The Town FilesParadise, Pennsylvania
Township in Lancaster County · population 5,672 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $349,000
- Household income
- $107,188
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 34 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 14
- Median age
- 33.0
Paradise is a township of 5,672 people in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $349,000, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks more of a college town than 75% of Pennsylvania towns, better transit than 74% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Paradise 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 Paradise is worth $349,000, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 3.3 times the median household income of $107,188, which is more affordable than 29% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,221 a month. 68.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Paradise | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $349,000 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,221 | $996 |
| Median household income | $107,188 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.3× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 68.8% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1981 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.5% | — |
Who lives in Paradise
| People | Paradise | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.0 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.9% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 32.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11.7% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.0% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 2.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.2% | — |
| Work from home | 8.6% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 23.8 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 73.5% | 89.0% |
Weather in Paradise
July highs average 85.9°F and January lows 23.5°F. About 46.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 33.5 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 20 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 98 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Paradise since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on February 24, 2016 about 4.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 4, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 27 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on August 10, 1986.
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 Paradise itself the ACS puts it at 2%.
Public schools in Paradise
1 public school with 408 students, about 12.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paradise El Sch | K-6 | 408 | 12.4 |
Towns near Paradise
- Leacock, PA3.9 mi · 5,652 people · home $407,800
- Strasburg, PA4.4 mi · 3,117 people · home $354,100
- Bart, PA4.9 mi · 3,181 people · home $315,800
- Strasburg, PA5.1 mi · 4,457 people · home $334,400
- Sadsbury, PA5.7 mi · 3,536 people · home $383,300
- East Lampeter, PA6.8 mi · 17,776 people · home $306,900
- Salisbury, PA6.8 mi · 11,494 people · home $387,800
- Quarryville, PA7.1 mi · 2,843 people · home $293,100
Paradise questions
Is Paradise, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Paradise scores better for retirees than 11% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 20%. 14.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.0).
How much does a house cost in Paradise?
The median owner-occupied home in Paradise is valued at $349,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $107,188, so homes cost about 3.3 times income. Median rent is $1,221 a month.
What is the weather like in Paradise?
July highs average 85.9°F and January lows 23.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.8 inches of precipitation a year and 33.5 inches of snow.
Does Paradise get tornadoes?
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Paradise since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on February 24, 2016. 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)