Real Estate Investing in Hershey, Pennsylvania (17033)

Everything the listing leaves out — vacancy, rent trend, cap rate, landlord climate. All free.

Dauphin County • Population: 17,009 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 17033 (Hershey, PA)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
MIXED
Grade C (63/100)

Mixed — home prices are stretched relative to local incomes. Run the math on your specific situation.

📈 For Investors
MIXED
3.0 / 5 (47/100)

A middle-of-the-road market. Workable, but the best opportunities may be nearby ZIPs rather than this one.

⚠️ Risks to Know
CLEAN

No major risk flags on the data we track.

What’s happening in Hershey, PA (17033)?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

3.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

3.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $413,685
Avg Monthly Rent $1,753
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $73,611
% Renters 44.5%

Market Analysis: 17033 Hershey

Investors eyeing 17033 need to respect the fundamentals at play. Home values of $414K come alongside slower price movement and elevated management overhead.

The investment case in 17033 is impressive only for operators who understand what they are buying. A $414K median suggests accessibility, but management intensity, vacancy drift, and capex surprises are real.

The gap between 17033 and stronger Hershey ZIPs is not closing quickly. Investors should weight long-horizon assumptions accordingly.

A notable renter share of 45% in 17033 is not, on its own, a problem — but paired with below-average income and high mobility, it changes the operating playbook.

Strategy in 17033 is an operator game, not a passive one. Turning to rents, entry prices of $414K are inviting, the management lift is real and non-optional.

Explore the Data — Click a Tab Below
🏦 Current 30-yr Fixed Mortgage Rate: 6.76% as of Sep 10 Source: Freddie Mac PMMS

Here's what matters if you're considering buying a home in Hershey:

C+ Average
Buy Confidence Score: 66/100
Affordability
10/25
Appreciation
22/25
Stability
11/20
Timing
8/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Expensive
Homes cost 5.6× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+5.6%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,753/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
BALANCED
Even conditions for buyers and sellers
Bottom Line: Mixed signals in this market. Research specific properties carefully and be prepared to negotiate.
⚖️
BALANCED MARKET
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA Metro Area
Even conditions for buyers and sellers
21 days
Average time to sell
Fast
11.6%
Listings with price cuts
Few Cuts
0.0%
Sale price vs asking
Below Ask
0.0%
Income needed for mortgage
Affordable
📅 Market conditions as of August 29, 2026 — updated weekly from Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 17033

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
3BR
4.2% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
4BR
+8.3% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
3BR
$117,350/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
2BR $305,128 $1,610 3.8% +8.2% $152,564
3BR $352,051 $2,070 4.2% +7.7% $117,350
4BR $501,760 $2,130 3.1% +8.3% $125,440
5BR $605,810 +8.2% $121,162

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$432K$380K$328K$276K$225K$173KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

Rent History (with trend line)

$2,002$1,930$1,857$1,784$1,712$1,639Feb 2025Nov 2025Jul 2026

📊 How Does 17033 Compare?

Metric 17033 Hershey Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA Pennsylvania
Home Value $413,685 $413,685 N/A $278,018
5-Year CAGR 6.4% 6.4% N/A 6.3%
Avg Rent $1,753 $1,753 N/A -
Cap Rate 3.3% 3.3% - -
💡 Why Invest in 17033? Click to expand

With a 3/5 investability rating, this ZIP shows solid fundamentals for buy-and-hold investors.

A healthy rental market with 45% renter-occupied households ensures tenant availability.

📊 See where this ZIP ranks in our Best-of lists →
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Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 17033 (Hershey, PA). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Property managers serving Dauphin County

Manage rentals here? List your business →

Harrisburg Property Management Group. summary from their website

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Midtown Property Management. summary from their website

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Listings are shown for convenience — Repit doesn’t endorse or vet these companies. Ratings shown come only from email-verified visitors.

Investability
Good
Cap Rate
3.3%
Low
5yr Growth
+6.4%
Strong

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $413,685
Monthly Rent $1,753
Price-to-Rent 19.7:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 5.1%
Cap Rate 3.3%
5-Year IRR 9.7%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +5.6% ▲
3-Year CAGR +5.2% ▲
5-Year CAGR +6.4% ▲
10-Year CAGR +6.5% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year -0.4% ▼
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 3.3%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (3.3%). Financing reduces your cash-on-cash return below the cap rate. Markets like this may still make sense as IRR plays — factoring in appreciation, depreciation, and a future refinance when rates drop.

Run an IRR Analysis →

⚠️ Risk Signals

Composite view of factors that can impact a ZIP's stability and your downside risk.

Vacancy
5.6%
Low risk
Landlord Climate
4.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+6.4%
Growing
Eviction process: Moderate Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 17033

Population: 17,009

💰 Median Household Income
$73,611
This area
$73,611
State
$73,647
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
44.5%
This area
44.5%
State
23.0%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
2.2%
This area
2.2%
State
-7.4%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
45.3%
This area
45.3%
State
12.3%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
43.7 years
This area
43.7 years
State
25.7 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
5.6%
This area
5.6%
State
14.6%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 77.9%
Other/Mixed 13.1%
Hispanic/Latino 11.6%
Asian 5.8%
Black/African American 3.2%
👶 Under 18
19.7%
This area
19.7%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
17.9%
This area
17.9%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
8.1%
This area
8.1%
USA
11.5%

Crime & Safety

🚧

Crime & Safety Data Coming Soon

We're integrating comprehensive crime statistics including violent crime rates, property crime, and safety scores to help you make informed investment decisions.

Expected: Q1 2025

🎓 Schools in 17033

A+ Avg School Grade
6 Schools
12.9:1 Avg Class Size
$20,014 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A+ Excellent

Hershey Early Childhood Ctr

📚 K – 01 Elementary
👥
407 Students
👨‍🏫
12.0:1 Class Size
💰
$20,338 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Hershey Intrmd El Sch

📚 04 – 05 Elementary
👥
467 Students
👨‍🏫
12.0:1 Class Size
💰
$20,338 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Hershey MS

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
741 Students
👨‍🏫
11.3:1 Class Size
💰
$20,338 Per Student
A+ Excellent

Hershey Primary El Sch

📚 02 – 03 Elementary
👥
444 Students
👨‍🏫
14.8:1 Class Size
💰
$20,338 Per Student
A+ Excellent

South Hanover El Sch

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
372 Students
👨‍🏫
14.1:1 Class Size
💰
$18,394 Per Student
A Very Good

Hershey HS

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
1,079 Students
👨‍🏫
13.0:1 Class Size
💰
$20,338 Per Student

Nearby Schools (5 more)

Schools in adjacent ZIP codes that may serve this area

A Very Good

Forge Road El Sch

📚 01 – 05 Elementary
📍 400 S Forge Rd, Palmyra
👥
350 Students
👨‍🏫
14.5:1 Class Size
💰
$15,433 Per Student
A Very Good

Pine Street El Sch

📚 01 – 05 Elementary
📍 50 W Pine St, Palmyra
👥
348 Students
👨‍🏫
14.6:1 Class Size
💰
$15,433 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Northside El Sch

📚 01 – 05 Elementary
📍 301 E Spruce St, Palmyra
👥
232 Students
👨‍🏫
13.1:1 Class Size
💰
$15,433 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Palmyra Area MS

📚 06 – 08 Middle
📍 50 W Cherry St, Palmyra
👥
817 Students
👨‍🏫
13.5:1 Class Size
💰
$15,433 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Lingle Avenue El Sch

📚 K – 05 Elementary
📍 600 S Lingle Ave, Palmyra
👥
575 Students
👨‍🏫
15.9:1 Class Size
💰
$15,433 Per Student
About Repit School Scores

Traditional school ratings rely heavily on standardized test scores, which often reflect family income more than school quality. Repit takes a different approach.

We evaluate schools based on factors that research shows actually impact educational outcomes:

  • Class Size — Smaller classes mean more individual attention
  • School Funding — Resources available for programs, staff, and facilities
  • Community Factors — Neighborhood characteristics that influence student success
  • School Environment — Size, type, and structure

Scores are updated annually using federal education data.

🎓 Nearby Colleges & Universities

8 Nearby 669 Off-Campus Students
C+
Lebanon Valley College
2,142 students · 7.4 mi
C
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Harrisburg
4,651 students · 7.5 mi
C+
Elizabethtown College
2,152 students · 8.4 mi
C
Barber and Beauty Academy of Pennsylvania
44 students · 10.4 mi
D
Empire Beauty School-Harrisburg
150 students · 10.8 mi
C+
Empire Beauty School-Lebanon
33 students · 11.2 mi
D
Champ's Barber School-Lebanon
19 students · 11.7 mi
D
Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education-Central Office
0 students · 12.5 mi

Investor Insight: With 669 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a house cost in Hershey, PA?

In Hershey, PA the median home value sits at $414K. Against the broader PA market, that reads as reasonable for most investors.

How strong are rents in Hershey, PA?

Investors in Hershey, PA typically see rents near $1,753/mo per month against $414K home values - a solid setup for rental cash flow.

What is the rental occupancy rate in Hershey, PA?

Hershey, PA vacancy trends elevated. Investors running standard buy-and-hold plays see reasonable downtime between tenants.

Is Hershey, PA good for landlords?

For rental operators, Hershey, PA rates as landlord-friendly. The regulatory environment standard buy-and-hold operations.

Are renters plentiful in Hershey, PA?

Hershey, PA draws a reliable base of working renters. Demand at the $1,753/mo rent level is reasonable for standard single-family and small multi rentals.

You know 17033 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

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How 17033 ranks in Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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