Census tract · Columbia County
Census Tract 505, Columbia County, Pennsylvania
Census Tract 505, GEOID 42037050500, in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, mostly within Briar Creek Township (74% of its census blocks). 3,914 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±391); the 2020 Census counted 3,645.
Residents, 2020-2024
3,914
±391 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 3,645
Median household income
$68,843
±$8,805 (90% margin)
Columbia County: $64,644
Median home value
$182,000
±$38,188 (90% margin)
Columbia County: $206,200
Median gross rent
$810
±$164 (90% margin)
Columbia County: $943
Where is Census Tract 505?
Census Tract 505 is one of 16 census tracts in Columbia County, Pennsylvania. It covers 22.94 square miles of land, 159 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 42037050500, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Briar Creek Township | 74% |
| Briar Creek | 18% |
| South Centre Township | 8% |
| Foundryville | 7% |
8 census tracts border Census Tract 505: Tract 501 ($69,015), Tract 504 ($77,448), Tract 506 ($49,675), Tract 507 ($50,150), Tract 508 ($68,735), Tract 509 ($86,397), Tract 514 ($61,042) and Tract 2161 in Luzerne County ($78,560). 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 505?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 505's population at 3,914 (±391) in 1,494 households; the 2020 Census counted 3,645 residents and 1,814 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 505 | Briar Creek Township |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 3,914 ±391 | 3,000 |
| Households | 1,494 ±126 | 1,186 |
| Average household size | 2.61 ±0.26 | 2.53 |
| Housing units | 1,688 ±145 | 1,308 |
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 505?
The median resident of Census Tract 505 is 41.1 years old; 20.5% are under 18 and 21.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 91.7%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 6.2%.
| Measure | Tract 505 | Briar Creek Township |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.1 ±5.4 | 43.5 |
| Under 18 years | 20.5% ±3.4 pts | 18.1% |
| 65 years and over | 21.3% ±3.5 pts | 22.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 6.2% ±5.0 pts | 4.7% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 91.7% ±5.0 pts | 93.3% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.5% ±2.0 pts | 1.8% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.2 pts | 0.0% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 0.0% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 0.0% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.4 pts | 0.0% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.3 pts | 0.2% |
| Born outside the United States | 3.0% ±2.1 pts | 2.5% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 3.2% ±2.4 pts | 2.4% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.7% ±2.8 pts | 8.0% |
| With a disability | 20.1% ±4.1 pts | 19.0% |
| No health insurance coverage | 3.3% ±2.9 pts | 4.0% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 92.4% ±2.8 pts | 93.4% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 17.6% ±4.7 pts | 18.6% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 7.7% ±3.0 pts | 8.3% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 90.6% ±6.6 pts | 93.5% |
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 505 earn?
Half of the 1,494 households in Census Tract 505 earn less than $68,843 a year (±$8,805), against $64,644 across Columbia County: 6th highest of the county's 16 tracts with a reliable estimate. 12.7% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 505 | Briar Creek Township |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $68,843 ±$8,805 | $77,333 |
| Mean household income | $84,138 ±$8,396 | $91,263 |
| Per capita income | $32,650 ±$4,618 | $36,583 |
| People below the poverty line | 12.7% ±5.3 pts | 6.0% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 17.3% ±9.7 pts | 5.3% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 14.5% ±6.7 pts | 12.5% |
| Households with a computer | 93.6% ±2.9 pts | 96.5% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 88.3% ±4.3 pts | 90.6% |
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 505?
Owners occupy 78.2% of Census Tract 505's occupied homes and renters 21.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $182,000 by its owner (±$38,188). The median renter pays $810 a month including utilities, and 42.0% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Tract 505 | Briar Creek Township |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $182,000 ±$38,188 | $189,500 |
| Median gross rent | $810 ±$164 | $941 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 42.0% ±15.3 pts | 29.3% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,244 ±$280 | $1,226 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 78.2% ±6.1 pts | 85.9% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 21.8% ±6.1 pts | 14.1% |
| Housing units | 1,688 ±145 | 1,308 |
| Single-family detached homes | 72.9% ±6.0 pts | 81.8% |
| Mobile homes | 16.8% ±4.9 pts | 12.9% |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±1.9 pts | 0.0% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.7% ±2.8 pts | 4.8% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 10.5% ±4.6 pts | 11.9% |
| Households with no vehicle | 11.5% ±4.4 pts | 8.0% |
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 505 get to work?
72.5% of Census Tract 505's workers drive alone and 14.3% work from home. The average trip to work takes 28.8 minutes.
| Measure | Tract 505 | Briar Creek Township |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 56.9% ±5.3 pts | 57.0% |
| Unemployment rate | 11.2% ±8.7 pts | 6.3% |
| Drove alone to work | 72.5% ±8.6 pts | 70.2% |
| Carpooled | 8.0% ±4.4 pts | 9.4% |
| Public transportation | 0.4% ±0.5 pts | 0.0% |
| Walked | 3.6% ±3.5 pts | 3.6% |
| Worked from home | 14.3% ±6.0 pts | 15.5% |
| Mean travel time to work | 28.8 min ±5.5 | 28.7 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 505 compare with the other tracts in Columbia County?
Among Columbia County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 505 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Columbia County |
|---|---|
| Population | 7th of 16 |
| Residents per square mile | 10th of 16 |
| Median household income | 6th of 16 |
| Per capita income | 10th of 16 |
| Median home value | 11th of 16 |
| Median gross rent | 13th of 16 |
| Poverty rate | 7th of 15 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15th of 16 |
| Median age | 12th of 16 |
| Owner-occupied share | 8th of 16 |
The tracts next to it on Columbia County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 504 | 3rd | $77,448±$6,691 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 515 | 4th | $71,555±$6,334 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 501 | 5th | $69,015±$5,323 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 505 | 6th | $68,843±$8,805 |
| Tract 508 | 7th | $68,735±$5,534 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 502 | 8th | $67,727±$5,827 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 510 | 9th | $65,664±$19,647 · 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 505?
3 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 505 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