Department of Numbers

Dauphin County Pennsylvania Residential Rent and Rental Statistics

The median monthly gross residential rent in Dauphin County PA was $953 in 2019 according to the Census ACS survey.1 Average gross rent in Dauphin County was $940 in 2019. The median rent more accurately depicts rental rates in the middle of the distribution of rents and is thus preferred in the analysis below. 2020 Dauphin County median and average rent data will be released in September of 2021.

Data is also available below for Dauphin County rental vacancy rates, Dauphin County rent as a percent of median income and the fraction of renters in Dauphin County.

Show dollars as: Nominal Real

Real Gross Rent in Dauphin County Pennsylvania (2019 dollars)2

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US Median Gross Rent $1,097 +1.86% +6.82%
Pennsylvania Median Gross Rent $951 +0.74% +3.03%
Dauphin County PA Median Gross Rent $953 +1.71% +1.17%

Dauphin County PA Real Gross Rent Trends

Median gross rent for Dauphin County peaked in real terms in 2017 at $964 and is now $11 (1.14%) lower. Average gross rent for Dauphin County peaked in real terms in 2017 at $988 and is now $48 (4.86%) lower.

Real Gross Rent: Dauphin County PA Median, Dauphin County PA Average, Pennsylvania Median, US Median

Lower quartile, median and upper quartile real gross rent

Real Gross Rent History for Dauphin County

Date US
Median
Pennsylvania
Median
Dauphin County PA
Median
Dauphin County PA
Average
2019 $1,097 $951 $953 $940
2018 $1,077 $944 $937 $935
2017 $1,043 $921 $964 $988
2016 $1,027 $923 $942 $935
2015 $1,017 $921 $926 $914
2014 $986 $895 $873 $861
2013 $953 $872 $879 $880
2012 $940 $849 $889 $884
2011 $941 $849 $885 $866
2010 $955 $853 $879 $855
2009 $960 $841 $875 $856

more history ...

Dauphin County Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate is the fraction of homes for rent that are not occupied.3 In 2019 the rental vacancy rate for Dauphin County Pennsylvania was 6.83% according to Census ACS data.

Rental Vacancy Rate in Dauphin County Pennsylvania

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 5.97% -0.18% +0.08%
Pennsylvania 4.87% -0.42% -0.90%
Dauphin County PA 6.83% +1.61%

Trends in Dauphin County PA Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate in Dauphin County peaked in 2005 at 14.31%. Since then it has fallen by 7.48% to 6.83%. Data records for this series originated in 2005. From a 2016 post peak low of 5.22%, the rental vacancy rate has increased by 1.61%.

Rental Vacancy Rate: Dauphin County PA, Pennsylvania, US

Rental vacancy rate in Pennsylvania

Historical Rental Vacancy Rate data for Dauphin County

Date US Pennsylvania Dauphin County PA
2019 5.97% 4.87% 6.83%
2018 6.15% 5.29%
2017 6.18% 5.84% 7.60%
2016 5.89% 5.77% 5.22%
2015 5.85% 5.77% 7.60%
2014 6.32% 6.40% 5.30%
2013 6.49% 5.78% 7.29%
2012 6.77% 5.88% 7.85%
2011 7.40% 6.13% 8.36%
2010 8.17% 6.47% 10.85%
2009 8.43% 6.80% 7.46%

more history ...

Rent as a Fraction of Income

Using median household income data for Dauphin County, we can calculate the fraction of income the median household would use to pay rent at the median monthly gross rent rate. For Dauphin County, median monthly gross rent as a fraction of median household income was 18.83% in 2019 according to the ACS.

Dauphin County Pennsylvania Median Annual Rent as a Fraction of Median Household Income

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 20.03% -0.47% -0.40%
Pennsylvania 17.98% -0.28% -0.60%
Dauphin County PA 18.83% -0.27% +0.93%

Trends in Dauphin County PA Rent as a Fraction of Income

The fraction of median Dauphin County household income required to pay median monthly gross rent peaked in 2015 (relative to the 2005 series origin) at 19.32%. Since then it has fallen by 0.49% to 18.83%.

Fraction of Income towards Rent: Dauphin County PA, Pennsylvania, US

Percent of median household income going towards median monthly gross rent in Dauphin County Pennsylvania

Historical Data for Annual Rent as a Fraction of Income in Dauphin County Pennsylvania

Date US Pennsylvania Dauphin County PA
2019 20.03% 17.98% 18.83%
2018 20.50% 18.26% 19.10%
2017 20.13% 18.10% 18.21%
2016 20.43% 18.58% 17.90%
2015 20.63% 18.70% 19.32%
2014 20.89% 19.12% 18.73%
2013 20.78% 19.11% 18.62%
2012 20.65% 18.69% 19.21%
2011 20.70% 18.78% 18.95%
2010 20.50% 18.58% 18.10%
2009 20.12% 17.88% 18.91%

more history ...

Renter Fraction in Dauphin County Pennsylvania

You can calculate the renter fraction in Dauphin County in at least two ways: by housing units or by population. I've gone with the housing units measure here. This measure looks at the number of renting households in Dauphin County as a fraction of total Dauphin County households. In 2019 36.62% of households were renters according to Census ACS data.

Dauphin County Fraction of Renters by Household Units

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 35.89% -0.16% -0.99%
Pennsylvania 31.59% +0.19% +0.09%
Dauphin County PA 36.62% -1.22% +0.41%

Trends in the Dauphin County PA Renter Fraction

The Dauphin County household renter fraction peaked in in 2018 at 37.84% and is now 1.22% below that level. The origin year for the series is 2005.

Fraction of Renting Households: Dauphin County PA, Pennsylvania, US

Fraction of renters in Dauphin County

History of Dauphin County Renter Fraction

Date US Pennsylvania Dauphin County PA
2019 35.89% 31.59% 36.62%
2018 36.05% 31.40% 37.84%
2017 36.13% 31.70% 35.28%
2016 36.88% 31.50% 36.21%
2015 36.97% 31.28% 37.14%
2014 36.90% 31.17% 35.92%
2013 36.50% 31.05% 35.82%
2012 36.09% 31.09% 37.35%
2011 35.42% 30.51% 36.26%
2010 34.65% 29.87% 34.64%
2009 34.13% 29.48% 35.93%

more history ...

1. Gross rent is defined as contract rent plus the estimated average monthly cost of utilities (electricity, gas, water, and sewer) and fuel (oil, coal, kerosene, wood, etc.). Because some rentals include utilities and others don't, gross rent is a way of normalizing the variability.

2. Real dollars are calculated using the CPI-U less shelter series.

3. The rental vacancy rate is computed by dividing the number of vacant units for rent by the sum of the renter-occupied units, vacant units that are for rent, and vacant units that have been rented but not yet occupied.