ZIP Code 17522: Population, Income, Housing

State: PA

Total population: 33,852 Household income: $74,828 Rent: $1,240

Overview

Total population

33,852

Rent

$1,240

Year built

1982

Household income

$74,828

Per capita income

$39,240

Poverty rate

6.8%

Unemployment rate

N/A

Household size

2.4 persons

Rent over 30% of income

39.2%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Data are sourced from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, 2024 release — the latest dataset currently available. New 5-year estimates are published annually, about 6–12 months after the end of each reference year.

Demographics

State

Pennsylvania

County

Lancaster County

City

Ephrata

Total population

33,852

Adults over 25

23,506

Total households

13,813

Household size

2.4 persons

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Income & Poverty

Household income

$74,828

Per capita income

$39,240

Poverty rate

6.8%

Unemployment rate

N/A

Rent over 30% of income

39.2%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Housing

Rent

$1,240

Year built

1982

Households that rent

35.5%

Households that own

64.5%

Rooms per home (all homes)

5.9

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Race

White

89.5%

Black

1.2%

Asian

0.8%

Two or more races

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino

7.2%

Not Hispanic or Latino

92.8%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Commute

Commute rate

15,921 (92.5%)

Commute time to work

24 mins

Work from home

1,284 (7.5%)

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Education

Less than high school

23.5%

High school graduate or GED

37.9%

Some college or associate degree

14.2%

Bachelor’s degree or higher

24.4%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Comparison of ZIP Code 17522 with: Lancaster County, PA Pennsylvania United States

ZIP 17522

Total population33,852

Rent$1,240

Year built1982

Household income$74,828

Per capita income$39,240

Poverty rate6.8%

Unemployment rateN/A

Lancaster County, PA

Total population557,931

Rent$1,357

Year built1978

Household income$86,959

Per capita income$43,128

Poverty rate8.2%

Unemployment rate2.5%

Pennsylvania State

Total population13,018,639

Rent$1,209

Year built1965

Household income$77,971

Per capita income$44,355

Poverty rate11.7%

Unemployment rate3.6%

United States

Total population334,922,499

Rent$1,413

Year built1980

Household income$80,734

Per capita income$44,673

Poverty rate12.5%

Unemployment rate4%

Metric	ZIP17522	CountyLancaster, PA	StatePennsylvania	CountryUnited States
Total population	33,852	557,931	13,018,639	334,922,499
Rent	$1,240	$1,357	$1,209	$1,413
Year built	1982	1978	1965	1980
Household income	$74,828	$86,959	$77,971	$80,734
Per capita income	$39,240	$43,128	$44,355	$44,673
Poverty rate	6.8%	8.2%	11.7%	12.5%
Unemployment rate	N/A	2.5%	3.6%	4%

View the full multi-level comparison →

Summary for 17522

Rent & Income

In 17522, the typical monthly rent is $1,240 and the typical household income is $74,828. Rent here is similar to Pennsylvania, and household income is similar to Pennsylvania. The estimated poverty rate is 6.8%.

Housing & Affordability

This ZIP Code is primarily owner-occupied, with renters accounting for about 35.5% of households. Around 39.2% of renters are cost-burdened, indicating a moderate level of rent pressure.

Education & Employment

Educational attainment is moderate, with about 24.4% of adults holding a bachelor’s degree or higher.

ZIP 17522 — Rent vs Household Income

ZIP 17522 — Poverty

How ZIP 17522 compares in Pennsylvania (107 ZIP Codes)

Metric	This ZIP	Rank	Starts from	State range
Rent	$1,240	38 / 107	from lower rent	$725 – $2,177
Household income	$74,828	62 / 107	from higher income	$31,069 – $171,179
Poverty rate	6.8%	32 / 107	from lower poverty	2.5% – 48.2%

Rankings are calculated among ZIP Codes in Pennsylvania with total population > 30,000 (year 2024).

Detailed Ranking Explanation for ZIP Code 17522

Rent

Looking at rent levels, ZIP Code 17522 places 38th out of 107 ZIP Codes in Pennsylvania. Throughout Pennsylvania, numbers span from $725 in ZIP 16101 up to $2,177 in ZIP 19087.

Household income

In terms of earnings, this ZIP comes 62nd out of 107 ZIP Codes. At the state level, values extend from $31,069 in ZIP 15213 up to $171,179 in ZIP 19087.

Poverty rate

In terms of poverty rate, ZIP Code 17522 comes 32nd out of 107 ZIP Codes. In Pennsylvania as a whole, the range goes from 2.5% in ZIP 19335 up to 48.2% in ZIP 15213.

💰 Rent in ZIP Code 17522 (with Utilities)

Estimated Monthly Rent: $1,240 ℹ️ What’s Included:
✅ Base rent, electricity, gas, water/sewer, and heating fuels
❌ Not included: internet, cable TV, renter's insurance, parking

💡 What does this rent estimate mean?

Explanation: This estimate shows what renters typically pay each month for housing — including the apartment or home and essential utilities like heat, water, and electricity.

Included in this number: Rent plus electricity, gas, water/sewer, and heating fuel.

Not included: Internet, cable, parking, renter’s insurance, or furniture rental.

Note: This cost does not depend on the number of people living in the home.

👨‍👧‍👦 Household Income in ZIP Code 17522

Annual Household Income: $74,828

💡 What does Household Income mean?

Definition: This represents the middle value of all household incomes in the ZIP code — half of households earn less, and half earn more.

Includes: wages, salaries, self-employment income, Social Security, pensions, investments, unemployment, public assistance, and rental income.

Does NOT include: capital gains, non-cash benefits (like food stamps), or tax refunds.

Household = any group of people (or a single person) living in the same housing unit.

Example: A couple earning $40,000 and $30,000 together have a household income of $70,000. If that's in the middle of all local incomes, it's the value shown here.

📉 Poverty Rate in ZIP Code 17522

Estimated Rate: 6.8%

💡 What does the Poverty Rate represent?

Definition: The percentage of people in this area living below the federal poverty threshold.

How it works: The threshold is a dollar amount set by the U.S. Census Bureau that varies by family size and age. If a household's income is below that level, everyone in it is included in this rate.

Example: In a town of 10,000 people, if 1,500 have incomes below the poverty line, the poverty rate is 15%.

Note: This statistic only includes people living in households; it does not count those in student housing, military barracks, or nursing homes.

🏘️ Renter vs. Owner Households in ZIP Code 17522

In ZIP Code 17522, households that rent: 4,902 (35.5%)

📊 What does the renter household percentage reveal about this ZIP Code?

Household Type	Count	Share
Renter-Occupied	4,902	35.5%
Owner-Occupied	8,911	64.5%

Definition: This is the percentage of households that rent their home rather than own it. It includes only occupied housing units.

Why it matters: Areas with a high share of renter households often have younger populations, higher mobility, and different housing needs compared to mostly owner-occupied areas.

Example: If 65% of homes in an area are renter-occupied, it means 65 out of every 100 households rent their home.

📉 Renters Spending Over 30% of Income on Rent in ZIP Code 17522

In ZIP Code 17522, cost-burdened renters (households spending over 30% of income on housing): 1,922 (39.2%)

🏚️ What Does It Mean When Renters Spend Over 30% of Their Income on Housing?

Household Group	Households	Share
Cost-burdened renters (over 30%)	1,922	39.2%
Other renter households	2,980	60.8%
Total renter households	4,902	100%

Shares are calculated as a percentage of renter households.

This shows how many renters in the ZIP code are considered cost-burdened — meaning they spend more than 30% of their income on housing (rent and basic utilities).

It’s a sign that housing might be unaffordable in the area or that lower-income residents may be struggling with rent.

Data comes from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.

📊 Education Levels in ZIP Code 17522

Less than High School: 5,524 people (23.5%)

Includes adults who did not complete high school.

High School Graduate or GED: 8,911 people (37.9%)

Includes adults whose highest education is a high school diploma or GED.

Some College or Associate Degree: 3,338 people (14.2%)

Includes adults who attended college without completing a bachelor’s degree (some college or associate degree).

Bachelor’s Degree or Higher: 5,733 people (24.4%)

Includes adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher (bachelor’s, master’s, professional, or doctoral degree).

👥 Total Adults (25+): 23,506

ℹ️ Have questions about how these statistics are calculated? See our data methodology & FAQs

Source: ACS 5-Year Estimates (U.S. Census Bureau) — unemployment rate from BLS. Some values are derived metrics.