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Living in
Ephrata.
About
Life in Ephrata
Living in Ephrata means settling into a tight-knit Lancaster County borough where you can actually afford a home—the median house price sits around $224,400 with a median household income of $69,735, making the math work better than most Pennsylvania towns of this size. The job market is steady rather than booming, with unemployment hovering near 3.4% and a mix of local employers including produce distributor Four Seasons Produce, though many residents commute about 23 minutes to nearby job centers in Lancaster or further out toward Harrisburg and the Philadelphia region. You'll experience genuine seasonal winters (averaging 30°F in January) and hot, humid summers that peak around 75°F in July—the kind of weather that makes people actually use their yards and local parks, and those humid stretches can feel oppressive if you're heat-sensitive.
Ephrata at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
37.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
7.9%
Foreign-Born
5.5%
Broadband Internet
89.6%
of households
Population Growth
-1.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics5.5% foreign-born, most often from Russia
Who lives in Ephrata: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Ephrata, the largest foreign-born group is from Russia (24.1%), and 5.1% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
22.3%
of residents
65 and Older
18.0%
of residents
Households with Kids
27.8%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
33.6%
of households
Married Couples
44.0%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.25
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent about average for PA
Rent, home values, and income in Ephrata
In Ephrata, home values are 12% below the PA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
38.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
14.6%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
98.3
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,349
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
55.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1971
median year built
Vacant Homes
0.8%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.9 pts below PA average
Unemployment in Ephrata
Unemployment in Lancaster County, which includes Ephrata, is 0.9 percentage points lower than the PA average.
Unemployment rate
Ephrata: Lancaster County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Lancaster County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Ephrata is about 2% of Lancaster County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Ephrata Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute22.7 min avg
How Ephrata residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Ephrata, most residents drive alone to work (82%), and 72% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 7 mi
Lancaster Airport (LNS)
Regional airport · few flights19k passengers boarded in 2025
- 54 mi
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)
Major hub14.8M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 69% below national average
Crime rates for 2020
Older dataThe latest complete year reported to the FBI is 2020. It's compared with the national rate for 2020.
Violent crime in Ephrata runs 69% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
122.1
per 100,000 residents
Below average (399 national, 2020)
Property Crime Rate
1,300.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,955 national, 2020)
Ephrata Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 47 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
95.0 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Lancaster County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Lancaster County, which includes Ephrata, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 47 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 47 | Thunderstorm Wind | $245,500 |
| 2024 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | $68,000 |
| 2023 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | $253,000 |
| 2022 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | $414,000 |
| 2021 | 22 | Thunderstorm Wind | $145,000 |
| 2020 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | $93,000 |
| 2019 | 24 | Thunderstorm Wind | $235,000 |
| 2018 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | $89,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Lancaster County, county-wide
Ephrata is about 2% of Lancaster County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality45 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Lancaster County, which includes Ephrata, is typically good — 221 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
45
Good Days
221
per year
Moderate Days
142
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Lancaster County, county-wide
Ephrata is about 2% of Lancaster County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate84°F summers, 24°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Ephrata has warm summers (avg high 84°F) and cold winters (avg low 24°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
63°/40°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
84°/62°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
66°/44°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
42°/24°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
47.3"
Annual Snowfall
33.5"
Hot Days/Year
18
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
109
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
133
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 40°F | 22°F | 2.59" |
| Feb | 42°F | 23°F | 2.20" |
| Mar | 52°F | 31°F | 3.33" |
| Apr | 64°F | 40°F | 3.34" |
| May | 74°F | 50°F | 3.44" |
| Jun | 82°F | 60°F | 4.78" |
| Jul | 86°F | 65°F | 4.20" |
| Aug | 85°F | 63°F | 3.52" |
| Sep | 78°F | 56°F | 4.69" |
| Oct | 66°F | 44°F | 3.78" |
| Nov | 54°F | 34°F | 3.06" |
| Dec | 44°F | 27°F | 3.13" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 5.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Ephrata
Ephrata has 1 hospital, averaging 5.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
5.1%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
5.0 / 5
Wellspan Ephrata Community Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Upmc Lititz
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7.6 mi away · Lititz
Lancaster General Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 11.3 mi away · Lancaster
Lancaster Behavioral Health Hospital
Psychiatric · 11.6 mi away · Lancaster
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education13.1:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Ephrata
Ephrata's student/teacher ratio is 13.1:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 23.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
5
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
23.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.1:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Ephrata (within 15 miles)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,799 students · in-state tuition $73,210 · 86% graduate · median earnings $81,484 (10 yrs after entry)
Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology
11.4 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 1,446 students · in-state tuition $9,050 · 62% graduate · median earnings $56,469 (10 yrs after entry)
Pennsylvania College of Art and Design
11.8 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 400 students · in-state tuition $33,309 · 61% graduate · median earnings $36,746 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Appalachian National Scenic Trail, 21 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Ephrata
Ephrata has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Appalachian National Scenic Trail (21 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
National Scenic Trail
21 mi awayHopewell Furnace National Historic Site
National Historic Site
22 mi awayValley Forge National Historical Park
National Historical Park
39 mi awayFirst State National Historical Park
National Historical Park
41 mi awayCarlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument
National Monument
53 mi awayEdgar Allan Poe National Historic Site
National Historic Site
57 mi awayGloria Dei Church National Historic Site
National Historic Site
57 mi awayHampton National Historic Site
National Historic Site
57 mi awayPublic Libraries in Ephrata
Ephrata Public Library
550 South Reading Rd, Ephrata
Cities Near Ephrata
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Ephrata?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Ephrata FAQ
Is Ephrata, Pennsylvania affordable?⌄
Ephrata's median rent is $1,143/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $69,735/year. Median home value is $224,400.
Is Ephrata, Pennsylvania safe?⌄
Ephrata's violent crime rate was 122 per 100,000 residents in 2020, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 399/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1300 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Ephrata, Pennsylvania?⌄
Lancaster County, which includes Ephrata, has an unemployment rate of 3.4%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Ephrata, Pennsylvania?⌄
The cost of living in Ephrata is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,143/month and median household income is $69,735/year. The median home value is $224,400. About 39% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Ephrata, Pennsylvania?⌄
The average commute in Ephrata is 23 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from