Carlisle receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Carlisle
Harrisburg
Opportunity
78 · Top 10%
vs45 · Bottom 25%
Growth
86 · Top 1%
vs40 · Bottom 32%
Climate
70 · Top 50%
vs70 · Top 50%
Physical resilience
87 · Top 14%
vs67 · Top 40%
Housing affordability
85 · Top 42%
vs81 · Top 50%
Schools
58 · Top 41%
vs14 · Bottom 4%
Access
88 · Bottom 38%
vs98 · Top 19%
Economic stability
55 · Bottom 40%
vs41 · Bottom 18%
Measured values
| Metric | Carlisle | Harrisburg | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,852 | 50,287 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $61,720 | $48,099 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $39,339 | $27,330 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,949/sq mi | 6,194/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $224,100 | $124,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,094 | $1,062 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 48.7% | 36.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.3% | 6.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.7% | 2.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37.9% | 25.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.1% | 30.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 191 | 9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 8.7 | 0.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 241.1% | 80.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 25°F | 25°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.0" | 41.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 23 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.8 min | 21.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.8 | 33.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 15 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.34 | 15.14 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 30.3% | 7.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 55.1% | 17.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 51.9% | 94.4% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Carlisle
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Harrisburg
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Carlisle
76
Your Score
77
Area Score
Harrisburg
57
Your Score
54
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Carlisle, PA · Harrisburg, PA · How this is calculated: methodology