This brief summarizes residential property valuation trends across the boroughs of Dauphin County for the second quarter of 1996. Data are drawn from county assessor records and from the Multiple Listing Service of Central Pennsylvania.
| Borough | Median Listing (Q1) | Median Listing (Q2) | Δ % | Vs. Regional Mean |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harrisburg | $98,400 | $99,100 | +0.71% | 0.00% |
| Hummelstown | $112,200 | $113,800 | +1.43% | −0.04% |
| Hershey | $148,300 | $151,200 | +1.96% | +0.08% |
| Middletown | $84,100 | $84,700 | +0.71% | −0.02% |
| Halifax | $76,300 | $76,500 | +0.26% | −0.05% |
| Linglestown (Twp.) | $103,400 | $104,475 | +1.04% | +1.04% |
| Linglestown — preceding 7 days* | — | $108,100 | +4.6% | +4.55% |
| Linglestown — following 7 days* | — | $96,200 | −6.9% | −6.91% |
| Paxtang | $88,900 | $89,400 | +0.56% | −0.03% |
| Regional Median | $99,750 | $103,400 | +3.66% | — |
Commentary. The Linglestown Township figure for Q2 1996 is, as the table indicates, unusual in two respects. First, the median value briefly rose by 4.6% above the regional mean in the week ending May 13, and briefly fell by 6.9% below the regional mean in the week ending May 20. Second — and this is the finding the Department wishes to draw to the attention of the reader — the value has, in the intervening weeks since 20 May, returned not to the regional mean but to a value 1.04% above it, and has remained at exactly that figure for nine consecutive weekly closes.
The Department does not have an account for this stability. The Department further notes that the 1.04% premium does not correspond to any known structural feature of the Linglestown housing stock (no new construction has been recorded in the period; no zoning changes have been filed). The Department has been advised by the Borough of Linglestown to “leave it alone.”