Shamokin, PA · standard
ZIP Code 17872
Northumberland County, Pennsylvania - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 9,943
- 95/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $48,750
- Median income Below-median income area
- $81,800
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 12.1%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Shamokin pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 13th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 5th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 95
- people per sq mi
- 67%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 17872 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 17872 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Shamokin, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, home to 9,943 residents across 105.1 square miles, a density of 95 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 17872 reports a modest median household income of $48,750 (37% below the average Pennsylvania ZIP), while per-capita income is $27,259. The poverty rate is 20.2%, so the area-level income figures should not be treated as typical household experience. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $81,800 (64% below the average Pennsylvania ZIP), and median rent is $824; owner occupancy is 66.9%.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 12.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 42, and the average commute is 31 minutes. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Northumberland County, so 17872 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 17872
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Shamokin, PA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 17872.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
32 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
23 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
21 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
18 establishments
- Construction 8
Construction
8 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 17872, Shamokin, 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
9,943
Population
105.1
Area (sq mi)
95
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 17872?
42.0
Median Age
48.4%
Male
51.6%
Female
0.8%
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?
$48,750
Median Household Income
-37% vs state ZIP avg
$27,259
Per Capita Income
20.2%
Poverty Rate
1.8%
Unemployment Rate
31.4 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 17872 ranks among Pennsylvania ZIPs
Shamokin, 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)
$48,750 8th percentile higher than 8% 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
5,359housing units
5,359
Total Housing Units
3,935
Occupied Units
1,424
Vacant Units
2.26
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$81,800
Median Home Value
-64% vs state ZIP avg
$824
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 145 business establishments in ZIP 17872, employing approximately 1,293 people with a combined annual payroll of $48,033,000.
145
Businesses
1,293
Employees
$48.0M
Annual Payroll
10
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 32 | 22.1% |
| Health care and social assistance | 23 | 15.9% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 21 | 14.5% |
| Accommodation and food services | 18 | 12.4% |
| Construction | 8 | 5.5% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 8 | 5.5% |
| Finance and insurance | 7 | 4.8% |
| Manufacturing | 6 | 4.1% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 5 | 3.5% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 5 | 3.5% |
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 17872 vs 17836 →
ZIP 17872 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 17866
Coal Township (17866)
10,310 residents
- 17872
Shamokin (17872)
9,943 residents
- 17834 3,565
Kulpmont (17834)
3,565 residents
- 17860 1,994
Paxinos (17860)
1,994 residents
- 17881 1,556
Trevorton (17881)
1,556 residents
- 17823 1,273
Dornsife (17823)
1,273 residents
- 17941 834
Klingerstown (17941)
834 residents
- 17968 329
Sacramento (17968)
329 residents
- 17836 266
Leck Kill (17836)
266 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 17872 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 17872 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 17968
Sacramento (17968)
$111,500 median income
- 17860
Paxinos (17860)
$92,000 median income
- 17836
Leck Kill (17836)
$91,250 median income
- 17823
Dornsife (17823)
$78,864 median income
- 17867
Rebuck (17867)
$75,833 median income
- 17978
Spring Glen (17978)
$65,577 median income
- 17941
Klingerstown (17941)
$63,750 median income
- 17834
Kulpmont (17834)
$56,167 median income
- 17881
Trevorton (17881)
$54,122 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 17872 ranks #null of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17836 | Leck Kill, PA | 266 | 3.7 mi |
| 17881 | Trevorton, PA | 1,556 | 3.2 mi |
| 17860 | Paxinos, PA | 1,994 | 4.3 mi |
| 17941 | Klingerstown, PA | 834 | 5.7 mi |
| 17866 | Coal Township, PA | 10,310 | 3.6 mi |
| 17968 | Sacramento, PA | 329 | 8.8 mi |
| 17867 | Rebuck, PA | 169 | 5.4 mi |
| 17978 | Spring Glen, PA | 224 | 9.7 mi |
| 17834 | Kulpmont, PA | 3,565 | 7.6 mi |
| 17823 | Dornsife, PA | 1,273 | 6.6 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 17872, 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 (9,943 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 17872 in?
ZIP code 17872 (Shamokin) 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 17872?
ZIP code 17872 in Shamokin, PA has a population of 9,943 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 17872?
The median household income in ZIP 17872 is $48,750, which is 36% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 17872?
The median home value in ZIP 17872 is $81,800, which is 71% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 17872?
The largest racial group in ZIP 17872 is White at 86.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 7.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 17872?
ZIP code 17872 has 145 business establishments employing approximately 1,293 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 17872?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 17872 are: Retail trade (32), Health care and social assistance (23), Other services (except public administration) (21). There are 10 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 17872?
In ZIP code 17872, 60.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 12.1% 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 17872?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 17872 is 31.4 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 17872?
In ZIP code 17872, approximately 66.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 33.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 17872?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 17872 is 20.2% 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 17872's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 17872 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Shamokin, 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.