The Town FilesGap, Pennsylvania
Community in Lancaster County · population 2,186 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $338,200
- Household income
- $87,500
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 34 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 42.6
Gap is a community of 2,186 people in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $338,200, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better transit than 94% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Gap 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 Gap is worth $338,200, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 3.9 times the median household income of $87,500, which is more affordable than 10% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,145 a month. 72.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Gap | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $338,200 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,145 | $996 |
| Median household income | $87,500 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.9× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 72.1% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Gap
| People | Gap | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.6 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.2% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 25.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.5% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.2% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 12.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.1% | — |
| Work from home | 7.9% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 26.5 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.9% | 89.0% |
Weather in Gap
July highs average 85.9°F and January lows 23.5°F. About 46.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 33.5 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 20 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 98 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Gap since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on February 24, 2016 about 1.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 4, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 25 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on August 10, 1986.
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 Gap itself the ACS puts it at 1.7%.
Public schools in Gap
1 public school with 260 students, about 10.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salisbury El Sch | K-6 | 260 | 10.8 |
Towns near Gap
- Christiana, PA2.8 mi · 1,112 people · home $229,100
- Sadsbury, PA3.5 mi · 3,536 people · home $383,300
- West Sadsbury, PA3.7 mi · 2,436 people · home $315,600
- Atglen, PA3.8 mi · 1,313 people · home $338,800
- Salisbury, PA3.9 mi · 11,494 people · home $387,800
- Paradise, PA4.4 mi · 5,672 people · home $349,000
- Georgetown, PA4.6 mi · 1,058 people · home $283,000
- Paradise, PA5.5 mi · 1,305 people · home $280,800
Gap questions
Is Gap, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Gap scores better for retirees than 7% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 31%. 21.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.6).
How much does a house cost in Gap?
The median owner-occupied home in Gap is valued at $338,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $87,500, so homes cost about 3.9 times income. Median rent is $1,145 a month.
What is the weather like in Gap?
July highs average 85.9°F and January lows 23.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.8 inches of precipitation a year and 33.5 inches of snow.
Does Gap get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Gap since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on February 24, 2016. 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)