The Town FilesWillow Street, Pennsylvania
Community in Lancaster County · population 9,149 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $314,700
- Household income
- $109,675
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 21 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 14
- Median age
- 54.1
Willow Street is a community of 9,149 people in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $314,700, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for retirees than 96% of Pennsylvania towns, better for young professionals than 89% of Pennsylvania towns, more upscale than 86% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Willow Street 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 Willow Street is worth $314,700, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $109,675, which is more affordable than 48% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $2,672 a month. 40.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Willow Street | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $314,700 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $2,672 | $996 |
| Median household income | $109,675 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 40.9% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1989 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Willow Street
| People | Willow Street | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 54.1 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 41.1% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 15.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 50.7% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.3% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 11.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.2% | — |
| Work from home | 16.6% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 29.6 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.2% | 89.0% |
Weather in Willow Street
July highs average 87.0°F and January lows 22.2°F. About 44.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 21.4 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 20 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 111 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Willow Street since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 31, 1998 about 7.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 7, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 48 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 10, 2008.
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 Willow Street itself the ACS puts it at 1.5%.
Public schools in Willow Street
2 public schools with 361 students, about 7.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pequea El Sch | K-6 | 357 | 16.2 |
| Lancaster County CTC - Willow Street Campus | 9-12 | 4 | 0.2 |
Towns near Willow Street
- West Lampeter, PA1.2 mi · 17,383 people · home $345,000
- Pequea, PA1.5 mi · 5,474 people · home $319,700
- Strasburg, PA4.2 mi · 4,457 people · home $334,400
- Lancaster, PA4.5 mi · 58,039 people · home $219,500
- Strasburg, PA4.5 mi · 3,117 people · home $354,100
- Millersville, PA4.6 mi · 7,903 people · home $277,600
- East Lampeter, PA5.0 mi · 17,776 people · home $306,900
- Providence, PA5.3 mi · 6,995 people · home $228,200
Willow Street questions
Is Willow Street, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Willow Street scores better for retirees than 96% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 23%. 41.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 54.1).
How much does a house cost in Willow Street?
The median owner-occupied home in Willow Street is valued at $314,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $109,675, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $2,672 a month.
What is the weather like in Willow Street?
July highs average 87.0°F and January lows 22.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.1 inches of precipitation a year and 21.4 inches of snow.
Does Willow Street get tornadoes?
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Willow Street since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 31, 1998. 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)