New Columbia, PA · standard
ZIP Code 17856
Union County, Pennsylvania - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 3,365
- 37/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $91,661
- Median income Above-median income area
- $197,600
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 23.5%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
New Columbia pairs an upper-quartile household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 25%
- household income, US ZIPs
- 43rd pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 37
- people per sq mi
- 94%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 17856 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 17856 covers 91.9 square miles in New Columbia, Union County, Pennsylvania (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 3,365 residents on file, a density of 37 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 17856 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $91,661 (18% above the average Pennsylvania ZIP), while per-capita income is $42,783. Both reported hardship measures are comparatively low in absolute terms: poverty is 3.7% and unemployment is 2.4%. Median home value is $197,600 (13% below the average Pennsylvania ZIP) and median rent is $900; 93.7% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 23.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 46.4, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Union County, so 17856 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 17856
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in New Columbia, PA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 17856.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
9 establishments
- Transportation and warehousing
Transportation and warehousing
8 establishments
- Wholesale trade
Wholesale trade
7 establishments
- Construction
Construction
5 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
5 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 17856, New 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
3,365
Population
91.9
Area (sq mi)
37
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 17856?
46.4
Median Age
48.7%
Male
51.3%
Female
1.4%
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?
$91,661
Median Household Income
+18% vs state ZIP avg
$42,783
Per Capita Income
3.7%
Poverty Rate
2.4%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 17856 ranks among Pennsylvania ZIPs
New 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)
$91,661 Top 22% higher than 78% 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
1,409housing units
1,409
Total Housing Units
1,339
Occupied Units
70
Vacant Units
2.37
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$197,600
Median Home Value
-13% vs state ZIP avg
$900
Median Rent
1981
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 49 business establishments in ZIP 17856, employing approximately 998 people with a combined annual payroll of $61,841,000.
49
Businesses
998
Employees
$61.8M
Annual Payroll
7
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 9 | 18.4% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 8 | 16.3% |
| Wholesale trade | 7 | 14.3% |
| Construction | 5 | 10.2% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 5 | 10.2% |
| Accommodation and food services | 4 | 8.2% |
| Manufacturing | 3 | 6.1% |
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 17856 vs 17887 →
ZIP 17856 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 17837
Lewisburg (17837)
19,815 residents
- 17847
Milton (17847)
12,051 residents
- 17777 7,056
Watsontown (17777)
7,056 residents
- 17810 4,683
Allenwood (17810)
4,683 residents
- 17752 4,635
Montgomery (17752)
4,635 residents
- 17856 3,365
New Columbia (17856)
3,365 residents
- 17887 1,778
White Deer (17887)
1,778 residents
- 17886 895
West Milton (17886)
895 residents
- 17850 645
Montandon (17850)
645 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 17856 ranks #6 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 17856 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 17856
New Columbia (17856)
$91,661 median income
- 17837
Lewisburg (17837)
$88,975 median income
- 17810
Allenwood (17810)
$77,232 median income
- 17749
Mc Ewensville (17749)
$74,500 median income
- 17752
Montgomery (17752)
$71,118 median income
- 17777
Watsontown (17777)
$67,188 median income
- 17847
Milton (17847)
$58,775 median income
- 17850
Montandon (17850)
$51,429 median income
- 17886
West Milton (17886)
$47,574 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 17856 ranks the highest of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17887 | White Deer, PA | 1,778 | 4.0 mi |
| 17837 | Lewisburg, PA | 19,815 | 5.5 mi |
| 17886 | West Milton, PA | 895 | 4.8 mi |
| 17730 | Dewart, PA | 257 | 4.9 mi |
| 17752 | Montgomery, PA | 4,635 | 8.2 mi |
| 17810 | Allenwood, PA | 4,683 | 5.7 mi |
| 17749 | Mc Ewensville, PA | 244 | 6.6 mi |
| 17777 | Watsontown, PA | 7,056 | 6.9 mi |
| 17850 | Montandon, PA | 645 | 8.0 mi |
| 17847 | Milton, PA | 12,051 | 8.2 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 17856, 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 (3,365 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Union County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 17856 in?
ZIP code 17856 (New Columbia) is located in Union County, Pennsylvania. Union County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/union-pa.
What is the population of ZIP code 17856?
ZIP code 17856 in New Columbia, PA has a population of 3,365 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 17856?
The median household income in ZIP 17856 is $91,661, which is 20% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 17856?
The median home value in ZIP 17856 is $197,600, which is 29% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 17856?
The largest racial group in ZIP 17856 is White at 98.1%.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 17856?
ZIP code 17856 has 49 business establishments employing approximately 998 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 17856?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 17856 are: Retail trade (9), Transportation and warehousing (8), Wholesale trade (7). There are 7 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 17856?
In ZIP code 17856, 70.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 23.5% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 17856?
In ZIP code 17856, approximately 93.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 6.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 17856?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 17856 is 3.7% 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 17856's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 17856 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where New Columbia, 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.