Union Hotel · National Register of Historic Places
Upper Allen Township’s story
Upper Allen Township in pictures
The archive holds 7 maps from 1906 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the history →
Upper Allen TownshipPA
A town of 24,700.
7 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Badagnani · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
24,700
2025 Census estimate · +6.2% since 2020
Median home value
$280K
Census ACS
Household income
$99K
median
Median age
37.5
years
Jobs based here
7,511
Balanced
TownGrade
A+
#66 of 1032 in PA
Why does Upper Allen Township grade so well?
Upper Allen Township is one of the best-graded places in America: an A+, 66th among Pennsylvania's 1032 graded towns. The median household earns $99K, crime is low: it reports less per resident than 88% of U.S. towns, and it is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns. The exception is cost of living: the typical home is worth about $280K, 3.5 years of the Harrisburg metro’s $81K median household income. 50% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Upper Allen Township, against 29% in Pennsylvania’s towns and 29% across U.S. towns. Upper Allen Township is home to Messiah University.
What makes Upper Allen Township stand out
Where Upper Allen Township beats most towns.
WalkabilityA
More walkable than 88% of U.S. towns
7.1% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Upper Allen Township0.7
Pennsylvania2.3
U.S.3.3
SafetyA
70% less violent crime than PA
FBI data, 2025. Crimes reported to police.
Natural hazardsA
Very low risk of storm and flood damage
FEMA National Risk Index.
A growing town
Upper Allen Township has grown 36% since 2010
18,059 counted in 2010 and 23,183 in 2020; an estimated 24,700 in 2025.
Growth hasn’t slowed: 6.2% since 2020, after 28.4% in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Upper Allen Township grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Pennsylvania), ordered by how far Upper Allen Township is from typical.
Jobs & incomeAOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8.6 of 20; 5.1% of households have no carAOpen →SafetyAOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 16% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listAOpen →HealthPenn State Health Holy Spirit Medical Center 5.9 miles awayAOpen →Cost of livingC−Open →SchoolsA−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors7% conserved landA−Open →History1 place on the National RegisterC+Open →Civic life3.4 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsCOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 68 attractions →Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument and 36 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Upper Allen Township. Close and well known come first.
10 mi National MonumentCarlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument
Big draw39 mi LandmarkRaven Rock Mountain Complex
19 mi Theme parkHersheypark3.0M visitors a year
19 mi Stadium & arenaHersheypark Stadium
19 mi MuseumHershey's Chocolate World
29 mi Ancient siteGettysburg BattlefieldSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain · Raven Rock Mountain Complex: US Government, Public domain · 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 · Gettysburg Battlefield: Veggies, Public domain
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Upper Allen Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Upper Allen Township, and how to reach them.
PowerPPL Electric Utilities18.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterVeolia Mechanicsburg water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Upper Allen 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 codes17055, 1702717055 85% · 17027 15%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 Upper Allen Township.
Upper Allen Township has less tooth loss than most of Pennsylvania, has commutes shorter than most of Pennsylvania and is safe by national standards but not by Pennsylvania’s.
OutdoorsA−
6.9% of Upper Allen Township is conserved land
13 miles of trail in 18 parks and preserves. The trail density in Upper Allen Township is 1.0 miles per square mile. The biggest park or preserve is Generations Park, at 57 acres.
#234for trails in PA
| Upper Allen Township | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 1.0 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 6.9% | 8.2% | 4.3% |
6.9%
conserved · 590 of 8,496 acres
13 mi
of trails · 1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Trails and Trees Environmental Center | 1.9 mi | 20 |
| 2. Simpson Park | 0.9 mi | 17 |
| 3. Generations Park | 0.8 mi | 57 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SchoolsA−
On state tests, Upper Allen Township’s schools beat 75% of Pennsylvania districts
Its public schools are run by Mechanicsburg Area SD. One of its 4 schools is below, with why it’s listed.
75%of PA districts it outscoresA−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanicsburg MSLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 1,112 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within PA on state tests and graduation
SafetyA
Upper Allen Township’s grade for safety is an A
At 6.1 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports less crime than 74% of Pennsylvania’s graded towns. Violent crime is rare: 18 reported in 2025, 0.7 per 1,000 residents.
Upper Allen Township’s property crime rate is 3.1 per 1,000 residents.
88%of U.S. towns report more crimeASafety Grade
| Upper Allen Township | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 3.1 per 1,000 residents | 5.7 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.7 per 1,000 residents | 0.7 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Upper Allen Township0.7
Pennsylvania2.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Upper Allen Township3.1
Pennsylvania13.6
U.S.15.5
88th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
74th
percentile among PA towns
18
violent crimes reported in 2025
78
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
HealthA
Upper Allen Township’s grade for health is an A
Its widest gap with Pennsylvania is tooth loss: 9.2% of those 65+ have lost all their teeth, against 14.5% statewide.
11% of Upper Allen Township adults report frequent physical distress. Upper Allen Township beats the Pennsylvania average on 10 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 0. 30% of Upper Allen Township adults have high blood pressure.
88%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade
| Upper Allen Township | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 14% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 34% | 35% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 19% | 19% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 16% |
26 measures vs. Pennsylvania
10 better16 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Upper Allen Township | PA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 9.2% | 14.5% |
| Fewer adults in fair or poor health | 14% | 18.7% |
Penn State Health Holy Spirit Medical Center
5.9 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
87th
percentile among PA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A
Inland flooding leads a very low hazard risk in Upper Allen Township
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 84% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 34 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Upper Allen Township.
16risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHurricanesStrong wind
34
paid flood claims since 1978
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Upper Allen Township
Upper Allen Township has chilly winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 86°, January nights drop to 22° and about 30 inches of snow falls in a winter.
30″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter25–41°
Spring41–62°
Summer63–84°
Fall45–65°
Nov 2
typical first frost
Apr 9
typical last frost
+1.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A
With 0.8 jobs for every working resident, most of Upper Allen Township’s workers commute out
The average commute for its 9,015 working residents takes 19.4 minutes, against 26.3 across Pennsylvania.
Most working residents leave Upper Allen Township for work: only 7% work in town. 19% of workers work from home in Upper Allen Township. Since 2013, Upper Allen Township has added 670 jobs, to 7,511 in 2023.
7%work in town
| Upper Allen Township | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 19 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Work from home | 19% | 12% | 11% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.3% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $99,000 | $81,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Upper Allen Township7%
Harrisburg10%
Hampden Township7%
Lower Allen Township6%
Silver Spring Township4%
10 mi
median commute distance
7,511
jobs based in Upper Allen Township
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
A
Walkability grade: more walkable than 88% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Upper Allen Township
19pages on Upper Allen Township
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
6 within 15 miles of the center of Upper Allen Township
Messiah UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Upper Allen TownshipIn town$42,240 tuitionHarrisburg Area Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Harrisburg9.5 mi$6,975 in-state tuitionPennsylvania State University-Penn State HarrisburgUniversity or college · Public · Middletown12.8 mi$15,972 in-state tuition
College town 16 of every 100 Upper Allen Township residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Pennsylvania.
College town
16% of Upper Allen Township is in college
College Scorecard · IPEDS
About Upper Allen Township
Township in Pennsylvania, US
Upper Allen Township is a township in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 23,183 at the 2020 census, up from 18,059 at the 2010 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 13 sq mi
Upper Allen Township’s neighbors
7 towns share a border with Upper Allen Township.
At #66 in PA, it grades higher overall than all 6 graded towns on its borders; Mechanicsburg (A+) comes closest.
Monaghan TownshipMessiah CollegeMechanicsburgCarroll TownshipMonroe TownshipLower Allen TownshipFairview TownshipUpper Allen Township
How the neighbors grade
| Town | PA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upper Allen Township | #66 | A+ | C− | A | A− | A |
| Monaghan Township | #231 | A | B | — | B+ | A− |
| Messiah College | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Mechanicsburg | #83 | A+ | B− | B | A− | A |
| Carroll Township | #160 | A | C | A+ | B+ | A− |
| Monroe Township | #226 | A | C | — | A | A− |
| Lower Allen Township | #429 | B+ | C | B | B | A− |
| Fairview Township | #351 | A− | B− | A− | B | B |
Monaghan Township and Monroe Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Messiah College isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Upper Allen Township with a neighbor →
Questions about Upper Allen Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Upper Allen Township, PA a good place to live?
Yes, by almost any measure. Upper Allen Township grades A+ overall, better than 97% of U.S. towns and #66 of 1032 in Pennsylvania. It grades A for health, A for safety and A− for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a C−.
Is Upper Allen Township, PA expensive?
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.