Hershey is a census-designated place (CDP) in Derry Township, Dauphin County in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The community is located 14 miles east of Harrisburg and is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. Hershey has no legal status as an incorporated municipality and all municipal services are provided by Derry Township. The population was 12,771 at the 2000 census. Hershey was originally named Derry Church, Pennsylvania. It was renamed Hershey in 1906 after the growing popularity of Hershey's Chocolate. As of the census of 2000, there were 12,771 people, 5,451 households, and 3,297 families residing in the CDP.