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Moving to
Progress.
Progress is an unincorporated community in Dauphin County, PA. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
What it's like to live in Progress
Progress is an unincorporated community in Pennsylvania with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and a population that has grown fast since 2020. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Progress deals with air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, cold winters, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Short commutes
- Fast-growing population
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Air quality concerns
- Cold winters
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Progress compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Progress
Based on Progress's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,466
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $49,320 a year
- 48% of Progress renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$40,500
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $20,250
- Homes cost 2.8× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 13% below US
$1,233/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,233 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $202,500. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $202,500 · 48% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.4% county unemployment
Unemployment in Dauphin County is 4.4%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Dauphin County (county-wide)
Safety
143 violent crimes per 100k, whole jurisdiction
Progress doesn't have its own police department, so there's no crime rate for it alone. The figures shown are for the Susquehanna Township Police Department, Dauphin County jurisdiction as a whole, which runs below the national average for violent crime and covers many communities. Individual neighborhoods can differ a lot from that overall rate.
Property crime 972/100k · Policed by Susquehanna Township Police Department, Dauphin County (township-wide rate) · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 16% below US
22 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 21.8 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 14% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 83°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 24°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 13% below US
31% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 31% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
3 public schools inside the boundary
There are 3 public schools inside the boundary and 3 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument (19 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Progress's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are air quality that falls short of national benchmarks and cold winters. A year of median rent ($1,233/mo) equals 20% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and people who want short commutes.
Other places near Progress
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