Signals
Hershey
Harrisburg
Opportunity
75 · Top 13%
vs45 · Bottom 25%
Climate
69 · Bottom 45%
vs70 · Top 50%
Physical resilience
69 · Top 36%
vs67 · Top 40%
Housing affordability
76 · Bottom 43%
vs81 · Top 50%
Schools
89 · Top 4%
vs14 · Bottom 4%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs98 · Top 19%
Economic stability
53 · Bottom 36%
vs41 · Bottom 18%
Measured values
| Metric | Hershey | Harrisburg | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,242 | 50,287 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $78,587 | $48,099 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $49,882 | $27,330 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 996/sq mi | 6,194/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $379,200 | $124,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,268 | $1,062 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 53.7% | 36.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 6.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.7% | 2.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 50.2% | 25.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.6% | 30.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 87°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 23°F | 25°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 44.2" | 41.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 9 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 17.7 min | 21.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.6 | 33.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 15 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.26 | 15.14 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 49.9% | 7.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 68.4% | 17.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 28.3% | 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
Hershey
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Harrisburg
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
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Hershey
76
Your Score
—
Area Score
Harrisburg
57
Your Score
54
Area Score
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Full profiles: Hershey, PA · Harrisburg, PA · How this is calculated: methodology