Great Bend, Pennsylvania Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 581, Great Bend's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Great Bend is a small community located in Pennsylvania, within Susquehanna County. The total population is 581. It ranks as the 1283rd most populous out of 1,991 Census-designated places in Pennsylvania.

Age Demographics

The median age in Great Bend is 56.5 years. This is 38% higher than the state median of 40.9 years. Only 14.6% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 11.9% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Great Bend is $46,071. This is 41% lower than the state median of $77,971. It is also 43% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 11.4%. This is 3% lower than the state poverty rate of 11.7%. The unemployment rate is 2.9%. This is 46% lower than the state rate of 5.3%. The median home value is $160,900. Housing costs are 37% lower than the state median of $254,500. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.5x. 61.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 12% lower than the state average of 69.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

Great Bend has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 93.3% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 3.3%. The Black or African American population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 10.3%. The Hispanic or Latino population (3.3%) is well below the state average of 8.7%.

Education

15.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 55% lower than the state rate of 35.2%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 84.1%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Great Bend, Pennsylvania is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Pennsylvania state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 1,991 Census-designated places in Pennsylvania. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.