Epsy Bluff, Pa. Oil Regions, 1860
Espy’s story
200 years in pictures
The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 1860 and 6 maps from 1894 on.
- 1826Espy is settled
EspyPA
Population
1,624
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$167K
Census ACS
Household income
$79K
median
Median age
49.5
years
Jobs based here
382
A commuter town
Is Espy a good place to live?
Espy’s average commute is 17 minutes, against 26 minutes in Pennsylvania’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. Only 8 of the 1,036 Pennsylvania towns we compare have a lower share of working residents who work in town than Espy. Espy’s trail network density is 1.5 miles per square mile, where Pennsylvania’s towns sit at 0.4 and U.S. towns at 0.4. We don’t grade Espy yet; the figures below are still real.
What makes Espy stand out
Where Espy beats most towns.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Espy for work
Where Espy’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
382jobs based in Espy
1%of working residents work in town
10 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Getting set up
Moving to Espy: who provides what
Espy is unincorporated, so Columbia County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerPPL Electric Utilities18.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterVeolia Water Pa Inc BloomsburgNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesColumbia CountyColumbia County provides services here
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 hereColumbia County Board of ElectionsColumbia County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2017
ZIP code1781517815 100%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 Espy.
Work & commute
Most of Espy’s workers commute out: the town has 0.6 jobs for each of them
Only 1% of working residents stay in Espy for work; the rest commute out. For residents here, the share who live below the poverty line is 2.3%. The top destinations are Bloomsburg (11%), South Centre Township (10%) and Mahoning Township (8%).
1%work in town
| Espy | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 2.3% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $79,000 | $81,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Espy1%
Bloomsburg11%
South Centre Township10%
Mahoning Township8%
Scott Township6%
10 mi
median commute distance
382
jobs based in Espy
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazards
Natural hazards: high risk in Espy, mostly inland flooding
Espy’s FEMA risk score comes in at 77 of 100. FEMA puts 88% of the town’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding.
77risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland flooding
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Expect four seasons and pleasant summers in Espy
In July, afternoons reach 84°; in January, nights fall to 19°, and about 29 inches of snow falls in a winter.
29″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter21–38°
Spring37–60°
Summer59–82°
Fall42–63°
Oct 20
typical first frost
Apr 27
typical last frost
+1.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Who lives here
Fewer children than Pennsylvania overall
Children under 18 are 14% of residents (21% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 43% of residents (38% statewide). In Espy, the age of the median resident is 49.5 years. Among adults 25 and older, 36% have a four-year degree or more, against 35% across Pennsylvania. The share of residents in Espy who are 65 or older: 23%.
49.5median age · PA 40.9
| Espy | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 14% | 20% | 22% |
| Median age | 49.5 years | 43.2 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 23% | 21% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 36% | 29% | 29% |
EspyPennsylvaniaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
17%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma7%
High school29%
Some college16%
Associate’s12%
Bachelor’s26%
Graduate10%
Women and men · all residents
59% women, 41% men
About 68 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±6.6 points). Across Pennsylvania, 50.7% of residents are women.
| Espy | PA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 6.5% | 10.8% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 7.1% | 9.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 6.5% | 9% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 13.5% | 13% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.9% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 14.6% | 11.9% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 16.7% | 13.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 15.7% | 11.4% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 7.5% | 8.1% | 7% |
| No diploma | 6.9% | 7.9% | 10.4% |
| High school | 28.9% | 32.9% | 26% |
| Some college | 16% | 15.1% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 12.1% | 8.9% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 26.1% | 20.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 10% | 14.3% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,600, single groups can be off by several points
Health
How healthy Espy is
Just over a quarter of adults get no exercise outside work in Espy. In Espy, 17% of adults binge drink, and 37% have obesity.
| Espy | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 81% | 79% | 79% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 18% | 16% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 37% | 35% | 35% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 24% | 25% |
26 measures vs. Pennsylvania
0 better22 too close to call4 worse
| What stands out | Espy | PA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 9% | 7.7% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.2% | 8.8% |
| More adults with arthritis | 35.1% | 30.4% |
Geisinger-Bloomsburg Hospital
1.9 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: dental
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Outdoors
Conserved land covers 1.6% of Espy
In 2 parks and preserves, walkers have 1.6 miles of trail.
1.6%conserved
1.6%
conserved · 11 of 703 acres
1.6 mi
of trails · 1.5 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Scott Township Schools Park | — | 3 |
| 2. Espy Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Housing
Homes in Espy sell for about $241K
In Espy, the median rent is $1,101 a month. Nearly three quarters of Espy households live in a home they own.
$241Kmedian sale price
| Espy | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 74% | 78% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,101 a month | $1,115 a month | $1,185 a month |
2
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Espy
16pages on Espy
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Espy
About 3 of every 100 Espy residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Pennsylvania.
About Espy
Unincorporated community in Pennsylvania, US
Espy is a census-designated place (CDP) in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of Northeastern Pennsylvania. The population was 1,620 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Bloomsburg-Berwick micropolitan area. Espy was first settled in the late 18th century. It was home to a boatyard in the 19th century.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 480 ft
Espy’s neighbors
3 towns share a border with Espy.
AlmediaScott TownshipMain TownshipEspy
How the neighbors grade
| Town | PA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Espy | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Almedia | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Scott Township | #533 | B | C | B+ | A | B |
| Main Township | — | — | C+ | — | B− | B |
Main Township has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Main Township reports no FBI crime data of its own. Espy and Almedia aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Espy with a neighbor →
Questions about Espy
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Espy, PA a good place to live?
We don’t grade Espy yet; the figures below are still real.