Clothing store, Gratz, PA, June 2025, 2025
Gratz’s story
221 years in pictures
Census counts: 313 in 1860, 743 in 2020. The archive holds 10 old photos and papers going back to 2025 and 6 maps from 1892 on.
- 1805Gratz is settled
GratzPA
Photo: Shuvaev · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
750
2025 Census estimate · +0.1% since 2020
Median home value
$147K
Census ACS
Median age
52.3
years
Jobs based here
882
A job hub
Is Gratz a good place to live?
25% of residents live below the poverty line in Gratz, above both the Pennsylvania town median (7.6%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). Among 1,036 Pennsylvania towns, just 10 have a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Gratz. The biggest park or preserve is State Game Lands Number 264, at 186 acres. Gratz has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Gratz stand out
Where Gratz beats most towns.
Small town
750 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Gratz: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Gratz, and how to reach them.
PowerPPL Electric Utilities18.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterGratz Boro Water Revenue FundNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Gratz’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 hereDauphin County Board of ElectionsDauphin County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2022
ZIP codes17048, 1703017048 50% · 17030 50%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 Gratz.
Work & commute
Gratz has 3.5 jobs for every working resident, and 859 people commute in
Most working residents leave Gratz for work: only 9% work in town. Jobs based in Gratz grew to 882 in 2023, 363 more than in 2013. The average trip to work in Gratz is 22 minutes.
9%work in town
| Gratz | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 9.2% | 6.3% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Gratz9%
Washington Township10%
Lykens Township5%
Harrisburg4%
Mifflin Township4%
15 mi
median commute distance
882
jobs based in Gratz
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazards
Gratz faces a low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 75% of U.S. communities.
25risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHurricanes
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
17.9%conserved
17.9%
conserved · 335 of 1,876 acres
0.2 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. State Game Lands Number 264 | — | 186 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Climate
In Gratz, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Gratz has chilly winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 21° and about 28 inches of snow falls in a winter.
28″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter23–38°
Spring39–60°
Summer61–81°
Fall43–63°
Oct 16
typical first frost
May 1
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
A larger share of adults smoke cigarettes in Gratz than in most of Pennsylvania or the rest of the country
24% of adults smoke cigarettes in Gratz. Gratz beats the Pennsylvania average on 1 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 16. 33% of adults get no exercise outside work in Gratz.
| Gratz | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 17% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 14% | 14% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 19% | 19% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 24% | 25% |
26 measures vs. Pennsylvania
1 better9 too close to call16 worse
| What stands out | Gratz | PA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 82.4% | 79.2% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 29.1% | 14.5% |
Milton S Hershey Medical Center
23.5 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Gratz
18pages on Gratz
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Gratz; the nearest are
Susquehanna UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Selinsgrove15.6 mi$59,850 tuitionHarrisburg Area Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Harrisburg23.3 mi$6,975 in-state tuitionPennsylvania State University-Penn State HarrisburgUniversity or college · Public · Middletown27.9 mi$15,972 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Gratz residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Pennsylvania.
A job hub
Every workday, about 859 people come to Gratz for work
Where Gratz’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
882jobs based in Gratz
9%of working residents work in town
15 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Gratz
Borough in Pennsylvania, US
Gratz is a borough in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 743 at the time of the 2020 census, a decline from the figure of 765 in 2010. It is part of the Harrisburg metropolitan area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1805
- Area
- 2.9 sq mi
- Elevation
- 810 ft
- ZIP code
- 17030
Questions about Gratz
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Gratz, PA a good place to live?
Gratz has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.