PlainZIP

Orwigsburg, PA · standard

ZIP Code 17961

Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

6,958
101/sq mi
$94,941
Median income
$242,100
Median home value
36.2%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Orwigsburg pairs an upper-quartile household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 23%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 45%
home value, US ZIPs
101
people per sq mi
79%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 17961 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 17961 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Orwigsburg, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, home to 6,958 residents across 69.0 square miles, a density of 101 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 17961 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $94,941 (22% above the Pennsylvania average), while per-capita income is $53,940. Poverty here runs at 3.6%, with unemployment measured at 4.4%. On housing, the median home value is $242,100 (7% above the state average) with median rent at $953 per month, and 78.6% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 36.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 45.6, and the average commute is 31 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 10 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 17961, plus 6 more within Schuylkill County, give a clearer read than the 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 17961

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Orwigsburg, PA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 17961.

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 17961, Orwigsburg, 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

6,958

Population

69.0

Area (sq mi)

101

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 17961?

45.6

Median Age

45.8%

Male

54.2%

Female

5.6%

Foreign-Born

White 92.8%
African American 0.5%
Asian 0.8%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.5%
Hispanic or Latino 1.4%

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?

$94,941

Median Household Income

+22% vs state

$53,940

Per Capita Income

3.6%

Poverty Rate

4.4%

Unemployment Rate

31.0 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 17961 ranks nationally

Orwigsburg, PA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$94,941 Top 23% higher than 77% 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%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). This entry sits in this band. $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 70.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 36.2%

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

What does housing look like?

2,819

Total Housing Units

2,649

Occupied Units

170

Vacant Units

2.44

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 78.6%
Renter 21.4%

$242,100

Median Home Value

+7% vs state

$953

Median Rent

1971

Median Year Built

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

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+20.7%

YoY Change (2024)

262

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+162%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 17961 have increased 20.7% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +162% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +5.9% 163
2021 +9.6% 179
2022 +20.8% 216
2023 +0.4% 217
2024 +20.7% 262

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 188 business establishments in ZIP 17961, employing approximately 2,598 people with a combined annual payroll of $124,782,000.

188

Businesses

2,598

Employees

$124.8M

Annual Payroll

13

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 28 14.9%
Other services (except public administration) 25 13.3%
Construction 21 11.2%
Retail trade 21 11.2%
Finance and insurance 17 9.0%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 15 8.0%
Accommodation and food services 14 7.5%
Manufacturing 13 6.9%
Wholesale trade 7 3.7%
Real estate and rental and leasing 7 3.7%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 7 3.7%
Transportation and warehousing 5 2.7%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 3 1.6%

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 17961 vs 19549 →

ZIP 17961 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 17961 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 17961 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 17961 ranks #2 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
19549 Port Clinton, PA 326 4.9 mi
17922 Auburn, PA 4,783 4.8 mi
17952 Mary D, PA 282 7.4 mi
17930 Cumbola, PA 476 5.1 mi
17925 Brockton, PA 376 7.5 mi
17929 Cressona, PA 1,606 7.0 mi
17965 Port Carbon, PA 2,067 6.5 mi
17953 Middleport, PA 469 7.9 mi
19526 Hamburg, PA 11,039 7.8 mi
17960 New Ringgold, PA 3,868 7.0 mi

More ZIP Codes in Schuylkill County

17901 standard
Pottsville, PA
Pop: 23,990
17972 standard
Schuylkill Haven, PA
Pop: 11,627
18252 standard
Tamaqua, PA
Pop: 11,188
17963 standard
Pine Grove, PA
Pop: 9,317
17931 standard
Frackville, PA
Pop: 8,472
17921 standard
Ashland, PA
Pop: 7,676

Related Areas

Schuylkill County Orwigsburg, PA Pennsylvania

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 17961 in? ▼
ZIP code 17961 (Orwigsburg) is located in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. Schuylkill County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/schuylkill-pa.
What is the population of ZIP code 17961? ▼
ZIP code 17961 in Orwigsburg, PA has a population of 6,958 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 17961? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 17961 is $94,941, which is 24% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 17961? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 17961 is $242,100, which is 13% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 17961? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 17961 is White at 92.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 17961? ▼
ZIP code 17961 has 188 business establishments employing approximately 2,598 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 17961? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 17961 are: Health care and social assistance (28), Other services (except public administration) (25), Construction (21). There are 13 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 17961? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 17961 increased by 20.7% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 162%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 17961? ▼
In ZIP code 17961, 70.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 36.2% 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 17961? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 17961 is 31.0 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 17961? ▼
In ZIP code 17961, approximately 78.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 21.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 17961? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 17961 is 3.6% 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.