Housing data for Messiah College, PA
Messiah College, PA has an estimated 2,329 residents and 8 homes (US Census Bureau, 2020–2024 American Community Survey).
It is an unincorporated community in Cumberland County.
50.0% of households rent.
Figures last updated on .
- Residents
- 2,329 (±53)
- Housing units
- 8 (±8)
- Households that rent
- 50.0%
- Residents since 2015–2019
- +7.9%
What stands out in Messiah College
Average commute: 9.8 minutes (±2.1) in Messiah College, lower than in Cumberland County (21.8 minutes).
Housing in Messiah College at a glance
- Rent burden: 0.0% of renters pay 30% or more of income (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Renters and owners: 50.0% of households rent (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Types of homes: 0.0% of homes are in buildings of 5 or more units (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Bedrooms: 75.0% of homes have 3 or more bedrooms (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Age of homes: 50.0% of homes were built before 1980 (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Vacancy rate: 0.0% rental vacancy rate (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Heating fuel: 100.0% heat with utility gas (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Commute and cars: 9.8 minutes average trip to work
- Growth: +7.9% residents since 2015–2019
- How long people stay: 0.0% moved in since 2020 (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Crowding and facilities: 0.0% of homes have more than 1 person per room (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Fair Market Rent: $1,590 Small Area FMR, 2 bedrooms (ZIP 17027)
Messiah College against Cumberland County, its state and the nation
| Messiah College | Cumberland County | Pennsylvania | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 2,329 (±53) | 268,323 (exact) | 13,018,639 (exact) | 334,922,499 |
| Housing units | 8 (±8) | 111,278 (±111) | 5,806,452 (±672) | 143,775,355 |
| Households that rent | 50.0% (±50.0 points) | 28.7% (±1.2 points) | 30.7% (±0.2 points) | 34.8% |
| Median gross rent | — | $1,249 (±$36) | $1,209 (±$5) | $1,413 |
| Median household income | — | $87,494 (±$2,786) | $77,971 (±$342) | $80,734 |
| Median home value | — | $277,600 (±$4,540) | $254,500 (±$767) | $332,700 |
| Median real estate taxes (a year) | — | $3,254 (±$64) | $3,311 (±$12) | $3,119 |
| Built before 1980 | 50.0% (±182.1 points) | 52.7% (±1.7 points) | 67.3% (±0.2 points) | 49.7% |
| Average commute | 9.8 minutes (±2.1) | 21.8 minutes (±0.6) | 26.3 minutes (±0.1) | 26.4 minutes |
| Households with broadband | 50.0% (±50.0 points) | 92.2% (±0.6 points) | 89.7% (±0.1 points) | 91.0% |
| Median age of residents | 20.4 years (±0.3) | 40.2 years (±0.2) | 40.9 years (±0.2) | 38.9 years |
Messiah College covers 0.3 square miles of land, about 7,255 residents per square mile (Census Bureau Gazetteer).
How Messiah College has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 2,158 (±231) | 2,329 (±53) | +7.9% | Not a measurable change |
| Housing units | 8 (±8) | 8 (±8) | 0.0% | Not a measurable change |
| Households that rent | 0.0% (±92.0 points) | 50.0% (±50.0 points) | +50.0 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Crime reported to police in Cumberland County
Messiah College has no police department of its own in the FBI’s figures, so this is the figure for Cumberland County as a whole.
In 2025, the police departments that report for Cumberland County recorded 84 violent and 723 property crimes per 100,000 residents.
A county-wide figure describes the whole county, not this place; crime varies from one community to the next.
ZIP codes in Messiah College
| ZIP code | Share of the ZIP’s land in this place | Residents | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17027 | 52% | 2,801 | $1,861 | $252,400 | $86,513 |
A ZIP code is a mail route rather than a boundary, so the Census Bureau publishes figures for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas built from census blocks; the share column says how much of each one’s land lies in this place.
Places near Messiah College
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Median home value | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monaghan Township | 2.0 mi | $1,121 | $315,600 | 8.2% |
| Carroll Township (York County) | 3.8 mi | $1,250 | $354,500 | 13.8% |
| Mechanicsburg | 3.9 mi | $1,083 | $241,200 | 30.4% |
| Dillsburg | 4.1 mi | $1,065 | $240,300 | 34.5% |
| Lower Allen Township | 4.6 mi | $1,511 | $260,400 | 40.1% |
| Shiremanstown | 4.7 mi | $1,067 | $215,500 | 34.3% |
| Monroe Township (Cumberland County) | 4.8 mi | $1,403 | $359,400 | 7.1% |
| Franklintown | 6.2 mi | $1,235 | $171,600 | 45.6% |
HUD Fair Market Rent for Messiah College, fiscal year 2027
| Studio | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1,166 | $1,285 | $1,598 | $2,055 | $2,100 |
HUD also publishes a Small Area Fair Market Rent for each ZIP code in the area; the Fair Market Rent page for this place lists its ZIP codes.
HUD income limits for Messiah College, fiscal year 2026
| Household size | Extremely low (30%) | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $23,000 | $38,300 | $61,250 |
| 2 people | $26,250 | $43,750 | $70,000 |
| 3 people | $29,550 | $49,200 | $78,750 |
| 4 people | $33,000 | $54,650 | $87,450 |
| 5 people | $38,680 | $59,050 | $94,450 |
| 6 people | $44,360 | $63,400 | $101,450 |
| 7 people | $50,040 | $67,800 | $108,450 |
| 8 people | $55,720 | $72,150 | $115,450 |
These are the limits HUD sets for its housing programs in the Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA MSA, where HUD’s median family income for fiscal year 2026 is $109,300.
A program can use its own limits; tax-credit and local programs often do.
Messiah College is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for statistics, with no municipal government of its own.
It lies inside Upper Allen Township, whose figures include it.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
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Questions about Messiah College
How long is the average commute in Messiah College?
Workers who live in Messiah College, PA take an average of 9.8 minutes each way (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Is Messiah College growing?
Messiah College, PA had an estimated 2,329 residents in 2020–2024 and 2,158 in 2015–2019, a change of +7.9%: not a measurable change by the Census Bureau’s test.
What is the Section 8 payment standard in Messiah College?
Housing authorities set payment standards between 90% and 110% of HUD’s Fair Market Rent; for fiscal year 2027, the two-bedroom Fair Market Rent for the Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA MSA is $1,598, and the Small Area figure for 17027 is $1,590.
Is Messiah College growing?
In Messiah College, the number of residents went from 2,158 in 2015–2019 to 2,329 in 2020–2024 (+7.9%), not a measurable change.
What ZIP codes are in Messiah College?
The ZIP code that covers Messiah College is 17027.
What is the median rent in ZIP code 17027?
The median gross rent in ZIP Code Tabulation Area 17027 is $1,861 (±$1,033) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Sources
- Demographic and Housing Estimates (DP05), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Messiah College CDP, Pennsylvania
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Messiah College CDP, Pennsylvania
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Messiah College CDP, Pennsylvania
- Median Real Estate Taxes Paid by Mortgage Status (B25103), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Messiah College CDP, Pennsylvania
- Selected Social Characteristics (DP02), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Messiah College CDP, Pennsylvania
- Total Population (B01003), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Messiah College CDP, Pennsylvania
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Messiah College CDP, Pennsylvania
- HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027: Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA MSA
- HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027
- HUD Income Limits, fiscal year 2026: Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA MSA
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
- US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Messiah College CDP, Pennsylvania (place:48868, in state:42).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B01003_001E, B01003_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP05_0001E, DP05_0001M, DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, DP04_0089E, DP04_0089M
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.
Figures last updated on .