Golden Arrow Motel, U.S. Routes 11 and 15, Shamokin Dam, Penna (87093), c. 1930
Shamokin Dam’s story
281 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1930.
- 1745Shamokin Dam is settled
Shamokin DamPA
2 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Jakec · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
1,623
2025 Census estimate · −1.3% since 2020
Typical home
$241K
+10.1% in a year
Household income
$69K
median
Median age
46.3
years
Jobs based here
795
Balanced
Is Shamokin Dam a good place to live?
Shamokin Dam’s best subject grade is an A+ for the outdoors. Shamokin Dam’s median age is 46.3 years, above both Pennsylvania’s towns (43.2 years) and U.S. towns (40.5 years). 20% of the land in Shamokin Dam is conserved, above both the Pennsylvania town median (8.2%) and the median of U.S. towns (4.3%). Only 32 of Pennsylvania’s 1,751 towns score higher on the outdoors. Shamokin Dam has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
StrongestA+Outdoors
What makes Shamokin Dam stand out
Where Shamokin Dam beats most towns.
How Shamokin Dam grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Pennsylvania), ordered by how far Shamokin Dam is from typical.
Jobs & income$69K median household incomeBOpen →SchoolsBeat 59% of Pennsylvania districts on tests and graduationBOpen →Cost of livingBOpen →HealthWellspan Evangelical Community Hospital 9 miles awayBOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 49% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 9.2 of 20; 4.2% of households have no car; 0.5% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trailA+Open →History1 notable person born hereBOpen →Civic life4.1 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Shamokin Dam: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Shamokin Dam, and how to reach them.
PowerPPL Electric Utilities18.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterShamokin Dam Borough water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Shamokin Dam’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 hereSnyder County Board of ElectionsSnyder County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Dec 2025
ZIP code1787617876 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 Shamokin Dam.
OutdoorsA+
Conserved land covers 19.8% of Shamokin Dam
1.4 miles of trail in 0 parks and preserves. The trail density in Shamokin Dam is 0.7 miles per square mile.
19.8%conserved
19.8%
conserved · 237 of 1,197 acres
1.4 mi
of trails · 0.7 per sq mi
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Climate
Shamokin Dam has four seasons and pleasant summers
Shamokin Dam has chilly winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 85°, January nights drop to 20° and about 29 inches of snow falls in a winter.
29″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter22–38°
Spring38–61°
Summer60–83°
Fall43–63°
Oct 22
typical first frost
Apr 25
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B
Most working residents commute out of Shamokin Dam
Most working residents leave Shamokin Dam for work: only 3% work in town. 5.6% of Shamokin Dam residents live below the poverty line. Jobs based in Shamokin Dam fell to 795 in 2023, 56 fewer than in 2013.
3%work in town
| Shamokin Dam | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 5.6% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.7% | 6.3% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $69,000 | $81,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Shamokin Dam3%
Monroe Township8%
Penn Township6%
Mahoning Township5%
Selinsgrove5%
13 mi
median commute distance
795
jobs based in Shamokin Dam
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
B−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 50% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HousingCost of living grade B
The typical home in Shamokin Dam is valued at about $241K
The typical Shamokin Dam home is worth about $241,000, up 10.1% in a year, 16% below the Pennsylvania typical home. Shamokin Dam’s median rent is $926 a month.
$241KZillow home value
| Shamokin Dam | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 67% | 78% | 73% |
| Median rent | $926 a month | $1,115 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Shamokin Dam$241K
Pennsylvania$287K
+10.1%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in April
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Safety
Crime reported in Shamokin Dam
Shamokin Dam's reported crime rate is well below Pennsylvania's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. Violent crime is rare: 3 reported in 2025.
| Shamokin Dam | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1.8 per 1,000 residents | 0.7 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 4.9 per 1,000 residents | 5.7 | 9.9 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Shamokin Dam1.8
Pennsylvania2.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Shamokin Dam4.9
Pennsylvania13.6
U.S.15.5
3
violent crimes reported in 2025
8
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
HealthB
On CDC estimates, Shamokin Dam is healthier than 56% of U.S. towns
Shamokin Dam beats the Pennsylvania average on 4 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 4. 15% of adults report frequent mental distress in Shamokin Dam.
56%healthier than U.S. townsBHealth Grade
| Shamokin Dam | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 16% | 17% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 38% | 36% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 5.6% | 6.9% | 8.1% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 18% | 16% |
26 measures vs. Pennsylvania
4 better18 too close to call4 worse
| What stands out | Shamokin Dam | PA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 9.6% | 14.5% |
| More adults screened for colon cancer | 73% | 67.5% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 11% | 8.8% |
Wellspan Evangelical Community Hospital
9 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B−
Inland flooding leads a moderate hazard risk in Shamokin Dam
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 51% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 38 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Shamokin Dam.
49risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHurricanes
38
paid flood claims since 1979
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Nearby attractions
All 45 attractions →Knoebels Amusement Resort and 7 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Shamokin Dam. Close and well known come first.
17 mi Theme parkKnoebels Amusement Resort
2 mi MuseumFort Augusta39 mi MuseumAACA Museum
40 mi GardenHershey Gardens
34 mi MuseumLittle Buffalo State Park
37 mi MuseumPiper Aviation Museum
2 mi MuseumFort Augusta39 mi MuseumAACA Museum40 mi GardenHershey Gardens34 mi MuseumLittle Buffalo State Park37 mi MuseumPiper Aviation MuseumSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Fort Augusta: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain · Hershey Gardens: Kris Bradley, CC BY 2.0 · Little Buffalo State Park: Ben Winslow, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Piper Aviation Museum: User:Ruhrfisch, CC BY-SA 4.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Shamokin Dam
20pages on Shamokin Dam
The big questions
SchoolsBBeat 59% of PA districtsSafety1.8 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthBBetter than PA on 4 of 26 CDC measuresCost of livingB$241K typical home · up 10.1% in a yearWork & commuteB$69K median household income · 795 jobs hereNatural hazardsB−FEMA risk higher than 49% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Shamokin Dam
Susquehanna UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Selinsgrove4.9 mi$59,850 tuitionBucknell UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Lewisburg7.3 mi$67,812 tuition
About 3 of every 100 Shamokin Dam residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Pennsylvania.
About Shamokin Dam
Borough in Pennsylvania, United States
Shamokin Dam is a borough in Snyder County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,647 at the 2020 census. "Shamokin" , or "Shahëmokink" in the Delaware language, and Schahamokink in another Algonquian language, means "place of eels." The borough name is also derived from a 10-foot-tall (3.0 m) dam that was built across the Susquehanna River in the 19th century. The dam supported steamboat ferries run by Ira T. Clement, which transported goods and people between Shamokin Dam and the city of Sunbury on the Northumberland County side of the river. These ferries operated from 1772 until the Bainbridge Street Bridge was built in 1907. The dam also provided water to the Susquehanna Di…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1745
- Area
- 1.9 sq mi
- Elevation
- 499 ft
- ZIP code
- 17876
Shamokin Dam’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with Shamokin Dam.
Monroe TownshipUpper Augusta TownshipShamokin Dam
How the neighbors grade
| Town | PA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shamokin Dam | — | — | B | — | B | B |
| Monroe Township | #579 | B | B− | — | B | B− |
| Upper Augusta Township | — | — | B+ | — | C− | C |
Shamokin Dam and Upper Augusta Township have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Shamokin Dam, Monroe Township and Upper Augusta Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Shamokin Dam with a neighbor →
Questions about Shamokin Dam
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Shamokin Dam, 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.