15521 ZIP Code — Alum Bank, PA

Bedford County, Pennsylvania

ZIP code 15521 is located in Alum Bank, Pennsylvania, within Bedford County. It covers approximately 37.39 square miles and serves a population of 1,917 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Eastern (ET) timezone, served by area code 814.

About ZIP code 15521

The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the 1990s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $190,100. Owner-occupancy is high at 88%, well above the national average.

Median household income is $54,792. 38% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with manufacturing as the leading industry. The average commute of 31 minutes is near the national average.

College attainment at 12% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.

Health indicators show elevated rates of smoking (22%) compared to national benchmarks.

Overall, ZIP code 15521 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, high homeownership, and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

1,917

population

37.39

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Eastern (ET)

timezone

15521 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 15521

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 15521. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Alum Bank	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

16667 Osterburg (5.3 mi) 16655 Imler (5.3 mi) 15539 Fishertown (5.5 mi) 15554 New Paris (5.7 mi) 15963 Windber (7.6 mi) 16625 Claysburg (8 mi) 15955 Sidman (9.1 mi) 15952 Salix (9.8 mi) 16664 New Enterprise (10.2 mi) 15559 Schellsburg (10.4 mi) 15924 Cairnbrook (10.5 mi) 16637 East Freedom (12.1 mi)

Demographics updated 06/2026

Population
Total population	1,917
Population density	51 / sq mi
State FIPS	42
County FIPS	009

Geography
Land area	37.39 sq mi
Water area	0.01 sq mi
Latitude	40.2048
Longitude	-78.6286
Timezone	Eastern (ET)
Area code	814

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Economics updated 06/2026

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	51.4%	48.9%	39.8%
$50k – $100k	28.3%	33.7%	30.8%
$100k – $200k	17.5%	15.7%	22.4%
Over $200k	2.8%	1.7%	7.1%

Demographics & statistics

1,917

Population

People per sq mi

46.3

Median age

$54,792

Median household income

$29,424

Per capita income

$190,100

Median home value

$870

Median monthly rent

88.4%

Home ownership

13.5%

Poverty rate

0.7%

Unemployment

729

Housing units

11.9%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

5–9

10–14

15–19

20–24

106

25–34

107

35–44

175

45–54

175

55–59

60–64

113

65–74

114

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	364	19.0%
18 and over	1,553	81.0%
65 and over	371	19.4%
Median age	46.3 years

Race & ethnicity

White 99.1%

Two or more races 0.7%

Black or African American 0.2%

Group	Count	%
White	1,900	99.1%
Two or more races	13	0.7%
Black or African American	4	0.2%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	51.4%	48.9%	39.8%
$50k – $100k	28.3%	33.7%	30.8%
$100k – $200k	17.5%	15.7%	22.4%
Over $200k	2.8%	1.7%	7.1%

Under $10k 2.5%

$10k–$15k 4.8%

$15k–$25k 10.4%

$25k–$35k 9.3%

$35k–$50k 19.2%

$50k–$75k 12.3%

$75k–$100k 17.5%

$100k–$150k 14.0%

$150k–$200k 6.8%

$200k+ 3.2%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	2.5%
$10k–$15k	4.8%
$15k–$25k	10.4%
$25k–$35k	9.3%
$35k–$50k	19.2%
$50k–$75k	12.3%
$75k–$100k	17.5%
$100k–$150k	14.0%
$150k–$200k	6.8%
$200k+	3.2%
Median income	$54,792

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 9.1%

$50k–$100k 12.4%

$100k–$150k 21.1%

$150k–$200k 8.9%

$200k–$300k 38.3%

$300k–$500k 7.2%

$500k–$1M 3.0%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$190,100
Median rent / month	$870
Owner occupied	88.4%
Renter occupied	11.6%
Vacant	12.6%
Single-family detached	76.1%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	20.3%
Median rooms	6.0
Avg household size (owned)	2.64

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	3.1%
2000–2009	10.2%
1990–1999	23.6%
1980–1989	8.4%
1970–1979	9.4%
1960–1969	11.5%
1950–1959	7.4%
1940–1949	4.4%
1939 or earlier	22.1%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	2.0%
1 bedroom	1.5%
2 bedrooms	23.7%
3 bedrooms	60.4%
4 bedrooms	11.1%
5+ bedrooms	1.4%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	4.7%
1 vehicle	18.2%
2 vehicles	49.9%
3 or more	27.2%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	0.4%
Electricity	20.5%
Propane / LP gas	6.5%
Fuel oil	46.3%
Wood	17.3%
Solar	0.4%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	439	61.9%
Cohabiting couple	42	5.9%
Male householder, no spouse	101	14.2%
Female householder, no spouse	127	17.9%
Households with children under 18	200	28.2%
Households with seniors (65+)	260	36.7%
Average household size	2.70

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	22.8%	21.4%
Married	61.6%	59.7%
Separated	0.1%	1.4%
Widowed	4.8%	10.1%
Divorced	10.7%	7.4%

Education

Less than 9th grade 3.2%

Some HS, no diploma 5.3%

HS graduate 56.8%

Some college, no degree 15.0%

Associate's degree 7.8%

Bachelor's degree 8.9%

Graduate / professional 3.0%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	91.5%
Bachelor's or higher	11.9%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	63	20.5%
Kindergarten	11	3.6%
Elementary school	117	38.1%
High school	61	19.9%
College / grad school	55	17.9%

Employment

Industry of employment

Manufacturing 21.1%

Education & healthcare 20.5%

Construction 13.6%

Transportation & utilities 9.9%

Arts, food & hospitality 9.7%

Retail trade 8.8%

Professional & management 3.5%

Other services 3.1%

Public administration 3.1%

Wholesale trade 2.1%

Information 2.1%

Agriculture & mining 1.3%

Finance & real estate 1.1%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	25.1%
Service	14.8%
Sales & office	20.9%
Natural resources & construction	15.9%
Production & transportation	23.2%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	79.4%
Government	14.4%
Self-employed	6.2%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	80.3%
Carpool	7.4%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	5.7%
Work from home	5.2%
Other means	1.4%
Avg commute (minutes)	30.6

Poverty

All people 13.5%

Under 18 years 26.4%

18 and over 10.4%

Married-couple families 5.7%

Female-led households 36.7%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	38.1%
Retirement income	28.3%
Supplemental Security	8.6%
Cash public assistance	4.4%
Food stamps / SNAP	10.7%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	35.5%
High blood pressure	34.9%
High cholesterol	34.2%
Diabetes	11.3%
Heart disease	7.9%
Stroke	3.5%
Asthma	10.2%
Arthritis	30.9%
Kidney disease	3.2%
Pulmonary disease	9.0%
Cancer	7.4%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	22.0%
Binge drinking	18.1%
No physical activity	27.3%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	35.1%
Depression	22.5%
Fair or poor health	16.1%
Poor mental health	16.1%
Poor physical health	12.1%
No health insurance	11.1%
Visited doctor (checkup)	77.7%
Visited dentist	62.2%
Cholesterol screening	89.3%
Teeth loss	16.9%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	146	9.4%

Disability	%
Any disability	14.6%
Under 18	2.2%
18–64 years	13.5%
65 and over	30.2%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	64.8%
Public insurance	48.7%
No insurance	5.5%
Uninsured under 19	3.3%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	1,795	93.6%
Spanish	3	0.2%
Other Indo-European	3	0.2%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	1,915	99.9%
Born in same state	1,912	99.7%
Born in different state	1,688	88.1%
Foreign born	3	0.2%
Naturalized citizen	2	0.1%
Not a US citizen	2	100.0%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Italian	166	8.7%
Arab	128	6.7%
French	107	5.6%

Ancestry	Count	%
Irish	23	1.2%
English	8	0.4%
Polish	8	0.4%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	37.0%
Internet access	87.9%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 15521

What city is ZIP code 15521 in?

ZIP code 15521 is primarily assigned to Alum Bank, Pennsylvania.

What county is ZIP code 15521 in?

ZIP code 15521 falls within Bedford County, Pennsylvania.

Is ZIP code 15521 mostly owner-occupied?

88% of occupied units in ZIP code 15521 are owner-occupied, well above the national average.

How educated is the population of ZIP code 15521?

12% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher — below the national average of ~33%, consistent with a trades-oriented local economy.

Does ZIP code 15521 have a large retiree population?

38% of households in ZIP code 15521 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

Does ZIP code 15521 have a large veteran population?

9% of civilians in ZIP code 15521 are veterans, above the national average of ~7%.

What timezone is ZIP code 15521 in?

ZIP code 15521 observes the EST timezone.