City profile · Pennsylvania · Census ACS 2023

Emerald Lakes, PA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Emerald Lakes - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

2,839
Residents
$101,688
Median income
$259,900
Median home
$1,529
Median rent (state)

Emerald Lakes - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Emerald Lakes places in the 79th percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

79th
percentile, household income
58th
percentile, home value
60th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Emerald Lakes, PA

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 2,839 residents in Emerald Lakes, a small town within Pennsylvania. Emerald Lakes households earn a median of $101,688 annually, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 3.3%. Home values in Emerald Lakes run a median of $259,900, and the median resident age is 42.3 years. Educational attainment runs 12.0% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 67.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Pennsylvania tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Pennsylvania at 97.6 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Near Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,529 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Pennsylvania's average monthly utility costs around $260 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 85.1 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

2,839 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Pennsylvania

Median Household Income

$101,688 /yr

Poverty 3.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

97.6 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Pennsylvania average

How does Emerald Lakes compare to other US cities?

Here's how Emerald Lakes stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 79% higher than other cities
Home value 58% pricier than other cities
Median rent 60% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Emerald Lakes against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Pennsylvania only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Pennsylvania-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher places Emerald Lakes toward the bottom of Pennsylvania's cities

Among the 1,861 Pennsylvania cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Emerald Lakes ranks #1,529 - the 18th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Emerald Lakes only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#234 of 1,765
87th percentile in Pennsylvania
Median Gross Rent
#361 of 1,865
80th percentile in Pennsylvania
Median Home Value
#340 of 1,790
81st percentile in Pennsylvania
Poverty Rate
#1,170 of 1,856
36th percentile in Pennsylvania
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#1,529 of 1,861
18th percentile in Pennsylvania

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Pennsylvania only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

79thIncome percentile

79th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Emerald Lakes's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$259,900 42nd percentile more affordable than 42% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Emerald Lakes $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Emerald Lakes, PA Emerald Lakes, PA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Emerald Lakes, PA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Emerald Lakes, PA median $101,688/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Emerald Lakes, PA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Emerald Lakes, PA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 12.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 3.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 67.6%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
2,839
Median Income
$101,688
Median Home Value
$259,900
Median Age
42.3
Poverty Rate
3.3%
Labor force participation
67.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
12.0%

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
73.5%
Carpool
7.3%
Public Transit
1.1%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
18.1%

Based on 1,723 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Pennsylvania - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$120
avg/month
Natural Gas
$88
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$52
avg/month
Total Utilities
$260
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Pennsylvania state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Pennsylvania state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Emerald Lakes sits in

Cost of Living Index
97.6
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,529/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
85.1 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Pennsylvania

Lima
2,834 people
Ford City
2,833 people
Quarryville
2,846 people
Bath
2,829 people
Bedford
2,851 people
Marietta
2,827 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Emerald Lakes's 2,839 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

St. Hedwig, TX
2,839 people
Whetstone, AZ
2,840 people
Graymoor-Devondale, KY
2,838 people
Littleton Common, MA
2,838 people
Carthage, NC
2,840 people
Madison, WV
2,840 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Emerald Lakes's $101,688 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Highland Acres, DE
$101,685 median income
Conejo, NM
$101,685 median income
Bay Shore, NY
$101,695 median income
Santa Barbara, CA
$101,672 median income
Santo, TX
$101,705 median income
Ortonville, MI
$101,667 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Emerald Lakes, PA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Emerald Lakes, PA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 53.9% 16.1% 11.5% 18.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 32.4% White 53.9% Black or African American 16.1% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.3% Some other race 11.5% Two or more races 18.3% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Emerald Lakes compares to nearby Pennsylvania cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Emerald Lakes (this city) 2,839 $101,688
Lima 2,834 $76,953
Ford City 2,833 $56,451
Quarryville 2,846 $76,628
Census ACS 5-year FIPS PA OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Emerald Lakes, PA?

What is the population of Emerald Lakes, PA? +

Emerald Lakes, PA counts 2,839 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Emerald Lakes, PA? +

Median annual household income in Emerald Lakes runs $101,688, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Emerald Lakes? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Emerald Lakes; the closest available measure is the Pennsylvania state average, a cost of living index of 97.6 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Pennsylvania vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Emerald Lakes, PA? +

A typical home in Emerald Lakes is worth $259,900, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.