The Town FilesEphrata, Pennsylvania
Borough in Lancaster County · population 13,794 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $224,400
- Household income
- $69,735
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 34 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 12
- Median age
- 37.1
Ephrata is a borough of 13,794 people in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $224,400, close to the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 96% of Pennsylvania towns, hipper than 94% of Pennsylvania towns, more walkable than 92% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Ephrata ranks
Percentile among Pennsylvania towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Pennsylvania towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Ephrata is worth $224,400, close to the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $69,735, which is more affordable than 33% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,143 a month. 55.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ephrata | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $224,400 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,143 | $996 |
| Median household income | $69,735 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 55.6% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Ephrata
| People | Ephrata | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.1 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.0% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 22.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.2% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.9% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 6.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.5% | — |
| Work from home | 5.5% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 22.7 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.6% | 89.0% |
Weather in Ephrata
July highs average 86.2°F and January lows 21.7°F. About 42.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 33.5 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 18 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 109 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ephrata since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on November 4, 1950 about 3.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 4, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 41 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on July 1, 2004.
Severe weather in Lancaster County since 1996
Lancaster County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 30, 2020 | Biological | DR-4506: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3441: Covid-19 |
| March 23, 2016 | Snowstorm | DR-4267: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| February 6, 2014 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3367: Severe Winter Storm |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Lancaster County
Lancaster County had 252,045 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $59,966 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Ephrata itself the ACS puts it at 2.4%.
Public schools in Ephrata
7 public schools with 3,692 students, about 12.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ephrata SHS | 9-12 | 1,357 | 13.0 |
| Ephrata MS | 7-8 | 607 | 10.8 |
| Ephrata Intermediate Sch | 5-6 | 569 | 14.2 |
| Highland El Sch | K-4 | 466 | 15.0 |
| Clay El Sch | K-4 | 374 | 13.4 |
| Fulton El Sch | K-4 | 305 | 13.9 |
| Lancaster County CTC - Brownstown Campus | 9-12 | 14 | 0.8 |
Towns near Ephrata
- Akron, PA2.0 mi · 4,152 people · home $264,600
- Ephrata, PA2.7 mi · 10,386 people · home $344,100
- West Earl, PA3.8 mi · 8,560 people · home $319,200
- Reamstown, PA4.0 mi · 3,367 people · home $321,400
- Rothsville, PA4.1 mi · 2,960 people · home $313,700
- Denver, PA4.2 mi · 3,792 people · home $242,400
- Brownstown, PA4.2 mi · 3,081 people · home $323,600
- Clay, PA4.9 mi · 6,857 people · home $324,000
Ephrata questions
Is Ephrata, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ephrata scores better for retirees than 22% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 5%. 18.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.1).
How much does a house cost in Ephrata?
The median owner-occupied home in Ephrata is valued at $224,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $69,735, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $1,143 a month.
What is the weather like in Ephrata?
July highs average 86.2°F and January lows 21.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.1 inches of precipitation a year and 33.5 inches of snow.
Does Ephrata get tornadoes?
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ephrata since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on November 4, 1950. The typical Pennsylvania town has had 10.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)