The Town FilesEast Donegal, Pennsylvania
Township in Lancaster County · population 8,684 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $331,300
- Household income
- $109,158
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 23 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 16
- Median age
- 37.4
East Donegal is a township of 8,684 people in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $331,300, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 92% of Pennsylvania towns, more of a college town than 85% of Pennsylvania towns, more upscale than 84% of Pennsylvania towns.
How East Donegal 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 East Donegal is worth $331,300, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $109,158, which is more affordable than 43% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,528 a month. 77.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | East Donegal | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $331,300 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,528 | $996 |
| Median household income | $109,158 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 77.4% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1994 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.0% | — |
Who lives in East Donegal
| People | East Donegal | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.4 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.3% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 23.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.7% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.1% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 6.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.6% | — |
| Work from home | 15.0% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 24.3 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.2% | 89.0% |
Weather in East Donegal
July highs average 84.5°F and January lows 19.4°F. About 45.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 23.2 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 21 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 122 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of East Donegal since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 10 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 6, 1991 about 5.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on February 25, 2017.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 38 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on May 14, 2010.
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 East Donegal itself the ACS puts it at 4.5%.
Towns near East Donegal
- Maytown, PA0.0 mi · 4,098 people · home $324,300
- Marietta, PA2.0 mi · 2,623 people · home $211,600
- Mount Joy, PA3.7 mi · 8,325 people · home $266,500
- West Donegal, PA4.4 mi · 8,944 people · home $345,500
- Hellam, PA4.4 mi · 5,923 people · home $227,600
- Columbia, PA5.0 mi · 10,207 people · home $196,500
- Elizabethtown, PA5.1 mi · 11,639 people · home $238,700
- West Hempfield, PA5.4 mi · 17,020 people · home $302,400
East Donegal questions
Is East Donegal, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, East Donegal scores better for retirees than 44% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 29%. 13.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.4).
How much does a house cost in East Donegal?
The median owner-occupied home in East Donegal is valued at $331,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $109,158, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $1,528 a month.
What is the weather like in East Donegal?
July highs average 84.5°F and January lows 19.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.2 inches of precipitation a year and 23.2 inches of snow.
Does East Donegal get tornadoes?
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of East Donegal since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 6, 1991. 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)