Dauphin County vs Luzerne County
A side-by-side comparison of Dauphin County and Luzerne County: population, income, housing, and more.
Dauphin County and Luzerne County are counties in Pennsylvania. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Luzerne County has the higher population (325,978 vs 287,484 in Dauphin County). Dauphin County has the higher median household income ($74,159 vs $62,321 in Luzerne County). Dauphin County has the higher median home value ($222,300 vs $163,800 in Luzerne County).
Population, income & housing
| Dauphin County | Luzerne County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 287,484 | 325,978 |
| Median age | 39.4 yrs | 42.1 yrs |
| Median household income | $74,159 | $62,321 |
| Median home value | $222,300 | $163,800 |
| Median gross rent | $1,153 | $958 |
| Housing units | 127,259 | 151,012 |
| Homeownership rate | 63.3% | 67.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.3% | 25.0% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 5.7% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Dauphin County | Luzerne County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 275,632 → 287,484 (+4.3%) | 317,663 → 325,978 (+2.6%) |
| Median household income | $60,715 → $74,159 (+22.1%) | $53,473 → $62,321 (+16.5%) |
| Median home value | $167,900 → $222,300 (+32.4%) | $127,000 → $163,800 (+29.0%) |
| Median gross rent | $949 → $1,153 (+21.5%) | $785 → $958 (+22.0%) |
Dauphin County
275,632287,484
$60,715$74,159
$167,900$222,300
$949$1,153
Luzerne County
317,663325,978
$53,473$62,321
$127,000$163,800
$785$958
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Dauphin County | Luzerne County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 6.0% | 5.3% |
| 5 to 17 | 16.5% | 15.0% |
| 18 to 24 | 8.2% | 8.5% |
| 25 to 34 | 13.8% | 12.6% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.3% | 12.0% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.2% | 12.7% |
| 55 to 64 | 13.3% | 14.0% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.7% | 11.5% |
| 75 and over | 7.0% | 8.4% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Dauphin County | Luzerne County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 61.7% | 75.9% |
| Black or African American | 16.7% | 4.1% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| Asian | 6.1% | 1.1% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Some other race | 0.5% | 0.2% |
| Two or more races | 3.6% | 2.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 11.3% | 15.9% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Dauphin County | Luzerne County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 8.5% | 9.3% |
| High school graduate | 32.1% | 37.1% |
| Some college or associate's | 25.1% | 28.6% |
| Bachelor's degree | 21.9% | 15.3% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 12.4% | 9.6% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Dauphin County | Luzerne County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 70.8% | 76.0% |
| Carpooled | 8.3% | 10.1% |
| Public transit | 1.4% | 0.7% |
| Walked | 2.8% | 2.6% |
| Bicycle | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| Worked from home | 14.8% | 9.3% |
| Other means | 1.8% | 1.2% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Dauphin County | Luzerne County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 49.7% | 64.1% |
| 1-unit, attached | 22.4% | 13.5% |
| 2 to 4 units | 8.3% | 11.0% |
| 5 to 19 units | 10.4% | 3.8% |
| 20 or more units | 6.5% | 4.4% |
| Mobile home & other | 2.7% | 3.1% |
Poverty & households
| Dauphin County | Luzerne County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 12.3% | 15.4% |
| Average household size | 2.35 | 2.36 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 22 | 24 |
| Median year structure built | 1970 | 1959 |
Full profiles
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