Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Among the top 7% of US places for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 27% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 19% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 41% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 93% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 34% of US places
- top 1% for walkability
- top 13% for commute time
- bottom 2% for air quality
Harrisburg is a mid-size city in Pennsylvania with about 50,000 residents. It grades A for getting around and D for weather. Standout strengths include walkability, commute time, and school quality. It rates lower on property tax rate and air quality.
Official websiteharrisburgpa.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Snowy
very cold
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cool
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warm
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warm
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cold
v.cold
65%45%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.4 in3.0 in
humid 79%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$47k22nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$47kbetter than 47% of US places
Home Value$112k30th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$944better than 46% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 58% of US places
Property Tax Rate2.07%better than 9% of US places
Income Tax5.10%better than 43% of US places
State 3.10% + Local 2.00%
Sales Tax6.34%better than 77% of US places
Estimated total tax burden12.17%better than 28% of US places
Unemployment9.0%better than 16% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)32°F50th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)77°F59th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation45.2 in61st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall23.9 inbetter than 41% of US places
Sunny Days200 daysbetter than 21% of US places
Summer Humidity62°Fbetter than 61% of US places
Comfortable Days76 daysbetter than 34% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk48.9better than 72% of US places
Air Quality57 AQIbetter than 2% of US places
School Quality97.1better than 84% of US places
Violent Crime1110/100kbetter than 31% of US places
Property Crime1068/100kbetter than 44% of US places
Community
Population50,05597th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age31.913th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.6597th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9337th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningEven23rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)25.3%9th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)42.4%95th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)24.7%88th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)2.8%84th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.9%70th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time20 minbetter than 87% of US places
Walkability15.5/20better than 99% of US places
Airport Distance77 mibetter than 50% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access82.8%better than 38% of US places
Amenities Nearby77.91better than 49% of US places
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 41% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Harrisburg an affordable place to live?
- Harrisburg is about average in cost. Its cost-of-living index is $47k, better than 47% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Harrisburg?
- The median home value in Harrisburg is $112k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Harrisburg?
- Median household income in Harrisburg is $47k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Harrisburg?
- Median gross rent in Harrisburg is $944 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Harrisburg safe?
- Harrisburg is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1110/100k (better than 31%). Property crime is 1068/100k.
- What is the weather like in Harrisburg?
- Harrisburg averages 77°F in July and 32°F in January, with 45.2 in of annual precipitation and about 200 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Harrisburg?
- Public-school quality in Harrisburg is above average, scoring better than 84% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Harrisburg?
- The average one-way commute in Harrisburg is 20 min.
Places near Harrisburg
Compare Harrisburg
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Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)