Borough · Pennsylvania
Carlisle, Pennsylvania
Carlisle, borough, in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. Carlisle had 22,693 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 12.8% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 20,118 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 21,852 (±41). GEOID 4211272.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
22,693
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 20,118 · ACS 2020-2024: 21,852 ±41
Median household income
$61,720
±$7,247 (90% margin)
Pennsylvania: $77,971
Median home value
$224,100
±$14,918 (90% margin)
Pennsylvania: $254,500
Median gross rent
$1,094
±$78 (90% margin)
Pennsylvania: $1,209
Where is Carlisle and what county is it in?
Carlisle is a borough in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. It covers 5.5 square miles of land, 3,636 residents per square mile in 2020.
Carlisle is in the Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 3 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Carlisle, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 22,693 people lived in Carlisle on July 1, 2025, up 12.8% since 2020, faster than Pennsylvania (+0.4%). The 2020 Census counted 20,118 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 21,852 (±41).
| Measure | Carlisle | Cumberland County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 21,852 ±41 | 268,323 | +2,699 |
| Households | 9,223 ±515 | 106,427 | +1,660 |
| Average household size | 2.04 ±0.12 | 2.40 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 9,819 ±498 | 111,278 | +1,543 |
Carlisle's population since 2000
From 17,970 in 2000 to 22,693 in 2025: up 26.3%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Carlisle as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Carlisle?
The median resident of Carlisle is 35.8 years old; 15.2% are under 18 and 18.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 75.8%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 9.5%. 7.9% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Carlisle | Cumberland County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.8 ±3.4 | 40.2 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 15.2% ±2.6 pts | 20.5% | – |
| 65 years and over | 18.7% ±2.6 pts | 19.0% | – |
| Male | 51.7% ±2.2 pts | 49.8% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 8.4% ±2.2 pts | 5.1% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 75.8% ±3.9 pts | 80.7% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 9.5% ±2.7 pts | 4.1% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 2.6% ±1.0 pts | 5.7% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.2% ±1.1 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.4 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 7.9% ±2.3 pts | 7.5% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 11.1% ±2.6 pts | 10.4% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 7.6% ±1.9 pts | 8.3% | – |
| With a disability | 15.7% ±2.5 pts | 13.1% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 5.6% ±1.5 pts | 5.4% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 93.6% ±2.2 pts | 93.7% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 37.9% ±4.1 pts | 40.0% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 16.9% ±3.1 pts | 16.2% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 76.0% ±3.1 pts | 87.1% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 3.5% ±1.1 pts | 2.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Carlisle earn?
Half of Carlisle's 9,223 households earn less than $61,720 a year (±$7,247), against $87,494 in Cumberland County and $77,971 in Pennsylvania. In 2015-2019 it was $59,826 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 15.1% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Carlisle | Cumberland County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $61,720 ±$7,247 | $87,494 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $84,140 ±$6,907 | $112,868 | – |
| Per capita income | $39,339 ±$3,127 | $46,149 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 15.1% ±4.0 pts | 7.5% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 25.9% ±12.6 pts | 9.2% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 15.8% ±3.9 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Households with a computer | 94.4% ±2.6 pts | 94.9% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 89.4% ±2.7 pts | 92.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Carlisle?
Owners occupy 48.7% of Carlisle's occupied homes and renters 51.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $224,100 by its owner (±$14,918). The median renter pays $1,094 a month including utilities, and 43.5% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Carlisle | Cumberland County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $224,100 ±$14,918 | $277,600 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,094 ±$78 | $1,249 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 43.5% ±7.0 pts | 33.7% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,551 ±$104 | $1,802 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 48.7% ±3.9 pts | 71.3% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 51.3% ±3.9 pts | 28.7% | – |
| Housing units | 9,819 ±498 | 111,278 | +1,543 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 2.6% ±2.6 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 1.0% ±1.0 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 35.7% ±3.4 pts | 60.1% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.4% ±0.6 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.2% ±0.2 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.1% ±1.4 pts | 9.8% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 39.7% ±4.4 pts | 15.5% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 10.6% ±2.6 pts | 5.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Carlisle building?
Builders took permits for 16 new housing units in Carlisle in 2025 (16 in single-family houses), 0.7 per 1,000 residents against 2.0 across Pennsylvania.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Carlisle work and get to work?
68.0% of Carlisle's workers drive alone and 9.9% work from home. The average trip to work takes 18.6 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 4.4%.
| Measure | Carlisle | Cumberland County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 66.0% ±3.1 pts | 63.7% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% ±1.7 pts | 3.7% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 68.0% ±3.8 pts | 71.0% | – |
| Carpooled | 4.4% ±1.6 pts | 6.0% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.3% ±0.3 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Walked | 12.2% ±2.6 pts | 3.5% | – |
| Worked from home | 9.9% ±2.3 pts | 17.7% | +4.5 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 18.6 min ±1.9 | 21.8 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Carlisle?
5 census tracts lie mostly in Carlisle (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $36,695 (Tract 122) to $85,795 (Tract 124).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 124Cumberland County | 8,176 | $85,795 |
| Tract 120Cumberland County | 5,998 | $70,659 |
| Tract 123Cumberland County | 3,029 | $42,059 |
| Tract 121Cumberland County | 2,413 | $55,789 |
| Tract 122Cumberland County | 2,236 | $36,695 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Carlisle) · Census block assignment files
How does Carlisle compare with other places in Pennsylvania?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Carlisle is the 1,746th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 25th-most populous of 1,012 in Pennsylvania.
Carlisle ranks 1,675th of 2,136 places in Pennsylvania with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 25th | 1,012 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 21st | 1,764 |
| Residents per square mile | 285th | 2,159 |
| Median household income | 1,675th | 2,136 |
| Per capita income | 1,080th | 2,157 |
| Median home value | 1,078th | 2,146 |
| Median gross rent | 859th | 1,963 |
| Poverty rate | 348th | 1,606 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 494th | 2,129 |
| Median age | 1,937th | 2,157 |
| Owner-occupied share | 2,029th | 2,149 |
| Work from home | 1,160th | 1,710 |
| Travel time to work | 1,992nd | 2,156 |
Carlisle's figures with every place in Pennsylvania (CSV)
Every place in Pennsylvania, sortable · Compare Carlisle with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Carlisle?
9 of the 57 figures for Carlisle on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Carlisle are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Carlisle.