City profile · Pennsylvania · Census ACS 2023

Sunbury, PA

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

9,643
Residents
$48,509
Median income
$98,000
Median home
$973
Median rent (state)

Sunbury - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Sunbury places in the 17th percentile for household income and the 93rd percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

17th
percentile, household income
9th
percentile, home value
12th
percentile, median rent
93rd
percentile, safety
📝 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: Sunbury, PA

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 9,643 residents in Sunbury, a small town within Pennsylvania. The typical household in Sunbury brings in $48,509 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 15.6%. Home values in Sunbury run a median of $98,000, and the median resident age is 41.4 years. 11.4% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 56.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 1 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Stable), up 0% from five years earlier. Sunbury reports a comparatively low crime rate: per-100,000 total crime stands at 295.2 in FBI UCR data, below the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 50.3°F with 43.7 inches of precipitation per year and 28.6 inches of snowfall.

Pennsylvania tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: the state registers 97.6 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Near Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $973 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $260 across Pennsylvania, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 79.2 out of 100 (High).

Population

9,643 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Pennsylvania

Median Household Income

$48,509 /yr

Poverty 15.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

97.6 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Pennsylvania average

How does Sunbury compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 17% higher than other cities
Home value 9% pricier than other cities
Median rent 12% pricier than other cities
Safety 93% safer than other cities

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

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Pennsylvania, Sunbury ranks #77 of 402 Pennsylvania cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Sunbury's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Pennsylvania, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

17thIncome percentile
93rdSafety percentile

17th percentile nationally for median household income · 93rd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Sunbury's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Sunbury's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 67 Avg. percentile National median
Sunbury's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Sunbury's home value compares nationally

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

$98,000 Among the most affordable more affordable than 91% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Above this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $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. Sunbury $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 - Sunbury, PA Sunbury, PA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Sunbury, 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 Sunbury, PA median $48,509/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%
Sunbury, 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 Sunbury, PA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 11.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 15.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 56.5%

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

Population
9,643
Median Income
$48,509
Median Home Value
$98,000
Median Age
41.4
Poverty Rate
15.6%
Labor force participation
56.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
11.4%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
295.2
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
52.7
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
242.5
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
50.3°F
Annual Precipitation
43.7"
Annual Snowfall
28.6"

Schools

Total Schools
3
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
9,400 residents9,500 residents9,600 residents9,700 residents9,800 residents 202020212022202320242025 9,698 residents 9,495 residents ▼ -2.1%
Sunbury's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Stable
Total Permits (2024)
1
housing units authorized
Single-Family
1
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 1
2020 0
2021 0
2022 2
2023 17
2024 1

Permit volume increased 0% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
70.9%
Carpool
16.2%
Public Transit
0.4%
Walk
6.5%
Work from Home
5.8%

Based on 4,315 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 Sunbury sits in

Cost of Living Index
97.6
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$973/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
79.2 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Pennsylvania

Bala Cynwyd
9,622 people
Canonsburg
9,682 people
Lititz
9,599 people
Croydon
9,704 people
Middletown
9,567 people
Morrisville
9,740 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Sunbury's 9,643 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Burlington, WA
9,637 people
Matawan, NJ
9,636 people
Brownsville, TN
9,634 people
Brewer, ME
9,654 people
Hillsborough, NC
9,656 people
Canal Winchester, OH
9,659 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Sunbury's $48,509 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

College Park, GA
$48,505 median income
Tahlequah, OK
$48,515 median income
Greenup, IL
$48,516 median income
Cookeville, TN
$48,501 median income
Leachville, AR
$48,500 median income
Hallandale Beach, FL
$48,518 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Sunbury, 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 Sunbury, PA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 85.1% 6.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 8.9% White 85.1% Black or African American 2.9% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 5.5% Two or more races 6.5% 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 Sunbury 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
Sunbury (this city) 9,643 $48,509
Bala Cynwyd 9,622 $144,453
Canonsburg 9,682 $80,581
Lititz 9,599 $82,861
Census ACS 5-year FIPS PA FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Sunbury, PA?

What is the population of Sunbury, PA? +

The population of Sunbury, PA stands at 9,643 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Sunbury, PA? +

Median annual household income in Sunbury runs $48,509, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Sunbury? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Sunbury; 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.

Is Sunbury, PA safe? +

Sunbury has a total crime rate of 295.2 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Sunbury, PA? +

Sunbury's median home value sits at $98,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Sunbury? +

Climate normals put Sunbury's yearly average temperature at 50.3°F, 43.7 inches of precipitation, and 28.6 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, 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

Verify with HUD →

Verify with FBI →

Verify with NOAA →

Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Verify with EPA →

Verify with FEMA →

Verify with BEA →

Verify with EIA →

Verify with NCES →

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.