Metro area profile · Pennsylvania
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA metro area market data
How the Harrisburg-Carlisle metro area compares with other metro areas for 56 business types: competitors, household spending, official counts and growth.
- Population, 2025
- 617,427
- +4.2% since 2020
- Households
- 246,084
- Median household income
- $80,919
- +24.7% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $253,100
- Jobs located here
- 349,053
- Highest market score
- 86
- Home repair trades, #2 of 387 scored metro areas
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Harrisburg-Carlisle metro area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Harrisburg-Carlisle metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
The Harrisburg-Carlisle metro area has an estimated 617,427 people and 246,084 households. Population estimates show the Harrisburg-Carlisle metro area grew 4.2% from 2020 to 2025, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). Median household income in the Harrisburg-Carlisle metro area is $80,919, in line with the U.S. median of $80,734. Against the 2015–2019 survey, the median rose 24.7%, before inflation.
Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Harrisburg-Carlisle metro area runs highest on clothing, shoes and related services (an index of 110, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on pets (71).
Of the business types scored in the Harrisburg-Carlisle metro area, home repair companies (86), roofing and gutter companies (85) and HVAC and plumbing companies (85) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For home repair companies, that ranks #2 of 387 scored metro areas.
The Harrisburg-Carlisle metro area takes in 3 counties: Dauphin County, Cumberland County and Perry County. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for laundromats (25% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for oil change and quick-lube shops (43% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Harrisburg-Carlisle metro area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Harrisburg-Carlisle metro area with other metro areas for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among metro areas | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home repair trades | 86 | #2 of 387 | 253 | 10.3 | $3.1M | 127 | 269 |
| Roofing and gutters | 85 | #4 of 381 | 65 | 2.6 | $12M | 142 | 24 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 85 | #5 of 387 | 134 | 5.4 | $5.8M | 123 | 142 |
| Electricians | 82 | #5 of 383 | 54 | 2.2 | $14.5M | 121 | 103 |
| Home inspectors | 81 | #5 of 243 | 6 | 0.2 | Index only | 284 | 11 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 79 | #7 of 373 | 63 | 2.6 | Index only | 182 | 22 |
| Real estate | 77 | #14 of 387 | 706 | 28.7 | Index only | 146 | 321 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 75 | #21 of 387 | 570 | 23.2 | Index only | 144 | 168 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 75 | #27 of 387 | 207 | 8.4 | $4.8M | 128 | 107 |
| Property management | 74 | #20 of 374 | 67 | 2.7 | Index only | 120 | 69 |
| Dry cleaners | 74 | #22 of 272 | 26 | 1.1 | $21.5M | 137 | 17 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 74 | #42 of 387 | 329 | 13.4 | $1.7M | 133 | 182 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 73 | #45 of 387 | 490 | 19.9 | $1.1M | 129 | 218 |
| Spas and skin care | 71 | #32 of 387 | 186 | 7.6 | $1.3M | 153 | 54 |
| Oil change and quick lube | 70 | #46 of 290 | 10 | 0.4 | $21.9M | 160 | 14 |
| Convenience stores | 69 | #67 of 387 | 195 | 7.9 | $8.6M | 109 | 55 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 68 | #85 of 387 | 286 | 11.6 | $3.4M | 113 | 490 |
| Barbershops | 67 | #72 of 387 | 120 | 4.9 | $2.1M | 110 | 10 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 67 | #77 of 387 | 462 | 18.8 | $3.6M | 107 | 151 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 67 | #82 of 387 | 2,455 | 99.8 | $401K | 108 | 1,030 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 65 | #85 of 386 | 88 | 3.6 | $3.4M | 108 | 30 |
| Pest control | 64 | #78 of 345 | 31 | 1.3 | $10.2M | 100 | 15 |
| Chiropractors | 64 | #86 of 386 | 99 | 4.0 | $3M | 125 | 58 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 63 | #96 of 387 | 1,339 | 54.4 | $735K | 111 | 428 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 63 | #102 of 387 | 253 | 10.3 | $1.2M | 119 | 187 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | 59 | #61 of 197 | 11 | 0.4 | $27M | 110 | 17 |
| Gyms | 58 | #119 of 387 | 187 | 7.6 | $1.2M | 93 | 73 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 58 | #119 of 387 | 121 | 4.9 | $1.9M | 93 | 52 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 57 | #122 of 387 | 367 | 14.9 | $617K | 93 | 125 |
| Gas stations | 57 | #147 of 387 | 175 | 7.1 | $2.9M | 122 | 190 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 56 | #148 of 387 | 212 | 8.6 | $1.5M | 89 | 345 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 56 | #153 of 385 | 134 | 5.4 | $2.4M | 81 | 181 |
| Grocery stores | 56 | #157 of 387 | 183 | 7.4 | $9.1M | 98 | 96 |
| Funeral homes | 55 | #149 of 377 | 60 | 2.4 | $609K | 90 | 29 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 55 | #157 of 387 | 263 | 10.7 | $3.7M | 90 | 128 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 55 | #165 of 381 | 72 | 2.9 | $3M | 99 | 46 |
| Car washes and detailing | 53 | #177 of 387 | 105 | 4.3 | $2.1M | 83 | 26 |
| Tire shops | 53 | #188 of 386 | 85 | 3.5 | $2.6M | 103 | 38 |
| House cleaning | 52 | #163 of 375 | 47 | 1.9 | $6.8M | 106 | 149 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 51 | #159 of 347 | 59 | 2.4 | $3.8M | 94 | 73 |
| Laundromats | 51 | #174 of 364 | 50 | 2.0 | $11.2M | 89 | 19 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 51 | #178 of 387 | 1,062 | 43.2 | $235K | 110 | 422 |
| Auto repair and car care | 51 | #200 of 387 | 881 | 35.8 | $249K | 93 | 322 |
| Pizza | 50 | #199 of 387 | 242 | 9.8 | $4.1M | 80 | 490 |
| Child care and preschools | 49 | #200 of 387 | 167 | 6.8 | $850K | 85 | 166 |
| Insurance agencies | 48 | #196 of 387 | 320 | 13.0 | $1.2M | 99 | 222 |
| Hair salons | 47 | #216 of 387 | 582 | 23.7 | $428K | 99 | 255 |
| Pet stores | 46 | #225 of 382 | 46 | 1.9 | $3.5M | 77 | 11 |
| Nail salons | 46 | #230 of 387 | 147 | 6.0 | $1.7M | 101 | 96 |
| Auto repair shops | 46 | #239 of 387 | 536 | 21.8 | $409K | 92 | 240 |
| Veterinarians | 42 | #248 of 384 | 72 | 2.9 | $2.2M | 82 | 59 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 40 | #268 of 387 | 197 | 8.0 | $1.5M | 85 | 459 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 40 | #276 of 387 | 2,348 | 95.4 | $126K | 83 | 862 |
| Physical therapy | 36 | #309 of 386 | 165 | 6.7 | $1.8M | 75 | 111 |
| Pet businesses | 34 | #314 of 387 | 263 | 10.7 | $607K | 69 | 127 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 26 | #351 of 386 | 107 | 4.3 | $1.5M | 59 | 57 |
Household spending in the Harrisburg-Carlisle metro area
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $219.3M | $891 | 93 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $507.6M | $2,063 | 79 |
| Food away from home | $984.5M | $4,001 | 98 |
| Groceries | $1.7B | $6,793 | 108 |
| Personal care products and services | $249.1M | $1,012 | 101 |
| Child care and other personal services | $142M | $577 | 99 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $226.3M | $920 | 94 |
| Medical and dental services | $296.5M | $1,205 | 94 |
| Pets | $159.7M | $649 | 71 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $557.8M | $2,267 | 110 |
| Vehicle insurance | $398.6M | $1,620 | 83 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $781.5M | $3,176 | 105 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $317.3M | $1,289 | 91 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $4.5B | $18,170 | 109 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in the Harrisburg-Carlisle metro area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 617,427+4.2% since 2020
- Households
- 246,084
- Median age
- 40.7
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 68%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.8
- Land area
- 1,622 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 373
- Median household income
- $80,919+24.7% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $106,040
- Median home value
- $253,100
- Jobs located here
- 349,053
- Daytime population
- 676,005Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Harrisburg-Carlisle metro area?
These figures cover the whole metro area. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of the Harrisburg-Carlisle metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Counties in the Harrisburg-Carlisle metro area 3
- Dauphin County, PA289,593 people
- Cumberland County, PA268,323 people
- Perry County, PA46,239 people
Other markets based in Pennsylvania 12
- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area6,272,014 people
- Pittsburgh, PA metro area2,439,940 people
- Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metro area873,603 people
- Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA metro area569,788 people
- Lancaster, PA metro area557,931 people
- York-Hanover, PA metro area462,924 people
- Reading, PA metro area433,015 people
- Erie, PA metro area269,052 people
- State College, PA metro area158,576 people
- Chambersburg, PA metro area157,379 people
- Lebanon, PA metro area144,186 people
- Johnstown, PA metro area131,538 people
Questions
How fast is the Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA metro area growing?
Population estimates put the Harrisburg-Carlisle metro area at 617,427 people in 2025, up 4.2% since 2020, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 246,084 households. Median household income rose 24.7% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
How much do households in the Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA metro area spend?
Households in the Harrisburg-Carlisle metro area spend about $4.5B a year on rent and homeowner costs, $1.7B on groceries and $984.5M on food away from home. Set against the U.S., households in the Harrisburg-Carlisle metro area spend the most on clothing, shoes and related services (an index of 110, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on pets (71).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA metro area?
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Harrisburg-Carlisle metro area are for home repair companies (86), roofing and gutter companies (85) and HVAC and plumbing companies (85). The Harrisburg-Carlisle metro area ranks #2 of 387 scored metro areas for home repair companies.
How does the Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA metro area compare with the U.S.?
The median household income in the Harrisburg-Carlisle metro area is $80,919 a year, in line with the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 4.2% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $253,100, against $332,700 for the U.S. For its number of households, the Harrisburg-Carlisle metro area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for laundromats (25% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for oil change and quick-lube shops (43% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. All 56 business types have a score in the Harrisburg-Carlisle metro area, each ranked against other metro areas.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Harrisburg-Carlisle metro area. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
All markets in Pennsylvania · Every U.S. market · How we measure
Screening a site or an acquisition in the Harrisburg-Carlisle metro area?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of the Harrisburg-Carlisle metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.