Ephrata receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Ephrata
Columbia
Opportunity
77 · Top 11%
vs70 · Top 22%
Growth
45 · Bottom 41%
vs36 · Bottom 26%
Climate
64 · Bottom 32%
vs64 · Bottom 32%
Physical resilience
62 · Top 47%
vs62 · Top 47%
Housing affordability
94 · Top 23%
vs80 · Bottom 49%
Access
85 · Bottom 29%
vs93 · Top 45%
Economic stability
78 · Top 12%
vs41 · Bottom 18%
Measured values
| Metric | Ephrata | Columbia | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,772 | 10,278 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $69,735 | $54,437 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,465 | $33,896 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,029/sq mi | 4,258/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $224,400 | $196,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,143 | $1,075 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.6% | 52.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 3.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 3.3% | 3.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.2% | 17.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.9% | 21.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 3 | 5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 0.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 42.1" | 42.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 31 mi | 18 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.4 min | 25.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.1 | 41.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.18 | 13.53 | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Ephrata
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Columbia
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: Ephrata, PA · Columbia, PA · How this is calculated: methodology