City profile · Pennsylvania · Census ACS 2023

Gold Key Lake, PA

Gold Key Lake's Census ACS profile: residents, income, housing, and the joined public-record layers available for this place.

2,721
Residents
$96,836
Median income
$206,700
Median home
$1,225
Median rent (state)
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Side-by-side metrics and state or size-class ranks use the same Census and FBI fields shown on this profile. Results stay in the URL so you can bookmark or share them.

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Starting with Gold Key Lake, PA - add up to three more cities on the compare page.

See how it ranks

State rank, size-class rank, and four peer cities for Gold Key Lake.

Place dossier plate

Sheet PA-GOLD-KEY-LAKE-PA · Gold Key Lake, PA 2,721 pop · income 76th pct

POP-VILLAGE · INC-HIGH · COL-PAR · SAFE-UNK · RANK-UPPER · PHOTO-FINISH · HOME-MID · BOOK-UNK

  • POP-VILLAGE 2,721
  • INC-HIGH $96,836
  • COL-PAR 97.6
  • SAFE-UNK Safety pending
  • RANK-UPPER 76th
  • PHOTO-FINISH ≈ Belle Plaine
  • HOME-MID $206,700
  • BOOK-UNK Tracts pending

Nearest income peer: Belle Plaine, MN ( $5 income $)

Instrument codes from this place’s ACS population and household income, BEA state COL, FBI safety, national income percentile, photo-finish peer city, home-value band, and matched Census-tract book - not a moving recommendation.

Income neighbourhood around Gold Key Lake

Lowest/highest poles plus peers nearest Gold Key Lake on median household income. Full ladder: /browse and /rankings.

median HH income

What this shows Neighbourhood peers only - not a full nationwide city board. Open a near peer when the gap is small; open the poles when the spread is wide.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2026-08-08

Compare beyond this state

Nationwide peers by population, income

Out-of-state nearest neighbors for Gold Key Lake on ACS population and median household income . Link sets are deduped so each column is a distinct comparison path, not a forecast that peers share a labor market or climate.

Similar population

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS population. This city: 2,721.

4 peers

Similar household income

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS median household income. This city: $96,836. Population peers are excluded.

4 peers

Gold Key Lake - the verdict

Nationally, Gold Key Lake sits in the 76th percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

76th
percentile, household income
45th
percentile, home value
54th
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: Gold Key Lake, PA

Gold Key Lake is a small town in Pennsylvania, home to 2,721 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Gold Key Lake brings in $96,836 a year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 11.7%. Home values in Gold Key Lake run a median of $206,700, and the median resident age is 41.8 years. 31.3% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 57.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Pennsylvania tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Pennsylvania scores 97.6 (Near Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,225 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Pennsylvania's average monthly utility costs around $260 (state average). On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 67.4 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Moderate).

A decision-led reading path

Useful questions to ask of Gold Key Lake's data

How this reading path is ordered

This is not a composite city score. It is a city-specific route through the available public records, ordered for this profile so the page starts with questions the joined data can actually answer. The route here runs from work and mobility to comparison shortlist to housing and income; another city can have a different sequence or fewer supported layers because the source joins are not uniform.

For Gold Key Lake, city-specific coverage includes commute-mode shares. No matched row is reported here for local building permits, annual population history, within-city Census tract profiles, matched public-school count, FBI reported-crime rates; the page leaves those layers out instead of substituting a statewide or national value.

1. Work and mobility

What does the journey to work look like in Gold Key Lake?

Mode share answers how workers usually travel; it does not measure congestion, reliability, distance to a particular job, or the quality of transit service. No single mode completely explains the work trip here. The mix is more useful than a one-number commute grade, especially when comparing places where transit, walking, and remote work divide the non-driving share differently.

Driving alone is the largest reported mode at 67.3%. A reliable mean commute time is not available for this row, so the mode shares carry the comparison.

Compare commute patterns →

Question 2

Which cities make useful reference points for Gold Key Lake?

Within Pennsylvania, the closest population matches are Luzerne (2,720 residents, $39,257 income); Slippery Rock University (2,724 residents); Highspire (2,729 residents, $50,689 income). Outside the state, the closest population matches in this dataset are Santa Rosa Valley, CA (2,722 residents); Essex, CT (2,722 residents); New Madrid, MO (2,720 residents). A third, income-matched reference set of 6 out-of-state cities sits in the income neighbourhood chart near the Place Dossier plate. These are mechanical peer sets, not claims that the places share a labor market, climate, culture, or metro context.

Use the in-state set to hold state policy and broad price conditions more nearly constant. Use the nationwide size set to ask whether cities with a similar resident count produce different housing, income, or commute outcomes. The income set is a third lens, deliberately separate from population matching.

Open a side-by-side comparison →

Question 3

How far does income reach against housing in Gold Key Lake?

The home-value-to-income reference is relatively compact: the ACS median home value is 2.1 times median household income. The ACS poverty estimate is 11.7%, which keeps the citywide median from describing every household.

This is a citywide price-to-income reference, not a mortgage-affordability test; it does not include interest rates, taxes, insurance, household size, or an individual buyer's down payment. The ratio makes housing the clearest place to start this profile, but a low multiple can coexist with slow demand, older stock, or household-level hardship. Compare the home-value distribution and same-state peer table before treating it as an advantage.

Compare the housing trade-off →

Population

2,721 residents

Micro place (under 10k)

Median Household Income

$96,836 /yr

High income · poverty 11.7% (Above-median poverty)

Cost of Living Index (state)

97.6 (US=100)

Near national cost · BEA RPP 2024, Pennsylvania average

City profile score · Gold Key Lake, PA

55/100

4 published dimensions · ACS/FBI 2023

Comparative score against U.S. cities with population of 1,000 or more on Census ACS medians (income, poverty, bachelor's share, cost of living) and FBI UCR violent-crime rates when published. Higher means a stronger standing on those published figures, not a livability rating, not a recommendation to move, buy, or pick a "best" city. Missing inputs drop out and redistribute weight. How it is calculated.

Household income B+
$96,836

Median household income vs U.S. cities (pop ≥1,000); ACS.

Bachelor's+ share C+
31.3%

Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher; ACS.

Cost of living C-
97.6 index

BEA state Regional Price Parities index (100 ≈ national average); lower is stronger on this axis. Same value for every city in the state.

Poverty rate F
11.7%

Share of residents below the poverty line; lower scores better on this axis.

Violent crime N/A
N/A

No FBI UCR violent-crime rate for this place (coverage is incomplete).

Gold Key Lake profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions) 4-axis radar comparing 1 series across Household income, Bachelor's+ share, Cost of living, Poverty rate. Household incomeBachelor's+ shareCost of livingPoverty rate 55 C
Gold Key Lake profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions)
Read the chart values
  • Household income: 75/100 (B+) · $96,836
  • Bachelor's+ share: 60/100 (C+) · 31.3%
  • Cost of living: 50/100 (C-) · 97.6 index
  • Poverty rate: 33/100 (F) · 11.7%

How does Gold Key Lake compare to other US cities?

Gold Key Lake measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 76% higher than other cities
Home value 45% pricier than other cities
Median rent 54% 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 Gold Key Lake against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Pennsylvania only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Pennsylvania-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Gold Key Lake near the bottom of Pennsylvania's cities

Among the 1,865 Pennsylvania cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Gold Key Lake ranks #1 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Gold Key Lake only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#285 of 1,765
84th percentile in Pennsylvania
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 1,865
0th percentile in Pennsylvania
Median Home Value
#596 of 1,790
67th percentile in Pennsylvania
Poverty Rate
#470 of 1,856
74th percentile in Pennsylvania
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#501 of 1,861
73rd percentile in Pennsylvania
How in-state ranks are ordered

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.

76thIncome percentile
Gauge source note

76th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Gold Key Lake's home value compares nationally

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

$206,700 Among the most affordable more affordable than 55% of 15,600 US cities

Show national distribution $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%). This entry sits in this band. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $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. Gold Key Lake $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

Gold Key Lake's home-value-to-income ratio: 2.1×

ACS median home value divided by median household income.

Band
affordable
< 3.0×
National rank
#2,160 of 15,516
More affordable than 86% of tracked cities (pop. 1,000+)
Size class
#2,043 of 11,323
Micro cities (under 10,000)

At 2.1×, Gold Key Lake sits in the affordable band: national rank #2,160 of 15,516 and #2,043 of 11,323micro cities (under 10,000). The multiple is comparatively compact among tracked cities, but a low ratio can still coexist with slow demand or household-level hardship.

How this ratio is calculated

Ratio = Census ACS 2023 median home value ÷ median household income for cities with both fields and population ≥ 1,000. Rank 1 = lowest ratio (most compact). Bands match the fleet affordability thresholds used on guides (<3.0 / 3.0–5.0 / >5.0). This is not a mortgage payment estimate and does not include rates, taxes, insurance, or down payment.

Income distribution context

$96,836 Gold Key Lake, PA median household income (Census ACS)

Show U.S. national quintile / Lorenz context Household income distribution - Gold Key Lake, PA Gold Key Lake, PA's median household income ($96,836) against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern. The Lorenz curve and quintile bars are national context, not Gold Key Lake, PA-specific shares. $ Household Income Distribution Gold Key Lake, PA median $96,836/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%
Gold Key Lake, PA median household income (Census ACS 5-year) with U.S. national quintile shares for context. Diagonal = equality; the curve is national, not computed for Gold Key Lake, PA.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 31.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 11.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 57.6%

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

Population
2,721
Median Income
$96,836
Median Home Value
$206,700
Median Age
41.8
Poverty Rate
11.7%
Labor force participation
57.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
31.3%

Commute Patterns

Commute source

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
67.3%
Carpool
10.2%
Public Transit
2.3%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
14.8%
Other
5.4%

Based on 1,262 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

Pennsylvania statewide monthly utility average (EIA 2023): $260

EIA 2023 residential energy data puts average monthly utilities across Pennsylvania at $260 (electricity about $120 , water and sewer about $52 ).

These are Pennsylvania statewide averages, not a meter reading for Gold Key Lake. Actual bills vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Pennsylvania's BEA cost-of-living index is 97.6 (Near Average; US average = 100, RPP 2024). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in the county around Gold Key Lake is $1,225/mo. FEMA's National Risk Index, averaged to Pennsylvania statewide on PlainCities, rates natural-hazard exposure at 67.4 / 100 (Moderate).

Cost/risk geography note

Cost of living is a Pennsylvania statewide BEA average; rent is a county-level HUD Fair Market Rent for the county Gold Key Lake sits in; the FEMA hazard score shown here is a statewide average of county NRI inputs, not a parcel-level reading.

How Gold Key Lake compares to similar-size Pennsylvania cities

Same-state peer method

Closest same-state population matches, not geographic neighbors. Population + median household income come from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 and B19013.

City Population Median Household Income
Gold Key Lake (this city) 2,721 $96,836
Luzerne 2,720 $39,257
Slippery Rock University 2,724 N/A
Highspire 2,729 $50,689
Primary sources on this page

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.

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

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES. Joins use OMB Bulletin 23-01 / FIPS keys.

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Estimate caveats

ACS and UCR figures are citywide estimates with vintage lags; they do not replace a local visit, school visit, or insurance quote.

Editorial standards, provenance, and how to cite this page

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.

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