States › Pennsylvania › Shippensburg

Is Shippensburg, PA expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 20 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$94846% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$55,546about $4,629/month · 36% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$177,70047% lower than U.S. average

Rent here is among the lowest 10% of all U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 3.2 years of household income. Commutes are short, about 19.8 minutes. Most households rent (56%), so there are plenty of rental options.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $37,920 a year. That is $18 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other Pennsylvania cities?

Yes. Rent here is cheaper than in most of Pennsylvania. It is number 39 of 269 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Shippensburg
$948
Palmerton
$1,027
Wyndmoor
$1,615
Selinsgrove
$1,169
Punxsutawney
$1,181
New Brighton
$826
Mount Carmel
$819

How much do households earn in Shippensburg?

Under $25k
27.4%
$25k–50k
23.8%
$50k–100k
31.7%
$100k–150k
11.1%
$150k+
3.3%

Share of households by yearly income. 14.4% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Shippensburg

SizeShippensburgU.S. average
Studio$889$1,338
1 bedroom$904$1,324
2 bedrooms$979$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,507$1,698

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Shippensburg overall?

Everyday prices in Pennsylvania overall are 2% below the U.S. average (index 97.6, U.S. = 100).

Housing
85
Goods (food, clothes…)
99
Utilities
109
Other services
100
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Shippensburg, so the Pennsylvania figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Shippensburg

🏛️ Property tax$2,433a year · 1.37% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$111a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Shippensburg

Commute to work19.8 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree35%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home44.2%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line10.8%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment3.9%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Shippensburg?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $285 a month less.

Renting
$948
Owning
$1,233

Owning assumes a typical $177,700 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $17,770 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Shippensburg, PA?

Renting in Shippensburg costs a median of about $948 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Pennsylvania median is $1,367.

How much do I need to make to live in Shippensburg?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $37,920 a year, or $18 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Shippensburg cheap or expensive?

Shippensburg is rated OK: rent takes 20.5% of the typical household income of $55,546. It ranks 39th cheapest of 269 Pennsylvania cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Shippensburg?

The median homeowner in Shippensburg pays $2,433 a year in property taxes, about 1.37% of the median home value.

Is Shippensburg more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in Pennsylvania are 2% below the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Shippensburg?

The median home value in Shippensburg is $177,700, about 3.2 times the typical yearly household income.

5,620 people live in Shippensburg. Numbers are typical (middle) values.