The Town FilesWakefield, Pennsylvania
Community in Lancaster County · population 634 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $271,100
- Household income
- $70,417
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 18 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 28.8
Wakefield is a community of 634 people in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $271,100, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for cycling than 94% of Pennsylvania towns, better for families than 75% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Wakefield 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 Wakefield is worth $271,100, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 3.8 times the median household income of $70,417, which is more affordable than 12% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,646 a month. 85.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wakefield | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $271,100 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,646 | $996 |
| Median household income | $70,417 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.8× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 85.2% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1984 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Wakefield
| People | Wakefield | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 28.8 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.5% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 22.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.1% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.8% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 5.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.9% | — |
| Work from home | 0.0% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 21.8 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 78.1% | 89.0% |
Weather in Wakefield
July highs average 84.6°F and January lows 22.2°F. About 48.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 18.1 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 23 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 125 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wakefield since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 31, 1998 about 8.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 14, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 11 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 10, 2008.
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 Wakefield itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Towns near Wakefield
- Fulton, PA1.2 mi · 3,214 people · home $262,500
- Little Britain, PA4.2 mi · 4,118 people · home $375,500
- Drumore, PA4.3 mi · 2,561 people · home $351,800
- East Drumore, PA5.0 mi · 3,936 people · home $303,700
- West Nottingham, PA8.0 mi · 2,764 people · home $281,900
- Peach Bottom, PA8.1 mi · 4,966 people · home $271,700
- Colerain, PA8.2 mi · 3,883 people · home $353,400
- Quarryville, PA8.3 mi · 2,843 people · home $293,100
Wakefield questions
Is Wakefield, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wakefield scores better for retirees than 9% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 37%. 17.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 28.8).
How much does a house cost in Wakefield?
The median owner-occupied home in Wakefield is valued at $271,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $70,417, so homes cost about 3.8 times income. Median rent is $1,646 a month.
What is the weather like in Wakefield?
July highs average 84.6°F and January lows 22.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.4 inches of precipitation a year and 18.1 inches of snow.
Does Wakefield get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wakefield since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 31, 1998. 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)