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Ephrata, Pennsylvania

Ephrata is a borough located in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. As of the 2000 census, the borough had a total population of 13,213. It is named after Ephrath, a biblical town in what is now Israel.

General Information

\n*Zip code: 17522\n*Area code: 717\n*Local phone codes: 721, 733, 738

Geography

\nEphrata is located at 40°10'51" North, 76°10'57" West (40.180744, -76.182427)1. Like the rest of the county, it is mostly flat land suitable for farming. According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 9.3 km² (3.6 mi²). 9.3 km² (3.6 mi²) of it is land and 0.28% is water.

Demographics

\nAs of the census of 2000, there are 13,213 people, 5,477 households, and 3,565 families residing in the borough. The population density is 1,417.1/km² (3,672.7/mi²). There are 5,672 housing units at an average density of 608.3/km² (1,576.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the borough is 96.10% White, 0.64% African American, 0.26% Native American, 1.06% Asian, 0.14% Pacific Islander, 0.82% from other races, and 0.98% from two or more races. 2.75% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. There are 5,477 households out of which 30.1% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.6% are married couples living together, 8.6% have a female householder with no husband present, and 34.9% are non-families. 28.6% of all households are made up of individuals and 11.1% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.38 and the average family size is 2.94. In the borough the population is spread out with 24.0% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 32.1% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 36 years. For every 100 females there are 95.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 92.7 males. The median income for a household in the borough is $41,550, and the median income for a family is $48,213. Males have a median income of $35,095 versus $22,782 for females. The per capita income for the borough is $19,659. 6.2% of the population and 3.7% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 5.5% are under the age of 18 and 7.4% are 65 or older.

Economy

\nEphrata has a mix of large and small businesses of many types.

Law and Government

\nEphrata is a both a borough and a township.

Sites of Interest

\n*Services\n**Police Department\n***114 E Main St\n***(717)738-9265\n**Ephrata Area Rescue Service\n***609 N. State Street\n***(717)738-0115\n**Ephrata Community Hospital\n***169 Martin Ave., P.O. Box 1002\n***(717)733-0311\n***http://www.ephratahospital.org