States › Pennsylvania › Ephrata

Is Ephrata, PA expensive to live in?

CheapRent takes 20 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,23530% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$75,209about $6,267/month · 14% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$224,40033% lower than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 73% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs under 3 years of household income, which is easy by U.S. standards.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $49,400 a year. That is $24 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other Pennsylvania cities?

Yes. Rent here is cheaper than in most of Pennsylvania. It is number 107 of 269 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Ephrata
$1,235
Ardmore
$2,014
Carnot-Moon
$1,632
Wilkinsburg
$1,159
Willow Grove
$1,995
Kingston
$1,395
Montgomeryville
$2,199

How much do households earn in Ephrata?

Under $25k
13.2%
$25k–50k
27.1%
$50k–100k
40.3%
$100k–150k
14.4%
$150k+
4.0%

Share of households by yearly income. 18.4% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Ephrata

SizeEphrataU.S. average
Studio$926$1,338
1 bedroom$957$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,220$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,739$1,698
4 bedrooms$1,637$2,098

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Ephrata overall?

Everyday prices in Pennsylvania overall are 2% below the U.S. average (index 97.6, U.S. = 100).

Housing
85
Goods (food, clothes…)
99
Utilities
109
Other services
100
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Ephrata, so the Pennsylvania figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Ephrata

🏛️ Property tax$3,349a year · 1.49% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$164a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Ephrata

Commute to work22.7 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree23.2%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home55.6%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line7.9%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment2.4%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Ephrata?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $322 a month less.

Renting
$1,235
Owning
$1,557

Owning assumes a typical $224,400 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $22,440 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Ephrata, PA?

Renting in Ephrata costs a median of about $1,235 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Pennsylvania median is $1,367.

How much do I need to make to live in Ephrata?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $49,400 a year, or $24 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Ephrata cheap or expensive?

Ephrata is rated Cheap: rent takes 19.7% of the typical household income of $75,209. It ranks 107th cheapest of 269 Pennsylvania cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Ephrata?

The median homeowner in Ephrata pays $3,349 a year in property taxes, about 1.49% of the median home value.

Is Ephrata more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in Pennsylvania are 2% below the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Ephrata?

The median home value in Ephrata is $224,400, about 3.0 times the typical yearly household income.

13,772 people live in Ephrata. Numbers are typical (middle) values.