mount Carmel, PA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$53,637 19th percentile higher than 19% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $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 64.0%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 18.2%

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

What does housing look like?

4,020

Total Housing Units

3,011

Occupied Units

1,009

Vacant Units

2.35

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 78.9%
Renter 21.1%

$79,300

Median Home Value

-65% vs state

$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.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 17851 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 17851 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 17851 ranks #5 of 7 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
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

More ZIP Codes in Northumberland County

17801 standard
Sunbury, PA
Pop: 16,671
17847 standard
Milton, PA
Pop: 12,051
17866 standard
Coal Township, PA
Pop: 10,310
17872 standard
Shamokin, PA
Pop: 9,943
17857 standard
Northumberland, PA
Pop: 7,505
17777 standard
Watsontown, PA
Pop: 7,056

Related Areas

Northumberland County Mount Carmel, PA Pennsylvania

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.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.