Dauphin County, Pennsylvania Population 2026

Updated April 2026 · US Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates · 14th-largest in Pennsylvania

The population of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania is 287,484 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 14th-largest county in Pennsylvania. The median household income is $74,159, the median home value is $222,300, and the median age is 39.4.

The population of Dauphin County has grown 9.2% since 2010 (268,289 → 293,029), a +0.63% annualized rate.

Dauphin County within Pennsylvania · Source: US Census TIGER/Line via us-atlas

287,484

Population

+0.63%

Annual growth

548

People / sq mi

$74,159

Median Income

$222,300

Median Home Value

Dauphin County covers 525 sq mi of land at 547.7 people per square mile.

About Dauphin County, PA

Dauphin County is a county in Pennsylvania with a population of 287,484. It ranks #14 among counties in Pennsylvania by population. The median age is 39.4, in line with the national median. The population is 48.8% male and 51.2% female.

The median household income in Dauphin County is $74,159, near the US median of $74,580. 9.2% of residents live below the federal poverty level. Home values sit at a median of $222,300, with monthly rent averaging $1,153. The homeownership rate of 63.3% is close to the national rate of 64.8%.

Educational attainment in Dauphin County reflects 34.3% of adults 25 and older holding a bachelor's degree or higher, near the national average of 34.3%. Roughly 14.8% of workers primarily work from home, similar to the national work-from-home rate of 14.2%. The average commute is 21.9 minutes each way.

Dauphin County Population History (2010-2024)

The county of Dauphin County had a population of 268,289 in 2010 and 293,029 in 2024, a 9.2% growth over 14 years. The peak was 293,029 in 2024. Average annual growth rate: 0.63%.

293,029

Population (2024)

268,289

Population (2010)

293,029

Peak (2024)

0.63%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
2010	268,289	-	-	estimate
2011	269,278	+989	+0.37%	estimate
2012	270,058	+780	+0.29%	estimate
2013	271,500	+1,442	+0.53%	estimate
2014	272,312	+812	+0.30%	estimate
2015	273,195	+883	+0.32%	estimate
2016	274,305	+1,110	+0.41%	estimate
2017	275,796	+1,491	+0.54%	estimate
2018	276,951	+1,155	+0.42%	estimate
2019	278,427	+1,476	+0.53%	estimate
2020	286,717	+8,290	+2.98%	estimate
2021	288,286	+1,569	+0.55%	estimate
2022	289,049	+763	+0.26%	estimate
2023	290,886	+1,837	+0.64%	estimate
2024	293,029	+2,143	+0.74%	estimate

Race & Ethnicity

White	64.9%
Black or African American	17.7%
Asian	0.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	1.0%
Two or More Races	0.0%

Age & Sex

39.4

Median Age

51.2%

Female

48.8%

Male

17.8%

Age 65+

Age Distribution

Under 5

6.0%

5–9

6.4%

10–14

6.3%

15–19

6.0%

20–24

5.9%

25–34

13.8%

35–44

12.3%

45–54

12.2%

55–59

6.4%

60–64

6.9%

65–74

10.7%

75–84

5.0%

85+

2.1%

Children (under 15): 18.7% · Seniors (65+): 17.8%

Income & Poverty

Median household income	$74,159$-1,922 vs state
Mean household income	$98,206
Per-capita income	$41,055
Poverty rate	9.2%+1.1% vs state
Unemployment rate	2.8%
Employment-to-population	62.0%

Top Industries by Employment

Professional & business services

26.1%

Finance & real estate

9.9%

Education & health care

8.1%

Manufacturing

8.1%

Public administration

7.9%

Information

7.7%

Retail trade

7.5%

Construction

4.4%

The largest employment sector in Dauphin County is professional & business services, accounting for 26.1% of workers.

How residents commute

1.4%

Drive alone

2.8%

Carpool

70.8%

Public transit

14.8%

Work from home

21.9 min

Avg commute

Housing

$222,300$-18,200 vs state

Median home value

$1,153

Median rent

63.3%

Homeownership rate

127,259

Total housing units

94.1%

Occupied

5.9%

Vacant

36.7%

Renter-occupied

Social & access

93.7%

With health insurance

93.1%

With broadband internet

20.0%

Foreign-born

6.9%

Veterans (18+)

13.2%

With a disability

86.3%

Speak language other than English at home

Education

91.5%

High School+

34.3%

Bachelor's+

Largest cities in Pennsylvania

Philadelphia (1,582,432)Pittsburgh (303,620)Allentown (125,320)Reading (94,836)Erie (94,156)Bethlehem (77,069)Scranton (76,074)Lancaster (57,683)Levittown (50,930)Harrisburg (50,092)All Pennsylvania cities →

Other counties in Pennsylvania

Philadelphia County (1,582,432)Allegheny County (1,240,476)Montgomery County (861,225)Bucks County (645,993)Delaware County (576,195)Lancaster County (555,151)Chester County (540,896)York County (459,312)Berks County (429,989)Lehigh County (375,408)All Pennsylvania counties →

Part of Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania demographic profile All Pennsylvania data →

Metro areas in Pennsylvania

Philadelphia (6,241,882)Pittsburgh (2,443,921)Allentown (866,764)Harrisburg (597,894)Scranton (567,887)Lancaster (555,151)York (459,312)Reading (429,989)All US metros →

County rankings

US Counties by Population Richest US Counties by Median Household Income Expensive US Counties by Home Value Educated US Counties Counties With Highest Poverty Rates Youngest US Counties by Median Age Oldest US Counties by Median Age Cheapest US Counties by Median Home Value Racially Diverse US Counties Counties With Largest Hispanic Population All rankings →

Frequently Asked Questions

Dauphin County, Pennsylvania has a population of 287,484 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 14th-largest county in Pennsylvania. Population density is 548 people per square mile.

The population of Dauphin County has grown 9.2% since 2010 (268,289 → 293,029), a +0.63% annualized rate.

The median household income in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania is $74,159, with mean (average) household income of $98,206 and per-capita income of $41,055. 9.2% of residents live below the federal poverty level.

In Dauphin County, the largest racial and ethnic groups are White (64.9%), Black or African American (17.7%), Hispanic or Latino (1.0%). Figures are from the US Census Bureau's 2023 ACS 5-year estimates and reflect self-reported responses.

The median age in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania is 39.4 years. Residents are 51.2% female and 48.8% male.

The median home value in Dauphin County is $222,300 and median monthly rent is $1,153. 63.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. The county has 127,259 total housing units, 5.9% of which are vacant.

The largest employment sector in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania is professional, scientific, and management services, employing 26.1% of workers. The unemployment rate is 2.8%.

Philadelphia is among the largest cities associated with Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, with a population of 1,582,432.