PlainZIP

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
$48,750
Median income
$81,800
Median home value
12.1%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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 Pennsylvania average), while per-capita income is $27,259. Local economic indicators show a 20.2% poverty rate alongside 1.8% unemployment. Housing costs here run $81,800 for a typical home value (64% below the state average), with rent averaging $824 a month; 66.9% of homes are owner-occupied.

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. To put 17872 in local context, 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Northumberland 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 17872

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Shamokin, PA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 17872.

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 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

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 17872?

42.0

Median Age

48.4%

Male

51.6%

Female

0.8%

Foreign-Born

White 86.8%
African American 0.8%
Asian 0.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 9.5%
Hispanic or Latino 7.3%

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?

$48,750

Median Household Income

-37% vs state

$27,259

Per Capita Income

20.2%

Poverty Rate

1.8%

Unemployment Rate

31.4 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 17872 ranks nationally

Shamokin, PA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$48,750 13th percentile higher than 13% 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 60.4%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 12.1%

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

What does housing look like?

5,359

Total Housing Units

3,935

Occupied Units

1,424

Vacant Units

2.26

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 66.9%
Renter 33.1%

$81,800

Median Home Value

-64% vs state

$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.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 17872 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 17872 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 17872 ranks #null 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
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

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
17851 standard
Mount Carmel, PA
Pop: 7,841
17857 standard
Northumberland, PA
Pop: 7,505
17777 standard
Watsontown, PA
Pop: 7,056

Related Areas

Northumberland County Shamokin, PA Pennsylvania

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.

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