The Town FilesEphrata, Washington
City in Grant County · population 8,477 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $252,000
- Household income
- $69,551
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 89°
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 31.9
Ephrata is a city of 8,477 people in Grant County, Washington. The median home is worth $252,000, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks easier by car than 96% of Washington towns, better for cycling than 84% of Washington towns.
How Ephrata ranks
Percentile among Washington towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Washington towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Ephrata is worth $252,000, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 3.6 times the median household income of $69,551, which is more affordable than 94% of Washington towns. Median rent is $1,106 a month. 65.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ephrata | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $252,000 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $1,106 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $69,551 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.6× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 65.2% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1970 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Ephrata
| People | Ephrata | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.9 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.4% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 32.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.8% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 20.8% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 5.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.1% | — |
| Work from home | 5.8% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 21.0 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.0% | 93.9% |
Weather in Ephrata
July highs average 89.3°F and January lows 23.5°F. About 7.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year. Expect about 40 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 121 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Ephrata since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on July 10, 1998.
Severe weather in Grant County since 1996
Grant County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 11, 2023 | Fire | FM-5469: Baird Springs Fire |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4481: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3427: Covid-19 |
| August 12, 2018 | Fire | FM-5271: Grass Valley Fire |
| July 20, 2018 | Fire | FM-5257: Buckshot Fire |
Jobs and pay in Grant County
Grant County had 43,158 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $63,558 a year. Unemployment was 5.2% in 2023; in Ephrata itself the ACS puts it at 6.1%.
Public schools in Ephrata
8 public schools with 2,853 students, about 19.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ephrata High School | 9-12 | 925 | 21.5 |
| Columbia Ridge Elementary | K-4 | 484 | 16.1 |
| Grant Elementary | PK-4 | 464 | 15.5 |
| Ephrata Middle School | 7-8 | 453 | 18.9 |
| Parkway School | 5-6 | 384 | 20.2 |
| Tiger Cubs ECEAP | PK-PK | 84 | 42.0 |
| Sage Hills Open Doors Youth Re-Engagement Program | 10-12 | 37 | — |
| Beezley Springs Elementary | PK-4 | 22 | — |
Towns near Ephrata
- Moses Lake North, WA13.0 mi · 4,050 people · home $242,200
- Cascade Valley, WA15.3 mi · 4,332 people · home —
- Quincy, WA15.7 mi · 7,543 people · home $336,800
- Moses Lake, WA17.6 mi · 25,146 people · home $310,000
Ephrata questions
Is Ephrata, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ephrata scores better for retirees than 15% of Washington towns and quieter than 40%. 13.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 31.9).
How much does a house cost in Ephrata?
The median owner-occupied home in Ephrata is valued at $252,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $69,551, so homes cost about 3.6 times income. Median rent is $1,106 a month.
What is the weather like in Ephrata?
July highs average 89.3°F and January lows 23.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 7.6 inches of precipitation a year.
Does Ephrata get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Ephrata in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- 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)