Jobs, pay and daily life in Hershey, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Hershey is a city in Pennsylvania with 14,242 residents. The median household earns $78,587 a year and the median rent is $1,268 a month, which is 19.4% of the median household income. It is part of the Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA metropolitan area, where BLS counts 335,010 jobs.
How Hershey compares. Among the 100 largest places in Pennsylvania, Hershey is #48 by population, #1 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #15 for college degrees (#1 = most), #34 for remote work (#1 = most). Its county, Dauphin County, is #9 of 67 counties for average pay ($68,012).
Hershey has 14,242 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.1% of the population of Pennsylvania. It covers 14 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 996 people per square mile. The median age is 38.6, 6% younger than the state median (38.6 against 40.9). It is a census-designated place: a community the Census Bureau counts as a unit, without a city government of its own, so services such as police, roads and zoning usually come from the county.
The median gross rent is $1,268 a month (rent plus utilities), 5% above the state median ($1,268 against $1,209). Over a year that is 19.4% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $379,200, which is 4.8 times the median household income ($78,587). 53.7% of households own their home, 23% below the state average (53.7% against 69.3%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA metropolitan area has 335,010 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $49,610 a year, about the same as the national median ($49,610 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are transportation and material moving (44,300 jobs, median $44,830); office and administrative support (38,700 jobs, median $47,260); business and financial operations (25,110 jobs, median $76,910). The area is most specialised in transportation and material moving (1.5 times) and healthcare support (1.3 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($109,780) and computer and mathematical ($95,580). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Dauphin County was 3.2%. 63.5% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Dauphin County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 63.7% drive alone, 0.3% use public transit, 8.2% walk, 16.4% work from home. 3.7% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 77% below the state average (3.7% against 16.4%).
50.2% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 43% above the state share (50.2% against 35.2%). 13.1% of residents were born outside the United States, 69% above the state share (13.1% against 7.7%). The poverty rate is 17.6%, 51% above the state rate (17.6% against 11.7%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 75°F (23.9°C), and the coolest is Jan at 27°F (-2.8°C). About 1,153 mm (45 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Sep is the wettest month (119 mm) and Feb the driest (68 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Middletown (7 miles, similar rent); Colonial Park (9 miles, rent 10% higher); Elizabethtown (9 miles, rent 7% lower); Progress (10 miles, similar rent). Rent differences are against Hershey; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Pennsylvania (519) →State guide: PennsylvaniaCountry guideDauphin CountyPennsylvania rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 519 federal postings open in Pennsylvania (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Pennsylvania →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 13,040 | 1.41 | $29,050 | $26,260 | $37,310 | -19% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 11,760 | 1.85 | $43,640 | $35,320 | $56,580 | +8% |
| Registered Nurses | 9,210 | 1.26 | $96,770 | $76,760 | $116,450 | -1% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 8,240 | 1.35 | $36,790 | $27,660 | $48,640 | -1% |
| General and Operations Managers | 8,180 | 1.08 | $101,890 | $50,970 | $216,350 | -4% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 8,030 | 0.97 | $28,070 | $22,100 | $35,580 | -10% |
| Retail Salespersons | 7,640 | 0.91 | $30,500 | $23,100 | $45,550 | -14% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 6,800 | 1.53 | $61,520 | $47,360 | $82,280 | +5% |
| Office Clerks, General | 6,380 | 1.20 | $44,100 | $31,870 | $60,320 | -2% |
| Cashiers | 5,640 | 0.85 | $29,330 | $22,680 | $35,270 | -11% |
| Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators | 5,150 | 3.09 | $45,950 | $38,220 | $62,640 | -1% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 5,040 | 0.90 | $42,600 | $29,230 | $61,710 | -5% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 4,510 | 1.46 | $65,880 | $46,890 | $94,020 | -5% |
| Nursing Assistants | 4,490 | 1.44 | $43,940 | $37,610 | $46,540 | +4% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 4,240 | 0.89 | $36,710 | $28,210 | $46,370 | -0% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 3,920 | 0.80 | $34,260 | $18,040 | $62,800 | -3% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 3,770 | 1.03 | $47,430 | $35,420 | $61,550 | -0% |
| Light Truck Drivers | 3,470 | 1.64 | $48,020 | $28,370 | $93,830 | +7% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 3,210 | 1.03 | $76,510 | $50,850 | $111,970 | -9% |
| Management Analysts | 3,080 | 1.59 | $79,930 | $60,320 | $129,840 | -22% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Executives | 520 | 1.17 | $209,140 | $118,080 | $522,640 | -2% |
| Physicians, All Other | 1,310 | 1.77 | $156,000 | $67,200 | $428,170 | -41% |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 1,360 | 0.94 | $146,300 | $100,300 | $207,510 | -16% |
| Pharmacists | 750 | 1.08 | $135,480 | $122,140 | $162,240 | -4% |
| Financial Managers | 1,660 | 0.92 | $133,080 | $77,640 | $234,150 | -20% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 500 | 0.71 | $132,670 | $103,430 | $159,260 | +0% |
| Lawyers | 1,930 | 1.19 | $131,440 | $79,010 | $218,460 | -18% |
| Marketing Managers | 640 | 0.75 | $128,830 | $74,690 | $208,030 | -23% |
| Sales Managers | 890 | 0.65 | $126,050 | $69,270 | $214,390 | -15% |
| Managers, All Other | 1,460 | 1.09 | $125,420 | $78,650 | $179,320 | -12% |
| Physician Assistants | 580 | 1.65 | $123,110 | $71,960 | $157,730 | -9% |
| Software Developers | 2,580 | 0.71 | $109,470 | $76,190 | $162,260 | -19% |
| Administrative Services Managers | 520 | 0.91 | $109,470 | $80,480 | $159,600 | -4% |
| Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary | 820 | 1.16 | $103,850 | $73,640 | $160,110 | -2% |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 1,950 | 1.52 | $103,340 | $63,190 | $162,350 | -17% |
| General and Operations Managers | 8,180 | 1.08 | $101,890 | $50,970 | $216,350 | -4% |
| Physical Therapists | 640 | 1.11 | $100,160 | $77,140 | $131,860 | -3% |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | 1,680 | 1.79 | $100,110 | $61,710 | $136,180 | -14% |
| Industrial Engineers | 530 | 0.67 | $98,380 | $67,850 | $136,340 | -4% |
| Project Management Specialists | 1,910 | 0.83 | $97,850 | $59,880 | $155,690 | -4% |
These figures are for the whole Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $49,610 (US $50,980); unemployment 2.9% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 36.4% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 12.1% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 9.5% |
| Retail trade | 8.4% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 7.2% |
| Manufacturing | 6.2% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 5.9% |
| Public administration | 4.3% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 3.9% |
| Construction | 2.9% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.5% |
| Other services | 1.5% |
| Information | 0.4% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Hershey lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dauphin County | 289,593 | $28,909 million | $99,828 | 190,296 | 7,552 | $68,012 | +1.3% | 3.2% | 150,236 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 39,478 | 25.9% | $72,781 | 1.45 |
| Retail trade | 13,747 | 9.0% | $36,338 | 0.72 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 13,694 | 9.0% | $58,359 | 1.70 |
| Accommodation and food services | 12,508 | 8.2% | $26,473 | 0.72 |
| Manufacturing | 12,447 | 8.2% | $81,746 | 0.80 |
| Administrative and waste services | 9,317 | 6.1% | $44,831 | 0.83 |
| Professional and technical services | 8,144 | 5.4% | $101,399 | 0.62 |
| Wholesale trade | 6,892 | 4.5% | $85,005 | 0.92 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 6,317 | 4.2% | $28,205 | 1.97 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 6,138 | 4.0% | $54,178 | 1.07 |
| Construction | 6,052 | 4.0% | $84,308 | 0.61 |
| Finance and insurance | 5,516 | 3.6% | $109,541 | 0.71 |
| Management of companies | 4,304 | 2.8% | $170,600 | 1.34 |
| Educational services | 3,809 | 2.5% | $56,126 | 0.97 |
| Real estate and rental | 1,805 | 1.2% | $68,997 | 0.61 |
| Information | 1,466 | 1.0% | $82,141 | 0.41 |
| Utilities | 290 | 0.2% | $126,974 | 0.40 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 188 | 0.1% | $35,997 | 0.12 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 57 | 0.0% | $94,998 | 0.08 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 63.7% |
| Public transit | 0.3% |
| Walk | 8.2% |
| Work from home | 16.4% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 3.7% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $78,587 |
| Income per person | $49,882 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,268 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 19.4% |
| Median home value | $379,200 |
| Homeowners | 53.7% |
| Poverty rate | 17.6% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 98.7 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $49,610 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 3.07%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 38.6 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 92.4% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 50.2% |
| Born abroad | 13.1% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 63.5% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -2.8 | 27 | 70 |
| Feb | -1.8 | 29 | 68 |
| Mar | 3.1 | 38 | 82 |
| Apr | 9.8 | 50 | 94 |
| May | 15.9 | 61 | 106 |
| Jun | 20.9 | 70 | 115 |
| Jul | 23.9 | 75 | 116 |
| Aug | 23.1 | 74 | 105 |
| Sep | 19.1 | 66 | 119 |
| Oct | 11.9 | 53 | 109 |
| Nov | 5.3 | 42 | 77 |
| Dec | -0.1 | 32 | 92 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Middletown | PA | 7 mi | 9,632 | $55,765 | $1,234 |
| Colonial Park | PA | 9 mi | 18,032 | $73,105 | $1,392 |
| Elizabethtown | PA | 9 mi | 11,925 | $76,105 | $1,174 |
| Progress | PA | 10 mi | 11,017 | $73,030 | $1,233 |
| Lebanon | PA | 12 mi | 26,536 | $48,456 | $992 |
| Harrisburg | PA | 13 mi | 50,287 | $48,099 | $1,062 |
| Columbia | PA | 19 mi | 10,278 | $54,437 | $1,075 |
| Mechanicsburg | PA | 20 mi | 9,720 | $84,421 | $1,083 |
| Lititz | PA | 20 mi | 9,619 | $88,576 | $1,364 |
| East York | PA | 22 mi | 9,388 | $88,021 | $1,356 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
14,242 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,268 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 19.4% of the median household income.
$78,587 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.2% (BLS county, Dauphin County (latest month 2026M09)).
Pennsylvania. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.