Census tract · Dauphin County
Census Tract 255, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
Census Tract 255, GEOID 42043025500, in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, entirely within Harrisburg. 5,048 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±820); the 2020 Census counted 4,155.
Residents, 2020-2024
5,048
±820 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 4,155
Median household income
$53,483
±$16,758 (90% margin)
Dauphin County: $76,242
Median home value
$85,900
±$19,394 (90% margin)
Dauphin County: $236,400
Median gross rent
$1,257
±$113 (90% margin)
Dauphin County: $1,217
Where is Census Tract 255?
Census Tract 255 is one of 67 census tracts in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. It covers 0.35 square miles of land, 11,771 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 42043025500, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Harrisburg | 100% |
5 census tracts border Census Tract 255: Tract 203 ($42,685), Tract 205 ($71,721), Tract 208 ($65,584), Tract 209 ($61,236) and Tract 211 ($35,807). 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 255?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 255's population at 5,048 (±820) in 1,459 households; the 2020 Census counted 4,155 residents and 1,706 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 255 | Harrisburg |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 5,048 ±820 | 50,287 |
| Households | 1,459 ±175 | 22,137 |
| Average household size | 3.36 ±0.49 | 2.23 |
| Housing units | 1,594 ±157 | 24,130 |
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 255?
The median resident of Census Tract 255 is 28.2 years old; 41.0% are under 18 and 8.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic Black residents at 59.3%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 17.3%.
| Measure | Tract 255 | Harrisburg |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 28.2 ±4.4 | 33.4 |
| Under 18 years | 41.0% ±6.2 pts | 27.5% |
| 65 years and over | 8.9% ±2.4 pts | 12.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 17.3% ±7.4 pts | 26.4% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 15.1% ±5.6 pts | 25.2% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 59.3% ±10.0 pts | 40.9% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.6 pts | 2.2% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.5 pts | 0.1% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.6 pts | 0.1% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 8.0% ±5.4 pts | 4.7% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.6 pts | 0.3% |
| Born outside the United States | 3.2% ±3.2 pts | 9.5% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 9.5% ±5.6 pts | 21.3% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 2.0% ±1.4 pts | 4.8% |
| With a disability | 10.5% ±4.1 pts | 18.2% |
| No health insurance coverage | 14.5% ±6.7 pts | 9.4% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 86.2% ±4.8 pts | 85.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 19.0% ±9.4 pts | 25.9% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 3.0% ±2.5 pts | 10.0% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 79.7% ±8.6 pts | 84.3% |
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 Census Tract 255 earn?
Half of the 1,459 households in Census Tract 255 earn less than $53,483 a year (±$16,758), against $76,242 across Dauphin County: 56th highest of the county's 66 tracts with a reliable estimate. 47.3% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 255 | Harrisburg |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $53,483 ±$16,758 | $48,099 |
| Mean household income | $73,018 ±$19,438 | $61,969 |
| Per capita income | $21,287 ±$6,062 | $27,330 |
| People below the poverty line | 47.3% ±12.1 pts | 30.5% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 63.4% ±16.8 pts | 44.0% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 29.7% ±9.2 pts | 30.8% |
| Households with a computer | 91.4% ±5.4 pts | 91.5% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 82.8% ±7.8 pts | 85.6% |
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 255?
Owners occupy 25.7% of Census Tract 255's occupied homes and renters 74.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $85,900 by its owner (±$19,394). The median renter pays $1,257 a month including utilities, and 47.3% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Tract 255 | Harrisburg |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $85,900 ±$19,394 | $124,200 |
| Median gross rent | $1,257 ±$113 | $1,062 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 47.3% ±14.4 pts | 42.7% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,181 ±$487 | $1,272 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 25.7% ±8.3 pts | 36.6% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 74.3% ±8.3 pts | 63.4% |
| Housing units | 1,594 ±157 | 24,130 |
| Single-family detached homes | 7.9% ±4.1 pts | 14.0% |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±2.0 pts | 1.0% |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±2.0 pts | 0.2% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 6.3% ±4.0 pts | 2.9% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 33.6% ±9.4 pts | 43.2% |
| Households with no vehicle | 21.9% ±9.0 pts | 24.3% |
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 255 get to work?
45.0% of Census Tract 255's workers drive alone and 24.6% work from home. The average trip to work takes 18.5 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 10.0%.
| Measure | Tract 255 | Harrisburg |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 58.2% ±8.0 pts | 64.6% |
| Unemployment rate | 10.0% ±5.7 pts | 11.4% |
| Drove alone to work | 45.0% ±14.2 pts | 57.5% |
| Carpooled | 8.3% ±5.6 pts | 10.6% |
| Public transportation | 4.0% ±3.5 pts | 5.2% |
| Walked | 17.9% ±10.3 pts | 7.5% |
| Worked from home | 24.6% ±12.5 pts | 15.8% |
| Mean travel time to work | 18.5 min ±5.4 | 20.1 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 255 compare with the other tracts in Dauphin County?
Among Dauphin County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 255 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Dauphin County | In Harrisburg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 25th of 67 | 3rd of 14 |
| Residents per square mile | 7th of 67 | 7th of 14 |
| Median household income | 56th of 66 | 5th of 13 |
| Per capita income | 61st of 67 | 8th of 14 |
| Median home value | 67th of 67 | 14th of 14 |
| Median gross rent | 27th of 64 | 2nd of 12 |
| Poverty rate | 2nd of 52 | 2nd of 12 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 51st of 66 | 8th of 13 |
| Median age | 64th of 67 | 12th of 14 |
| Owner-occupied share | 60th of 67 | 9th of 14 |
The tracts next to it on Dauphin County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 238 | 53rd | $55,558±$3,122 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 233 | 54th | $54,800±$29,615 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 254 | 55th | $54,421±$6,267 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 255 | 56th | $53,483±$16,758 |
| Tract 235 | 57th | $52,618±$4,060 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 201 | 58th | $50,949±$8,972 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 204 | 59th | $49,844±$21,171 · 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 255?
1 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 255 on this page carries a coefficient of variation over 40% and is 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