1913 Richland PA postcard, 1913
Richland’s story
123 years in pictures
The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 1913.
- 1903Richland is settled
RichlandPA
A town of 1,524, settled in 1903.
2 bordering townsMap →
Population
1,524
2025 Census estimate · +2.1% since 2020
Typical home
$314K
+4.4% in a year
Household income
$94K
median
Median age
38.8
years
Jobs based here
385
A commuter town
Is Richland a good place to live?
The best of Richland’s subject grades are an A for incomes and an A− for civic life; the weakest is a C for walkability. 2.6% of residents live below the poverty line in Richland, where Pennsylvania’s towns sit at 7.6% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. Richland's schools rank behind 68% of the state's. 14% of the land in Richland is conserved, above both Pennsylvania’s towns (8.2%) and U.S. towns (4.3%). Only 122 of Pennsylvania’s 1,717 towns score higher on civic life. Richland has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Richland stand out
Where Richland beats most towns.
Natural hazardsA
Very low risk of storm and flood damage
FEMA National Risk Index.
Community nonprofits per 1,000 residents
Richland7.8
Typical U.S. town3.7
Typical PA town3.7
Civic lifeA−
2.1 times the nonprofits per person
than the typical Pennsylvania town
Charities, civic groups and human services; churches not counted.
Typical home value
Richland$314K
Pennsylvania$287K
Cost of livingB+
4 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 72% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
A commuter town
97% of working residents leave Richland for work
Where Richland’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
385jobs based in Richland
3%of working residents work in town
13 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Richland grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Pennsylvania), ordered by how far Richland is from typical.
Jobs & incomeAOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 17% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listAOpen →Cost of livingB+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.7 of 20; 3.4% of households have no car; 0.5% of workers walk, bike or ride transitCOpen →SchoolsCOpen →HealthWellspan Good Samaritan Hospital 8.6 miles awayBOpen →
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.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 38.8; 18% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Richland: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Richland, and how to reach them.
PowerPPL Electric Utilities18.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterRichland Boro Water SupplyNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Richland’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 hereLebanon County Board of ElectionsLebanon County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code1708717087 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 Richland.
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A
Very low risk in Richland, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 83% of U.S. communities.
17risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHurricanesTornadoes
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A
Most of Richland’s workers commute out: the town has 0.6 jobs for each of them
Most working residents leave Richland for work: only 3% work in town. Since 2013, Richland has lost 96 jobs, to 385 in 2023. Richland’s median household income is $94,000.
3%work in town
| Richland | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $94,000 | $81,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.9% | 6.3% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Richland3%
Jackson Township7%
Myerstown5%
Millcreek Township4%
South Lebanon Township4%
13 mi
median commute distance
385
jobs based in Richland
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C
Walkability grade: more walkable than 29% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
In Richland, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Richland has chilly, snowy winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 85°, January nights drop to 21° and about 30 inches of snow falls in a winter.
30″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter23–40°
Spring40–62°
Summer62–83°
Fall44–64°
Oct 25
typical first frost
Apr 20
typical last frost
+1.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
OutdoorsB
Richland has set aside 13.9% of its land for conservation
0.0 miles of trail in 3 parks and preserves.
13.9%conserved
13.9%
conserved · 122 of 882 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Richland Carnival Grounds | — | 9 |
| 2. American Legion Park | — | 5 |
| 3. Moehlmann Field | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HousingCost of living grade B+
Richland’s typical home value is about $314K
The typical Richland home is worth about $314,000, up 4.4% in a year, 9% above the Pennsylvania typical home. 83% of Richland households own their home.
$314KZillow home value
| Richland | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 83% | 78% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,051 a month | $1,115 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Richland$314K
Pennsylvania$287K
+4.4%
value change, 1 year
3
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
HealthB
On CDC estimates, Richland is healthier than 56% of U.S. towns
Richland tracks Pennsylvania closely on all 26 CDC measures. 19% of adults binge drink in Richland.
56%healthier than U.S. townsBHealth Grade
| Richland | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 16% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 17% | 14% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 24% | 23% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 34% | 35% |
26 measures vs. Pennsylvania
0 better26 too close to call0 worse
Lebanon VA Medical Center
8.5 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Nearby attractions
All 124 attractions →Hersheypark and 36 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Richland. Close and well known come first.
22 mi Theme parkHersheypark3.0M visitors a year38 mi Theme parkKnoebels Amusement Resort
22 mi Stadium & arenaHersheypark Stadium
22 mi MuseumHershey's Chocolate World
23 mi Theme parkDutch Wonderland
13 mi MuseumEphrata CloisterSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Hersheypark: Michael Gray, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Hersheypark Stadium: 45BearsFan, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Hershey's Chocolate World: Phillyfan0419, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Dutch Wonderland: FlugKerl2, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Ephrata Cloister: 1549bcp at English Wikipedia, Public domain
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Richland
18pages on Richland
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Richland
Lebanon Valley CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Annville13.7 mi$52,080 tuitionPennsylvania State University-Penn State BerksUniversity or college · Public · Reading14.9 mi$15,972 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Richland residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Pennsylvania.
About Richland
Borough in Pennsylvania, US
Richland is a borough in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. It is part of the Lebanon County, Pennsylvania metropolitan statistical area. The population was 1,490 at the 2020 census. Richland has an active railroad crossing that intersects the town square. The two streets that comprise the square, Main Street and Race Street, are the only streets linking the northern and southern portions of the borough. As a result, the crossing can divide the entire town. This quirk has earned Richland mentions in Ripley's Believe It or Not! books and on the televised game show, Jeopardy!.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1906
- Area
- 1.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 492 ft
- ZIP code
- 17087
Richland’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with Richland.
Millcreek TownshipJackson TownshipRichland
How the neighbors grade
| Town | PA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richland | — | — | B+ | — | C | B |
| Millcreek Township | #527 | B | C+ | A+ | C | B |
| Jackson Township | #859 | C | C | — | C | C+ |
Richland has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Richland and Jackson Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Richland with a neighbor →
Questions about Richland
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Richland, PA expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B+.