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Pennsylvania ZIP Codes
Elk County
Ridgway, PA
15853
15853 ZIP Code — Ridgway, PA
Elk County, Pennsylvania
ZIP code 15853 is located in
Ridgway ,
Pennsylvania ,
within Elk County .
It covers approximately 150.41 square miles and serves a population of
6,411 residents.
This is a standard ZIP code in the Eastern (ET) timezone,
served by area code 814 .
About ZIP code 15853
The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the pre-1940, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $99,600. Owner-occupancy is high at 76%, well above the national average.
Median household income is $58,580. SNAP benefit usage at 18% of households reflects economic stress in the area. 36% 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 19 minutes is near the national average.
College attainment at 18% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.
Health indicators show elevated rates of smoking (21%) compared to national benchmarks.
Overall, ZIP code 15853 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, high homeownership, a significant Social Security-dependent population, and elevated reliance on food assistance.
15853 ZIP code map
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Cities in ZIP code 15853
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Nearby ZIP codes
Demographics
updated 05/2026
Population
Total population
6,411
Population density
43 / sq mi
State FIPS
42
County FIPS
047
Geography
Land area
150.41 sq mi
Water area
1.13 sq mi
Latitude
41.4005
Longitude
-78.7882
Timezone
Eastern (ET)
Area code
814
Economics
updated 05/2026
Household income
Income range
This ZIP
County avg
State avg
Under $50k
46.4%
44.8%
39.8%
$50k – $100k
35.4%
35.8%
30.8%
$100k – $200k
16.9%
16.8%
22.4%
Over $200k
1.3%
2.6%
7.1%
Demographics & statistics
$58,580
Median household income
18.3%
Bachelor's or higher
Age distribution
Age summary
Group Count % Under 18 1,463 22.8% 18 and over 4,948 77.2% 65 and over 1,119 17.5% Median age 44.3 years
Race & ethnicity
Black or African American
0.1%
Group Count % White 6,204 94.6% Two or more races 191 2.9% Hispanic or Latino 146 2.2% Other race 9 0.1% Black or African American 7 0.1%
Household income
Income range
This ZIP
County avg
State avg
Under $50k
46.4%
44.8%
39.8%
$50k – $100k
35.4%
35.8%
30.8%
$100k – $200k
16.9%
16.8%
22.4%
Over $200k
1.3%
2.6%
7.1%
Range % of households Under $10k 8.5% $10k–$15k 2.4% $15k–$25k 7.7% $25k–$35k 9.6% $35k–$50k 14.6% $50k–$75k 18.2% $75k–$100k 14.9% $100k–$150k 13.7% $150k–$200k 7.5% $200k+ 2.7% Median income $58,580
Housing
Housing overview
Metric Value Median home value $99,600 Median rent / month $644 Owner occupied 75.6% Renter occupied 24.4% Vacant 19.8% Single-family detached 75.8% Large apartment buildings 4.1% Mobile homes 5.1% Median rooms 6.0 Avg household size (owned) 2.56
Year built
Era % 2020 or later 0.0% 2010–2019 1.9% 2000–2009 2.8% 1990–1999 5.4% 1980–1989 4.1% 1970–1979 11.0% 1960–1969 9.1% 1950–1959 20.8% 1940–1949 12.4% 1939 or earlier 32.3%
Bedrooms
Size % of units No bedroom (studio) 2.9% 1 bedroom 11.9% 2 bedrooms 25.8% 3 bedrooms 40.5% 4 bedrooms 16.0% 5+ bedrooms 2.8%
Vehicles per household
Vehicles % of households No vehicle 8.8% 1 vehicle 29.9% 2 vehicles 39.9% 3 or more 21.5%
Heating fuel
Fuel type % Utility gas 74.1% Electricity 13.9% Propane / LP gas 4.3% Fuel oil 1.1% Wood 3.9% No fuel used 1.8%
Households & families
Household type Count % Married-couple family 1,267 47.4% Cohabiting couple 269 10.1% Male householder, no spouse 488 18.2% Female householder, no spouse 650 24.3% Households with children under 18 555 20.8% Households with seniors (65+) 853 31.9% Average household size 2.38
Marital status
Status Male Female Never married 33.3% 26.6% Married 47.6% 48.3% Separated 2.5% 3.8% Widowed 5.1% 7.3% Divorced 11.5% 14.0%
Education
Some college, no degree
15.9%
Graduate / professional
4.0%
Metric % HS diploma or higher 92.7% Bachelor's or higher 18.3%
School enrollment (ages 3–17)
Type Count % Nursery / preschool 42 2.9% Kindergarten 35 2.4% Elementary school 753 52.0% High school 496 34.3% College / grad school 121 8.4%
Employment
Industry of employment
Education & healthcare
23.6%
Professional & management
6.1%
Transportation & utilities
4.8%
Public administration
4.3%
Arts, food & hospitality
3.9%
Finance & real estate
2.8%
Agriculture & mining
1.2%
Occupation
Category % Management, business & arts 30.4% Service 11.0% Sales & office 20.5% Natural resources & construction 10.2% Production & transportation 28.0%
Employment type
Type % Private sector 84.6% Government 9.8% Self-employed 5.6% Unpaid family workers 0.0%
Commute
Method % Drive alone 77.2% Carpool 9.8% Public transit 1.2% Walk 6.2% Work from home 4.9% Other means 0.7% Avg commute (minutes) 19.1
Poverty
Married-couple families
4.1%
Female-led households
8.4%
Income support
Source % of households Social Security 35.7% Retirement income 29.0% Supplemental Security 5.4% Cash public assistance 4.1% Food stamps / SNAP 18.4%
Health indicators
Condition % Obesity 32.5% High blood pressure 35.9% High cholesterol 35.0% Diabetes 11.4% Heart disease 8.0% Stroke 3.5% Asthma 10.2% Arthritis 31.4% Kidney disease 3.2% Pulmonary disease 8.9% Cancer 7.7%
Behavior / access % Smoking 21.2% Binge drinking 17.9% No physical activity 25.1% Less than 7 hrs sleep 34.8% Depression 22.6% Fair or poor health 15.9% Poor mental health 15.5% Poor physical health 12.0% No health insurance 10.5% Visited doctor (checkup) 76.4% Visited dentist 63.8% Cholesterol screening 90.0% Teeth loss 15.9%
Veterans & disability
Veterans Count % Civilian veterans 392 7.9%
Disability % Any disability 18.0% Under 18 12.8% 18–64 years 17.4% 65 and over 26.9%
Health insurance coverage
Type % Private insurance 71.8% Public insurance 45.6% No insurance 4.4% Uninsured under 19 0.6%
Language & origin
Language spoken at home (age 5+)
Language Count % English only 6,177 96.4% Spanish 27 0.4% Other Indo-European 9 0.1% Asian & Pacific Islander 18 0.3% Other languages 0 0.0%
Place of birth & citizenship
Origin Count % Native born (US) 6,397 99.8% Born in same state 6,379 99.5% Born in different state 5,792 90.3% Foreign born 18 0.3% Naturalized citizen 14 0.2% Not a US citizen 14 100.0%
Ancestry
Ancestry Count % Italian 943 14.7% French 328 5.1% Arab 209 3.3% English 81 1.3%
Ancestry Count % German 23 0.4% Irish 15 0.2% Polish 8 0.1%
Technology access
Metric % of households Computer access 41.7% Internet access 92.0%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.
Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 15853
What city is ZIP code 15853 in?
ZIP code 15853 is primarily assigned to Ridgway, Pennsylvania.
What county is ZIP code 15853 in?
ZIP code 15853 falls within Elk County, Pennsylvania.
Does ZIP code 15853 have a large retiree population?
36% of households in ZIP code 15853 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.
What is the typical home value in ZIP code 15853?
The median home value in ZIP code 15853 is $99,600.
What is the population of ZIP code 15853?
ZIP code 15853 has an estimated population of 6,411 residents, with a density of 43 people per square mile.
What is the median household income in ZIP code 15853?
The median household income in ZIP code 15853 is $58,580, below the national median of ~$75,000.
What timezone is ZIP code 15853 in?
ZIP code 15853 observes the EST timezone.
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