Census tract · Dauphin County
Census Tract 243, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
Census Tract 243, GEOID 42043024300, in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, entirely within Hershey and Derry Township, Dauphin County. 3,405 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±456); the 2020 Census counted 3,476.
Residents, 2020-2024
3,405
±456 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 3,476
Median household income
$84,821
±$25,611 (90% margin)
Dauphin County: $76,242
Median home value
$526,800
±$75,137 (90% margin)
Dauphin County: $236,400
Median gross rent
$1,151
±$104 (90% margin)
Dauphin County: $1,217
Where is Census Tract 243?
Census Tract 243 is one of 67 census tracts in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. It covers 1.20 square miles of land, 2,904 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 42043024300, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Hershey | 100% |
| Derry Township, Dauphin County | 100% |
4 census tracts border Census Tract 243: Tract 241.01 ($61,569), Tract 241.02 ($88,750), Tract 241.05 ($104,434) and Tract 242 ($71,417). The figure in brackets is each tract's median household income.
Whether a tract counts as low- or moderate-income for bank lending (the Community Reinvestment Act) is set by the FFIEC against its metro area's family income: look it up in the FFIEC census geocoder.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 block assignment files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Census Tract 243?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 243's population at 3,405 (±456) in 1,509 households; the 2020 Census counted 3,476 residents and 1,693 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 243 | Hershey |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 3,405 ±456 | 14,242 |
| Households | 1,509 ±127 | 5,791 |
| Average household size | 2.25 ±0.24 | 2.17 |
| Housing units | 1,635 ±137 | 5,982 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Census Tract 243?
The median resident of Census Tract 243 is 39.0 years old; 21.1% are under 18 and 18.4% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 76.1%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 9.0%.
| Measure | Tract 243 | Hershey |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.0 ±5.9 | 38.6 |
| Under 18 years | 21.1% ±6.0 pts | 16.9% |
| 65 years and over | 18.4% ±3.3 pts | 21.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 6.0% ±4.8 pts | 12.9% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 76.1% ±9.2 pts | 67.0% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 9.0% ±7.2 pts | 5.7% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 4.2% ±2.7 pts | 8.5% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.0% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.0% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.8% ±3.8 pts | 3.4% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 2.4% |
| Born outside the United States | 5.1% ±3.6 pts | 13.1% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 5.7% ±2.5 pts | 16.2% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.3% ±2.7 pts | 4.5% |
| With a disability | 12.3% ±4.1 pts | 13.4% |
| No health insurance coverage | 1.4% ±1.2 pts | 3.9% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 92.8% ±3.7 pts | 92.4% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 50.6% ±8.0 pts | 50.2% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 23.6% ±5.8 pts | 21.3% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 79.9% ±6.7 pts | 77.2% |
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 Census Tract 243 earn?
Half of the 1,509 households in Census Tract 243 earn less than $84,821 a year (±$25,611), against $76,242 across Dauphin County: 25th highest of the county's 66 tracts with a reliable estimate. 12.4% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 243 | Hershey |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $84,821 ±$25,611 | $78,587 |
| Mean household income | $134,101 ±$20,424 | $119,148 |
| Per capita income | $58,486 ±$10,442 | $49,882 |
| People below the poverty line | 12.4% ±6.2 pts | 17.6% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 8.0% ±10.5 pts | 9.2% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 6.7% ±3.4 pts | 5.5% |
| Households with a computer | 93.1% ±4.1 pts | 94.1% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 91.0% ±4.6 pts | 92.1% |
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 Census Tract 243?
Owners occupy 55.6% of Census Tract 243's occupied homes and renters 44.4%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $526,800 by its owner (±$75,137). The median renter pays $1,151 a month including utilities, and 33.2% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Tract 243 | Hershey |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $526,800 ±$75,137 | $379,200 |
| Median gross rent | $1,151 ±$104 | $1,268 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 33.2% ±15.7 pts | 38.9% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,563 ±$506 | $2,315 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 55.6% ±7.4 pts | 53.7% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 44.4% ±7.4 pts | 46.3% |
| Housing units | 1,635 ±137 | 5,982 |
| Single-family detached homes | 51.3% ±7.1 pts | 48.3% |
| Mobile homes | 0.8% ±1.4 pts | 0.2% |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.9% ±1.4 pts | 0.5% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 4.5% ±2.6 pts | 2.0% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 21.3% ±6.5 pts | 10.1% |
| Households with no vehicle | 7.3% ±4.1 pts | 6.4% |
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 do people in Census Tract 243 get to work?
68.2% of Census Tract 243's workers drive alone and 17.1% work from home. The average trip to work takes 20.0 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 8.9%.
| Measure | Tract 243 | Hershey |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 62.8% ±7.8 pts | 63.9% |
| Unemployment rate | 8.9% ±5.1 pts | 4.6% |
| Drove alone to work | 68.2% ±9.2 pts | 63.7% |
| Carpooled | 6.5% ±4.4 pts | 7.4% |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±2.0 pts | 0.3% |
| Walked | 7.6% ±5.9 pts | 8.2% |
| Worked from home | 17.1% ±7.3 pts | 16.4% |
| Mean travel time to work | 20.0 min ±4.4 | 16.2 min |
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
How does Census Tract 243 compare with the other tracts in Dauphin County?
Among Dauphin County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 243 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Dauphin County | In Hershey |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 46th of 67 | 3rd of 4 |
| Residents per square mile | 30th of 67 | 1st of 4 |
| Median household income | 25th of 66 | 3rd of 4 |
| Per capita income | 6th of 67 | 2nd of 4 |
| Median home value | 1st of 67 | 1st of 4 |
| Median gross rent | 33rd of 64 | 4th of 4 |
| Poverty rate | 28th of 52 | 3rd of 4 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10th of 66 | 2nd of 4 |
| Median age | 39th of 67 | 3rd of 4 |
| Owner-occupied share | 41st of 67 | 3rd of 4 |
The tracts next to it on Dauphin County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 231 | 22nd | $87,083±$16,470 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 230 | 23rd | $86,019±$15,637 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 236.02 | 24th | $86,003±$10,888 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 243 | 25th | $84,821±$25,611 |
| Tract 227.02 | 26th | $83,636±$11,494 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 226.05 | 27th | $79,722±$15,188 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 227.01 | 28th | $78,922±$13,412 · within the margin of this tract |
"Within the margin": the two incomes differ by less than their combined 90% margins, so the survey cannot say which is higher and the ranks between them are not firm.
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Census Tract 243?
2 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 243 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.
A census tract's figures rest on a few hundred sampled households over five years, so its margins are wider than a city's. Two tracts differ only when the gap between them is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins). 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 · Check it at data.census.gov
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections