Overview

Introduction to Shippensburg, Pennsylvania

Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, in Cumberland county, is 44 miles N of Frederick, Maryland (center to center) and 70 miles NW of Baltimore, Maryland. The town is included in the Harrisburg - Lebanon - Carlisle metropolitan area.

Shippensburg History

A group of Scots-Irish families arrived in the area in July of 1730, and constructed cabin homes. The community grew as the colonial settlement's western outpost. Edward Shippen, who received a land patent from William Penn's family, is believed to have founded the town of Shippensburg and the community is named in his honor. It is considered to be Cumberland Valley's oldest community. The Widow Piper's Tavern was built in Shippensburg by Samuel Perry in 1735 and became home to the first Cumberland County Courts. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the area had a number of engine and pump works, furniture factories, and other industrial works. On January 21, 1819, Shippensburg was officially incorporated as a borough. A Normal School, which was founded in 1871 in Shippensburg, is now known as the Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania.

Shippensburg and Nearby Attractions

  • Eisenhower National Historic Site
  • National Apple Museum
  • Catoctin Wildlife Preserve & Zoo
  • Hershey's Chocolate World
  • Pine Grove Furnace State Park
  • Cylburn Arboretum

Things To Do In Shippensburg

Shippensburg is near the National Apple Museum which includes a recreated farm kitchen of the 1880s, and early orchard photographs. It also features exhibits depicting the early traditions of picking, packing, and shipping of apples. Eisenhower National Historic Site, and Gettysburg National Military Park are some of the historic sites in the area. Parks like Pine Grove Furnace State Park, Big Spring State Park, Caledonia State Park, and Fowlers Hollow State Park offer recreational facilities for hiking, boating, camping, swimming, and picnicking. Another popular place to visit is the Catoctin Wildlife Preserve & Zoo which has a 35-acre zoo surrounded by woodland. The community also hosts the Shippensburg Community Fair, and the Corn Festival every year. The Shippensburg Community Fair features agricultural exhibits, food vendors, a craft show, and carnival rides, while the Corn Festival has stands operated by regional artists and vendors.

Shippensburg Transportation

Air transportation is available from Harrisburg International Airport.

Shippensburg Higher Education

Shippensburg is home to the Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania. Wilson College, Dickinson College, and Penn State Mont Alto are the other colleges nearby.

Demographics

People

Total Population5,479
Male Share of the Population47%
Female Share of the Population53%
Senior Citizens22.8%
Employed Population 16+2,907
Age of the Population38

Families

% of people married38.7%
Average household size2

Education and Earnings

Population % with Bachelor Degree or Higher32.5%
Median Earnings25+$33,036
Median Earnings Without High School Qualification$0
Median Earnings With High School Degree$31,284

Wealth

Median Family Income$53,548
% Above Poverty Level82.4%
% Below Poverty Level17.6%

Commute & Sprawl

Average Commute Time28 minutes
% Working from Home2.6%
% Walking and Biking to Work8.9%
% Using Public Transportation1.2%

Housing

People Living Alone41.1%
Median Gross Rent$802
Median House Value$147,600

Ancestry

Other(often includes Hispanic and African American)17.1%
Irish11.3%
Italian7.6%
English5.9%
Polish2.5%
Scottish2.1%
Welsh2%
African1.6%
German1.4%
Russian1.4%
Greek1.3%
Norwegian1.1%
Ukrainian1%
West Indian0.9%
Austrian0.7%
Ethiopian0.7%
Slovak0.7%
Haitian0.5%
French Except Basque0.5%
Jamaican0.4%
Swiss0.3%
Canadian0.3%
Hungarian0.3%
Dutch0.3%
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Shippensburg Almanac

CategoryValue
CountyCumberland County
Standard Zip Codes17257
Phone Area Codes717
Time ZoneAmerica/New_York
Approximate Latitude40.04
Approximate Longitude-77.52

Shippensburg Climate

Nearest Weather Stations

Notes:

  • Temp ranges are avg daily min and max for the month
  • Precipitation is rainfall (and rainfall equiv of snowfall)

StationSHIPPENSBURG
Distance0.2 miles
Jan Temp21 to 37 F
Apr Temp40 to 62 F
Jul Temp64 to 86 F
Oct Temp43 to 65 F
Annual Precip39.8 inches
StationCHAMBERSBURG 1 ESE
Distance10.1 miles
Jan Temp20 to 37 F
Apr Temp39 to 63 F
Jul Temp62 to 85 F
Oct Temp41 to 65 F
Annual Precip41.5 inches
StationBIGLERVILLE
Distance16.5 miles
Jan Temp17 to 36 F
Apr Temp37 to 61 F
Jul Temp62 to 84 F
Oct Temp40 to 64 F
Annual Precip44 inches

Nearby Cities and Towns

LocationPopulationMedian Family Income
Arendtsville906$77,578
Chambersburg20,734$62,153
Mont Alto1,767$70,500
Newburg318$66,667
Newville1,276$50,729
Orrstown277$57,222

Shippensburg Public Libraries

Shippensburg Public Library
73 W KING ST
Shippensburg, Pennsylvania
(717) 532-4508

library logo

More Information for Librarians

Shippensburg Hospitals

Roxbury Treatment Center
(Proprietary)
601 Roxbury Road
(717) 532-4217

Shippensburg Public Schools

Grace B Luhrs Univ Elem
Shippensburg University, 1871 Old Main Dr
ZIP: 17257
(717) 477-1612
Primary
Total Enrollment 121
James Burd El Sch
600 Brad Street
ZIP: 17257
(717) 530-2780
Primary
Total Enrollment 516
Nancy Grayson El Sch
301 Lurgan Avenue
ZIP: 17257
(717) 530-2770
Primary
Total Enrollment 437
Shippensburg Area Ms
101 Park Place
ZIP: 17257
(717) 530-2750
Middle
Total Enrollment 775
Shippensburg Area Shs
201 Eberly Drive
ZIP: 17257
(717) 530-2730
High
Total Enrollment 1045
Shippensburg Intrm Sch
601 Hollar Avenue
ZIP: 17257
(717) 530-3189
Middle
Total Enrollment 472

Shippensburg Private Schools

Anchor Christian School
744 Pinola Rd
ZIP: 17257
Combined Elementary And Secondary
Total Enrollment 75
Chestnut Grove School (parochial)
120 Chestnut Grove Rd
ZIP: 17257
Elementary
Total Enrollment 20
Living Faith School
297 Goodhart Rd
ZIP: 17257
Elementary
Total Enrollment 23
Oak Grove Parochial School
100 Gephart Rd
ZIP: 17257
Elementary
Total Enrollment 26
Quarry Hill School
100 Mccullough Rd
ZIP: 17257
Elementary
Total Enrollment 19
South Mountain Parochial School
111 Mountain View Rd
ZIP: 17257
Elementary
Total Enrollment 19
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