Kings Gap Castle, 2009
Dickinson Township’s story
Dickinson Township in pictures
Census counts: 4,702 in 2000, 5,300 in 2020. The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 2009 and 5 maps from 1919 on.
Explore the history →
Dickinson TownshipPA
A town of 5,519.
4 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Christopher Meng · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
5,519
2025 Census estimate · +4.1% since 2020
Median home value
$391K
Census ACS
Household income
$105K
median
Median age
48.8
years
Jobs based here
907
A commuter town
TownGrade
B+
#501 of 1032 in PA
Is Dickinson Township a good place to live?
Dickinson Township is a solid, middle-of-the-road choice. It grades B+ overall, ranked 501st of 1032 in Pennsylvania, with no subject far below average. Its best mark is incomes: the median household earns $105K. It also does better than most on health: CDC estimates put its residents' health ahead of 66% of the country. A typical home there costs about $390K, 4.8 years of the Harrisburg metro’s $81K median household income. 40% of the land in Dickinson Township is conserved, where Pennsylvania’s towns sit at 8.2% and U.S. towns at 4.3%. Michaux State Forest, at 6,614 acres with 30.1 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 79% of U.S. towns.
What makes Dickinson Township stand out
Where Dickinson Township beats most towns.
A commuter town
97% of working residents leave Dickinson Township for work
Where Dickinson Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
907jobs based in Dickinson Township
3%of working residents work in town
18 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Dickinson Township grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Pennsylvania), ordered by how far Dickinson Township is from typical.
Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 19% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listA−Open →Jobs & incomeA−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 4.9 of 20; 1.7% of households have no car; 1.2% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC−Open →HealthUPMC Carlisle 6.8 miles awayB+Open →Cost of livingBOpen →SchoolsB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 69 attractions →Raven Rock Mountain Complex and 36 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Dickinson Township. Close and well known come first.
Big draw26 mi LandmarkRaven Rock Mountain Complex
9 mi National MonumentCarlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument
35 mi Theme parkHersheypark3.0M visitors a year
5 mi State parkPine Grove Furnace State Park
19 mi Ancient siteGettysburg Battlefield
19 mi LandmarkGettysburg National CemeterySources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Raven Rock Mountain Complex: US Government, Public domain · Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain · Hersheypark: Michael Gray, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Pine Grove Furnace State Park: Zeete, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Gettysburg Battlefield: Veggies, Public domain · Gettysburg National Cemetery: Photo: Henryhartley at en.wikipedia Statue: Randolph Rogers (1825-1892), Public domain
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Dickinson Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Dickinson Township, and how to reach them.
WaterMt Holly Springs Boro Auth water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet7 providers95% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Dickinson Township’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Pennsylvania you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person until 15 days before Election Day, or by mail (received 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereCumberland County Board of ElectionsCumberland County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jan 2025
ZIP codes17015, 17324, 1706517015 66% · 17324 30% · 17065 4%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Dickinson Township.
Dickinson Township keeps more of its land conserved than most of Pennsylvania and owes part of its health edge to its incomes, but it trails South Middleton Township and its other neighbors on schools.
OutdoorsA
Nearly a third of Dickinson Township is conserved land
Its 11,612 conserved acres are a larger share of the town than in 97% of Pennsylvania towns.
54 miles of trail in 4 parks and preserves. At 1.2 miles per square mile, Dickinson Township’s trail density is against 0.4 in Pennsylvania’s towns and 0.4 across U.S. towns.
#182for trails in PA
39.6%
conserved · 11,612 of 29,287 acres
54 mi
of trails · 1.2 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Michaux State Forest | 30.1 mi | 6,614 |
| 2. Kings Gap Environmental Education Center | 16.7 mi | 1,427 |
| 3. Mount Holly Marsh Preserve | — | 173 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SchoolsB−
Dickinson Township’s public schools outperform 51% of Pennsylvania districts
Each of its 3 graded neighbors has a higher School Grade than its B−, South Middleton Township highest at A−.
Its public schools are run by Carlisle Area SD. Its two schools are below.
51%of PA districts it outscoresB−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Dickinson El SchLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–5 | Grades K–5 | 193 | B+ |
| Blue Ridge Mennonite School PrivateLargest high schoolGrades K–10 | Grades K–10 | 50 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within PA on state tests and graduation
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A−
Dickinson Township faces a very low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 81% of U.S. communities. Since 1996, 6 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Dickinson Township.
19risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHurricanes
6
paid flood claims since 1996
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
Dickinson Township has 0.4 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Jobs based here grew from 594 in 2013 to 907.
Most working residents leave Dickinson Township for work: only 3% work in town. Since 2013, Dickinson Township has added 313 jobs, to 907 in 2023. 3.3% of Dickinson Township residents live below the poverty line.
3%work in town
| Dickinson Township | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 3.3% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $105,000 | $81,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.7% | 6.3% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Dickinson Township3%
Carlisle12%
South Middleton Township10%
Middlesex Township4%
Harrisburg4%
18 mi
median commute distance
907
jobs based in Dickinson Township
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 21% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Dickinson Township has four seasons and pleasant summers
Dickinson Township has chilly, snowy winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 86°, January nights drop to 22° and about 31 inches of snow falls in a winter.
31″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter24–41°
Spring40–62°
Summer62–84°
Fall44–65°
Oct 27
typical first frost
Apr 15
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HealthB+
For health, Dickinson Township earns a B+
Against the 7,884 U.S. towns with household incomes like Dickinson Township’s, it is less healthy than 56%: its national edge comes with its incomes.
Dickinson Township beats the Pennsylvania average on 1 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 2. 15% of adults report frequent mental distress in Dickinson Township.
66%healthier than U.S. townsB+Health Grade
| Dickinson Township | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 16% | 17% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 18% | 16% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 80% | 79% | 79% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 17% | 14% |
26 measures vs. Pennsylvania
1 better23 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Dickinson Township | PA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 10.2% | 14.5% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.2% | 8.8% |
UPMC Carlisle
6.8 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
62nd
percentile among PA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Who lives here
More middle-aged adults than Pennsylvania overall
Adults 35 to 64 are 44% of residents (38% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 17% of residents (22% statewide). The median age in Dickinson Township is 48.8 years. Dickinson Township has grown 4.1% since 2020, to 5,519 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate.
48.8median age · PA 40.9
| Dickinson Township | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.8 years | 43.2 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 37% | 29% | 29% |
| Under 18 | 20% | 20% | 22% |
| Aged 65 or older | 19% | 21% | 18% |
Dickinson TownshipPennsylvaniaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
20%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma6%
High school41%
Some college10%
Associate’s6%
Bachelor’s24%
Graduate13%
Women and men · all residents
49% women, 51% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±4.4 points. Across Pennsylvania, 50.7% of residents are women.
| Dickinson Township | PA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 7.9% | 10.8% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 11.6% | 9.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 10.3% | 9% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 7.1% | 13% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 10.1% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 14.4% | 11.9% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 19.6% | 13.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 15% | 11.4% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 4.1% | 8.1% | 7% |
| No diploma | 5.5% | 7.9% | 10.4% |
| High school | 41% | 32.9% | 26% |
| Some college | 10.1% | 15.1% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 6.3% | 8.9% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 24.3% | 20.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 12.8% | 14.3% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Dickinson Township
18pages on Dickinson Township
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Dickinson Township
Dickinson CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Carlisle8.5 mi$65,650 tuitionShippensburg University of PennsylvaniaUniversity or college · Public · Shippensburg13.8 mi$13,720 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Dickinson Township residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Pennsylvania.
About Dickinson Township
Township in Pennsylvania, US
Dickinson Township is a township in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 5,300 at the 2020 census, up from 5,223 at the 2010 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 46 sq mi
Dickinson Township’s neighbors
4 towns share a border with Dickinson Township.
West Pennsboro TownshipSouth Middleton TownshipPenn TownshipCooke TownshipDickinson Township
How the neighbors grade
| Town | PA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dickinson Township | #501 | B+ | B | — | B− | B+ |
| West Pennsboro Township | #589 | B | C+ | — | B+ | B− |
| South Middleton Township | #271 | A | B− | — | A− | B+ |
| Penn Township | #423 | B+ | B | — | B+ | C+ |
| Cooke Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Dickinson Township, West Pennsboro Township, South Middleton Township and Penn Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Cooke Township isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Dickinson Township with a neighbor →
Questions about Dickinson Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Dickinson Township, PA a good place to live?
By most measures, yes. Dickinson Township grades B+ overall, better than 66% of U.S. towns and #501 of 1032 in Pennsylvania. It grades B+ for health and B− for schools. Walkability is its weak spot, with a C−.
Is Dickinson Township, PA expensive?
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B.