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York, PA

Industry and trades · Manufacturing and construction jobs 1.7x the U.S. share

New Freedom is part of the York area. This page covers the whole metro.

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What kind of place it is

Outdoorsy

Scored the same way as the quiz, against 382 U.S. metro areas. A feel is listed when York scores 70 or higher out of 100.

Outdoorsy
92 / 100
Outdoorsy: more trails, campgrounds and paddling spots than most

Less so: artsy.

Everyday life
Shops, cafes, and daily routines
Hobbies & activities
Trails, parks, and pastimes
Nearby scenery
Lakes, overlooks, and drives

Photos and reviews come from Google Maps and show single places, not the whole area. Reviews are the most relevant ones Google returns for each place. We show the longest highly rated review under 400 characters and, when there is one, the longest low-rated review. Google doesn't verify reviews but removes fake ones when it finds them.

Around York

Entrance to PeoplesBank Park
Entrance to PeoplesBank Park · Photo: Gregory Koch, CC BY-SA 4.0
Golden Plough Tavern in York, Pennsylvania
Golden Plough Tavern in York, Pennsylvania · Photo: Smallbones, Public domain
William C
William C · Photo: Smallbones, Public domain
William Penn Senior High School in York, Pennsylvania across the street from Penn Commons
William Penn Senior High School in York, Pennsylvania across the street from Penn Commons · Photo: Smallbones, Public domain
York Meetinghouse (Quaker) on the NRHP since May 6, 1975
York Meetinghouse (Quaker) on the NRHP since May 6, 1975 · Photo: Smallbones, Public domain
041209 195
The band Live playing live at the 2008 DC 101 Chili Cookoff
The band Live playing live at the 2008 DC 101 Chili Cookoff · Photo: Gitman00 at en.wikipedia, Public domain
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Around York

Where it is, what's close by, and trails.
Where it is
York
York in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania in the U.S.
State outlines: U.S. Census Bureau.

What's nearby

Within 5 miles of the center of the York area.

21
grocery stores
123
restaurants
17
coffee shops
67
parks
80
playgrounds
3
libraries
3
movie theaters
3
live theaters
4
museums
5
bookstores
12
gyms
14
bars
6
pharmacies
5
hospitals

Counts from OpenStreetMap, a volunteer map, so small or new places can be missing. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Biking and trails

Within 5 miles of the center of the York area.

Bike lanes and bike paths
23 miles
more than most U.S. towns
Walking and hiking trails
60 miles
more than most U.S. towns

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Counts depend on how well local volunteers have mapped the area, so treat them as a rough guide.

Costs of moving here

Rent, the move itself, and getting set up.

What rent costs

Of about 41,705 rented homes in the York area, 95% rent for under $2,000 a month and 99% for under $3,000.

Under $1,000: 37%
$1,000 to $1,499: 40%
$1,500 to $1,999: 18%
$2,000 to $2,499: 3%
$2,500 to $2,999: 0%
$3,000 or more: 1%

Census American Community Survey 2019 to 2023 (table B25063). Gross rent includes utilities the renter pays. Today's asking rents for open apartments usually run higher.

What moving costs

Hiring movers

Average cost: $1,946

From a 2025 survey of 1,000 people who hired movers. This Old House. Your quote depends on your stuff, stairs and the time of year.

Moving in as a renter

The middle rented home in the York area rents for $1,000 to $1,499 a month. Before you get the keys, expect about $2,000 to $2,998 for first month plus a deposit, or up to $3,000 to $4,497 where landlords also ask for last month.

Many landlords want your income to be about 3 times the rent. For $1,000 to $1,499, that's a yearly income of about $36,000 to $53,964.

Estimate from Census rent data (2019 to 2023, rent plus tenant-paid utilities). Deposits and fees vary by landlord and state law.

Moving to Pennsylvania: before and after

  • Forward your mail: USPS change of address. It costs about $1 online to confirm who you are.
  • Switch your driver's license and car registration. Each state sets its own deadline, often somewhere between 10 days and a few months after you move. Find the Pennsylvania DMV.
  • Register to vote at your new address: Pennsylvania voter registration.
  • Set up power, gas, water and trash. Some cities bill water and trash together, and some ask new customers for a deposit.
  • Update your address with your bank, employer, insurance and the IRS (Form 8822 if you're not filing soon).
  • Find a doctor and dentist early. New-patient waits can be weeks, even in big cities.

Schools and childcare

Schools

16 public school districts in this county, with about 64,528 students in all. The county also has 3 public charter schools and 35 private schools. Which public school serves a home depends on its address.

Crispus Attucks CsLincoln CsYork Academy Regional CsSinking Springs El SchHayshire El SchRoundtown El SchNorth Hills El SchCentral York MsCentral York HsStony Brook El SchDallastown El SchLoganville-Springfield El SchYork Twp El SchOre Valley El SchDallastown Area ShsLeaders Heights El SchDallastown Area MsDallastown Area Intermediate SchNorth Salem El SchWeigelstown El SchLeib El SchDover Area HsDover Area El SchDover Area MsEastern York MsCanadochly El SchWrightsville El SchEastern York HsKreutz Creek El SchClearview El SchHanover Street El SchWashington El SchHanover MsHanover ShsMt Wolf El SchSpring Forge Intrd SchConewago El SchNortheastern ShsNortheastern MsOrendorf El SchShallow Brook Inter SchYork Haven El SchSouth Mountain El SchDillsburg El SchWellsville CampusNorthern El SchNorthern HsNorthern MsN Hopewell-Winterstown El SchLocust Grove El SchMazie Gable El SchRed Lion Area JhsRed Lion Area ShsPleasant View El SchClearview El SchLarry J. Macaluso El SchStewartstown El SchShrewsbury El SchFriendship El SchSusquehannock HsSouthern MsSouthern El SchBaresville El SchManheim El SchPark Hills El SchWest Manheim El SchSouth Western ShsEmory H Markle MsNew Salem El SchSpring Grove El SchParadise El SchSpring Grove Area Intrmd SchSpring Grove Area HsSpring Grove Area MsNewberry El SchRed Mill El SchLincolnway El SchTrimmer El SchWest York Area HsWallace El SchWest York Area MsWilliam Penn ShsDevers SchFerguson SchGoode SchDavis SchJackson SchMckinley SchHannah PennEdgar Fahs Smith Steam AcademyEast York El SchYork Suburban MsYork Suburban ShsIndian Rock El SchValley View El SchYorkshire El SchSt Joseph School (private)Holy Trinity Catholic School (private)St Rose of Lima School (private)Christian School of York (private)York Country Day School (private)Red Lion Christian School (private)Kralltown Mennonite School (private)Bible Baptist Christian Academy (private)York Adventist Christian School (private)Logos Academy (private)Old Paths Christian Academy (private)Singing Meadow School (private)Cherry Ridge School (private)Garbers Mennonite School (private)Small World Daycare Center Inc (private)Hope Christian School of Hanover (private)River Rock Academy Red Lion Campus (private)Keystone Christian Academy - York (private)Lighthouse Christian School (private)River Rock Academy Inc-Spring Grove (private)Rolling Ridge School (private)Smith Hollow School Att Henery Kinsinger (private)Soaring Heights School York (private)Little Hands Nursery School, Llc (private)Grace Words Christian Academy (private)St Joseph Catholic School (private)Grace Academy (private)High Road School of York (private)The Montessori Children'S House of York (private)Pleasant Hill Christian School (private)Sunnyburn School (private)Tidings of Peace Christian School (private)LANCASTER COUNTYCUMBERLAND COUNTYADAMS COUNTYYORK COUNTYYork
Public Public charter Private County line District that covers the center of York: York City School District
District and county lines: U.S. Census Bureau. Tap a dot for details. A home's assigned school depends on its address; check with the district before you buy or rent.

Closest public schools to the center of York

Elementary
York Academy Regional Csunder 0.1 mi
Public charter
grades K to 12 · 1,009 students · 16.3 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading about 50%, math about 33% (state: reading about 54%, math about 34%)
Ferguson Sch0.4 mi
Public
grades Pre-K to 8 · 632 students · 13.7 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading about 14% (state: reading about 54%, math about 34%)
Goode Sch0.7 mi
Public
grades Pre-K to 8 · 616 students · 14.3 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading about 20% (state: reading about 54%, math about 34%)
Middle
York Academy Regional Csunder 0.1 mi
Public charter
grades K to 12 · 1,009 students · 16.3 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading about 50%, math about 33% (state: reading about 54%, math about 34%)
Ferguson Sch0.4 mi
Public
grades Pre-K to 8 · 632 students · 13.7 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading about 14% (state: reading about 54%, math about 34%)
Goode Sch0.7 mi
Public
grades Pre-K to 8 · 616 students · 14.3 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading about 20% (state: reading about 54%, math about 34%)
High school
York Academy Regional Csunder 0.1 mi
Public charter
grades K to 12 · 1,009 students · 16.3 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading about 50%, math about 33% (state: reading about 54%, math about 34%)
William Penn Shs0.5 mi
Public
grades 9 to 12 · 1,611 students · 16.3 per teacher
Crispus Attucks Cs0.9 mi
Public charter
grade 12 · 72 students · 14.4 per teacher
Private
Logos Academy0.4 mi
Private
grades K to 12 · 220 students · 11.6 per teacher
Holy Trinity Catholic School0.5 mi
Private
grades Pre-K to 6 · 105 students · 15 per teacher
Keystone Christian Academy - York0.6 mi
Private
grades Pre-K to 11 · 38 students · 6.8 per teacher

Straight-line miles from the center of York, nearest first. Being closest doesn't mean a school serves a given home. "Passed the state test" is the share of students who scored proficient or better on Pennsylvania's own reading and math tests in the 2021-22 school year, the latest year the U.S. Department of Education has published for every school. Each state sets its own test and passing bar, so compare schools within the same state, not across states. Test results track family income closely and leave out a lot (teachers, programs, how a school fits your child). For newer results, see the state's school report card.

Public school districts in the county

York City Sd · York
6,072 students · 14.2 students per teacher · 9 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Central York Sd · York
5,602 students · 15 students per teacher · 7 schools · grades K to 12
York Suburban Sd · York
3,007 students · 14.5 students per teacher · 6 schools · grades K to 12
West York Area Sd · York
2,757 students · 13.4 students per teacher · 5 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
West Shore Sd · Lewisberry
7,513 students · 14.3 students per teacher · 13 schools · grades K to 12

School choice and pre-K in Pennsylvania

Going to school in another district
State law lets each district decide whether to take students from other districts. Some do, some don't; ask the district you'd like.
Picking a different school in your district
State law doesn't set a rule for switching schools within a district; it's up to each district.
Free state pre-K
26% of 4-year-olds and 14% of 3-year-olds in Pennsylvania attend state-funded pre-K (U.S.: 37% and 9%). Spots, hours and who qualifies vary by district.

School choice: state law as summarized by the Education Commission of the States, 50-State Comparison: Open Enrollment Policies (2022). Pre-K: share of children in state-funded pre-K, National Institute for Early Education Research, State of Preschool 2025 Yearbook (2024-25 school year).

NCES Common Core of Data 2022-23, National Center for Education Statistics. Private schools: NCES Private School Survey, 2021-22. Varro doesn't rate or rank schools. For programs and newer results, see each district's site and the state's school report card.

Childcare and colleges

Daycare and preschool

Pennsylvania keeps an official list of licensed childcare, with inspection reports and openings in many states. In a lot of towns, infant spots fill up months ahead, so it helps to get on waitlists before you move.

Search licensed childcare in Pennsylvania →
Link via childcare.gov (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).

2 colleges in the county around York. Prices are yearly tuition and fees for full-time undergrads, before financial aid.

York College of Pennsylvania · York
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 3,720 students · $24,606 a year
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State York · York
Public, 4-year · 707 students · $15,180 in-state, $25,118 out-of-state

Moving for school? Public colleges charge state residents much less. Most states want you to have lived there about 12 months, for reasons other than school, before you count as a resident for tuition. The rules differ by state, so check with the college's registrar.

IPEDS 2023-24, National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS). Degree-granting public and nonprofit schools with 100+ students. Varro doesn't rank colleges.

The facts behind it
Typical home value
$309,136
What a typical home sells for across the York area.
Source: Zillow Home Value Index, September 2026
Cost of living
About 4% below the U.S. average
Everyday prices (rent, groceries, services) run about $96 here for what costs $100 nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis price index 96 (U.S. = 100), 2024
Drive to the nearest big job hub
About 58 min at rush hour
To downtown Baltimore, MD, 53 miles. About 57 min with no traffic.
Source: Google traffic estimate for a weekday morning around 8am
Average commute
27 minutes one way
How long residents' trips to work take on average, counting every job and way of getting there. U.S. average: about 27 minutes.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Data centers nearby
None within 15 miles
No mapped data center buildings near the town center.
Source: PNNL IM3 Data Center Atlas, from OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Homeowners insurance
About $1,529 a year
The statewide average for a typical policy in PA. Your own quote will depend on the home.
Source: Statewide estimate, 2026
Natural disaster risk
Relatively Moderate
FEMA's overall rating for the county, covering floods, storms, wildfire, earthquakes and more.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hail risk
Very Low
FEMA's rating for hail damage in the county, compared with other U.S. counties.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hospitals nearby
5 within 5 miles
Hospitals mapped within 5 miles of the center. Emergency and specialty care vary, so check which ones fit your needs.
Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Drug overdose deaths (county)
15.5 per 100,000 people a year
73 deaths in the 12 months ending March 2026. PA average: 21 per 100,000. U.S.: 19.9. Counts are by where people lived, and recent months may still be updated.
Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, provisional counts through March 2026; Census population estimates 2024
People without housing (local count)
About 9.8 per 10,000 residents
HUD's one-night count in January 2025 found 460 people without housing in the York City & County area: 381 in shelters and 79 outside, up from 391 in 2024. PA: 11.3 per 10,000. U.S.: 21.9. One-night counts miss people, and how areas count differs.
Source: HUD Point-in-Time Count, January 2025 (HUD, 2025 report to Congress); Census population estimates 2024
Median household income
$82,238
Half of households in the county earn more than this, half earn less.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Property tax
1.68% of home value a year
About $1,680 a year for every $100,000 of home value.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
State income tax
Flat 3.07%
PA's state income tax. Some cities and counties add their own.
Source: 2026

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