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Cost of Living in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Rent, everyday costs and taxes in Harrisburg, what each job keeps after paying them, and how the city compares with the rest of the US.

Population
50,522
Median household income
$48,099
Cost of living (US = 100)
98.7
Unemployment rate
11.4%

Is Harrisburg a good place to live?

Harrisburg sits in the middle for take-home money: a typical worker keeps more here than in 86 of 178 other large cities, so whether it pays off depends on your job.

A typical worker in Harrisburg keeps $7,086 a year after taxes, rent and everyday costs. Try your job

  • Cost of living1% below the US average (BEA, 2024)
  • Rent$1,175 a month for a 1-bedroom (HUD)
  • Taxes$1,523 of state income tax on a typical wage, plus $1,148 of local income tax

Cost of living in Harrisburg

Prices in the Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA area run 1% below the US average. Utilities is the biggest difference, at 8% above the US average.

  • Housing4% below the US average
  • Goods (food, clothing, cars)1% above the US average
  • Utilities8% above the US average
  • Other services (healthcare and more)2% below the US average
  • All items1% below the US average

Monthly budget for one person

CostMonthlyYearly
Rent, 1-bedroom$1,175$14,100
Food$497$5,964
Transportation$393$4,716
Healthcare$344$4,128
Utilities$282$3,384
Total before taxes$2,691$32,292

Rent by apartment size

Monthly rentHarrisburgWhole metro area
Studio$1,066$1,166
1 bedroom$1,175$1,285
2 bedrooms$1,462$1,598
3 bedrooms$1,879$2,055
4 bedrooms$1,920$2,100

Living in Harrisburg

How Harrisburg compares with the US on income, housing, work and commuting (Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024 5-year).

MeasureHarrisburgUS
Median household income$48,099$81,604
Median home value$124,200$360,600
Median rent paid$1,062$1,487
Households renting63.4%34.7%
Unemployment rate11.4%4.6%
Living below the poverty line30.5%12.2%
Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher25.9%36.9%
Median age33.4 years39.2 years
Average commute, one way20.1 minutes27.2 minutes
Working from home15.8%13.3%
Commuting by public transit5.2%3.7%

Home internet

5 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Harrisburg, led by PA.net, Xfinity, Verizon, T-Mobile. Fiber reaches 80.1% of homes and 44.9% can get gigabit speeds.

Pros and cons of living in Harrisburg

Pros

  • Shorter commutes. The average one-way commute is 20.1 minutes, against 27.2 nationally.
  • Affordable homes to buy. The median home is worth $124,200, against $360,600 nationally.
  • Cheaper rent. Median rent is $1,062 a month, against $1,487 nationally.

Cons

  • Higher unemployment. Unemployment is 11.4%, against 4.6% nationally (ACS 2020–2024 5-year).
  • Higher poverty rate. 30.5% of residents live below the poverty line, against 12.2% nationally.
  • Lower incomes. Median household income is $48,099, against $81,604 nationally.
  • Local income tax. Residents also pay Harrisburg city and school district earned income tax (resident rate) and Harrisburg Local Services Tax income tax: $1,148 on a typical wage.

What your job keeps in Harrisburg

Pick a job, or enter your salary, to see what's left after federal, payroll, state and local taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.

Typical worker in Harrisburg, PA
Typical salary
$49,610
Federal income tax
−$3,773
Payroll taxes
−$3,795
State income tax
−$1,523
Local income tax
−$1,148
Rent, 1-bedroom
−$14,100
Everyday costs
−$18,185
You keep$7,086

a year, or $591 a month

Pay: BLS OEWS Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA. Rent: HUD FY2027. Taxes: 2026 federal, state and local schedules for a single filer.

From $49,610 gross, deductions leave $7,086 a year.
Salary$49,610Federal income tax−$3,773Payroll taxes−$3,795State income tax−$1,523Local income tax−$1,148Rent, 1-bedroom−$14,100Everyday costs−$18,185You keep$7,086

What the most common jobs keep here

The 10 jobs we cover with the most workers in the Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA area.

JobMedian payYou keep
Lawyer$131,440$62,000
Software engineer$109,470$47,852
Project manager$97,850$40,265
Registered nurse$96,770$39,561
Police officer$84,470$31,532
Accountant$76,510$26,335
Teacher$75,533$25,697
Licensed practical nurse$62,680$16,924
Truck driver$61,520$16,052
Nursing assistant$43,940$2,817

Other jobs, A–Z

What each keeps in Harrisburg on its median pay. Pick one in the calculator above for the full breakdown.

  • Auto mechanic $7,032
  • Carpenter $13,168
  • Civil engineer $37,640
  • Data scientist $39,554
  • Dental assistant $5,437
  • Dental hygienist $31,289
  • Dentist $102,011
  • Diesel mechanic $17,926
  • Electrician $23,274
  • Financial analyst $29,501
  • Firefighter $16,985
  • HVAC technician $16,842
  • Lineman $45,735
  • Mechanical engineer $38,404
  • Medical assistant $2,728
  • Nurse practitioner $62,779
  • Occupational therapist $40,520
  • Paralegal $15,178
  • Paramedic $15,200
  • Pharmacist $64,557
  • Pharmacy technician −$194
  • Physical therapist $41,774
  • Physician assistant $56,730
  • Plumber $24,410
  • Radiologic technologist $24,526
  • Respiratory therapist $27,797
  • Social worker $15,506
  • Speech-language pathologist $34,913
  • Veterinarian $62,830
  • Welder $9,132

Local income tax: Harrisburg levies the Local Services Tax at $156 under its financial recovery plan (the statewide limit is $52).

Compare Harrisburg with other cities

Compare Harrisburg with another city: any city or state, any of our 40 jobs.

Moving to Harrisburg

1 licensed interstate mover is based in Harrisburg, and 14 more elsewhere in the Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA area (FMCSA, household-goods authority).

More cities in Pennsylvania

Questions people ask

Is Harrisburg, PA a good place to live?

Harrisburg sits in the middle for take-home money: a typical worker keeps more here than in 86 of 178 other large cities, so whether it pays off depends on your job. The typical worker here earns $49,610 and keeps $7,086 a year after federal, payroll and state taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.

What is the cost of living in Harrisburg?

Prices in the Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA area are 1% below the US average (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024). A 1-bedroom rents for $1,175 a month (HUD fair market rent, FY2027), and everyday costs for one person, covering food, transportation, healthcare and utilities, come to about $1,515 a month.

How much do you need to earn to live in Harrisburg?

A single person renting a 1-bedroom alone needs about $40,200 a year before tax to cover taxes, rent and everyday costs, with nothing left over. The typical worker in the Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA area earns $49,610.

What is the average rent in Harrisburg?

HUD's fair market rent for FY2027 is $1,066 for a studio, $1,175 for a 1-bedroom and $1,462 for a 2-bedroom. The Census Bureau puts the median rent paid in Harrisburg at $1,062 a month (2024).

Does Harrisburg have a state or city income tax?

Yes. On a typical wage of $49,610, Pennsylvania state income tax comes to about $1,523 a year. Harrisburg residents also pay Harrisburg city and school district earned income tax (resident rate) and Harrisburg Local Services Tax income tax, about $1,148 on the same wage.

What internet providers serve Harrisburg?

5 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Harrisburg, led by PA.net, Xfinity, Verizon, T-Mobile. 80.1% of homes can get fiber and 44.9% can get gigabit speeds (FCC National Broadband Map).

Sources and method

Everyday costs: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024 (one-person households) × CPI-U to August 2026 × BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Taxes assume a single filer with the standard deduction and wage income only.

Data compiled October 13, 2026. How we calculate