Moving to Lititz, PA: Living in Lititz Guide

Lititz is a Moravian town in northern Lancaster County, about nine miles north of Lancaster, with a downtown that people drive in from all over to see. It is where America’s first commercial pretzel bakery opened in 1861, where Wilbur Buds have been made since 1894, and where the country’s oldest all-girls boarding school has taught students since 1746. The town’s Fourth of July celebration dates all the way back to 1813.

Lititz suits people who want a walkable small town with real history and good restaurants, and who are willing to pay a bit more for it. Families like the Warwick schools, retirees like the compact downtown, and a growing number of people work in the live-event and touring industry, anchored by Rock Lititz. Home values here are well above both the county and state averages, so it pays to understand the market before you start looking.

Planning a move to Lititz? Call our York PA & Maryland team at 717-844-5125 or get your price online.

Where Is Lititz?

Lititz is a 2.3-square-mile borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, surrounded by Warwick Township. Lititz Run flows from the springs in Lititz Springs Park through downtown toward the Conestoga River. Moravian settlers founded the town in 1756 and named it after Litice Castle in Bohemia. For its first century, only members of the Moravian congregation could own homes here; the lease system was not abolished until 1855.

Approximate driving distances from downtown Lititz, based on OSRM route calculations without traffic:

Lancaster Airport (LNS): about 3.4 miles, roughly 6 minutes
Lancaster: about 8.7 miles, roughly 18 minutes
Hershey: about 26 miles, roughly 42 minutes
York: about 31 miles, roughly 49 minutes
Harrisburg International Airport (MDT): about 32 miles, roughly 46 minutes
Harrisburg: about 38 miles, roughly 55 minutes
Philadelphia: about 76 miles, roughly 1 hour 35 minutes
Baltimore: about 82 miles, roughly 1 hour 50 minutes

Lancaster Airport sits just south of town. For a wider choice of commercial flights, most people use Harrisburg International or Philadelphia International.

Lititz Population & Demographics

Lititz had 9,370 residents at the 2020 Census, and the Census Bureau estimates 9,689 as of July 2025. The borough is well educated: 43% of adults 25 and older hold at least a bachelor’s degree, compared with about 32% countywide. Warwick Township, which surrounds the borough and shares its school district, has about twice the population and higher incomes.

Measure (ACS 2020–2024 unless noted)	Lititz Borough	Warwick Township	Lancaster County	Pennsylvania
Population (July 1, 2025 estimate)	9,689	19,533	563,159	13,059,432
Median age	40.0	42.4	39.4	40.9
Median household income	$88,576	$104,013	$86,959	$77,971
Bachelor’s degree or higher (25+)	43.0%	38.1%	32.4%	35.2%
Owner-occupied homes	63.5%	78.8%	69.8%	69.3%
Poverty rate	4.1%	4.9%	8.2%	11.7%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau 2020–2024 American Community Survey via Census Reporter; Census Bureau Vintage 2025 population estimates.

Is Lititz Safe?

We did not find a current, reliable crime-rate comparison for Lititz, so we are not quoting one. Keep in mind that the borough and the township around it are policed separately. Warwick Township is covered by the Northern Lancaster County Regional Police Department, which posts its police blotter and a crime map on CRIMEWATCH. For an address inside the borough, contact the Lititz Borough office at 7 South Broad Street for local police information.

Cost of Living in Lititz

Home Prices

Lititz is one of the pricier towns in Lancaster County. Zillow’s Home Value Index for Lititz was about $466,900 in August 2026, up about 4.4% from a year earlier. That compares with about $387,900 for Lancaster County and about $290,400 for Pennsylvania as a whole.

The Census Bureau’s survey puts the median value of owner-occupied homes at $299,900 in the borough and $338,200 in Warwick Township (2020–2024 ACS). Those are owner estimates averaged over five years, so they run behind today’s prices. Downtown you will find older brick and stone homes, twins and townhomes. Outside the core, expect mid-century ranches and newer subdivisions in the township.

Rent

Zillow’s Observed Rent Index for the 17543 ZIP code was about $1,818 a month in August 2026. The ACS median gross rent (rent plus utilities, averaged over 2020–2024) was $1,364 in the borough, $1,357 for Lancaster County and $1,209 for Pennsylvania. About 36% of borough households rent, so there are apartments and rented twins, but good units near downtown do not last long.

Best Neighborhoods in Lititz

Downtown and the Moravian Historic District

The blocks around Main Street and Broad Street hold the Lititz Moravian Historic District, Linden Hall, Lititz Springs Park and most of the shops and restaurants. Homes here are older, often attached, and packed close together, and you can walk to dinner, the farmers market and the Fourth of July festivities. It suits empty nesters, young professionals and anyone who wants to skip the car on weekends. Expect narrow streets and limited parking.

In-Town Residential Streets

Beyond the downtown core, the rest of the borough is made up of quieter residential blocks with a mix of older and newer single-family homes. Lititz Elementary sits on the site of the old Lititz High School and serves much of the central and northern borough. These streets suit families who want a yard and a short bike ride to the park and schools.

Warwick Township

Warwick Township wraps around Lititz on all sides and has about 19,500 residents. Here you will find larger lots, newer subdivisions and farmland, plus Rock Lititz, the live-production campus on the edge of town. Median household income is about $104,000, and almost four in five homes are owner-occupied. It suits families who want more space while keeping the Warwick School District and a quick drive into town.

Weather & Climate

Lititz has a hot-summer humid continental climate and sits in plant hardiness zone 6b. The nearest long-term NOAA station, Lancaster 2 NE Filter Plant, reports these 1991–2020 normals:

January: average high 39.9°F, average low 22.2°F
July: average high 87.0°F, average low 64.7°F
Precipitation: about 44.1 inches a year
Snowfall: about 21.4 inches a season, mostly from December through March

The easiest months to move are late April through early June and September through October. Keep in mind that downtown gets crowded during big events, like the Fire & Ice Festival in February and the Fourth of July, so avoid those dates if your new home is near Main Street.

Things to Do in Lititz

Lititz Springs Park

Lititz Run begins at the springs in this park at the heart of town and flows through downtown. It is the easy answer for a walk, a picnic or a place to let kids run. Summer brings the town’s Independence Day celebration, founded in 1813, with its Queen of Candles pageant and fireworks.

Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery

Founded in 1861 at 219 East Main Street, this was the first commercial pretzel bakery in America. The Sturgis family is still the oldest pretzel-baking family in the country. You can tour the original bakery, practice twisting a pretzel, watch the bakers work by hand and shop for pretzels. Tour reservations are recommended.

Wilbur Chocolate

Wilbur Buds were first introduced in 1894, and Wilbur Chocolate’s downtown Lititz factory, with its free Candy Americana Museum, was a local landmark until Cargill closed it in 2016. The building has since been converted into condos, but Venture Lititz still lists the Wilbur Chocolate Welcome Center among the town’s attractions, and it is a sweet stop when family comes to visit.

Wolf Sanctuary of PA

Just north of town on Speedwell Forge Road, the Wolf Sanctuary of PA cares for more than 50 gray wolves and wolf-dogs on over 80 acres of woodland. The Darlington family has run it for more than 40 years. Visits are by guided tour, and the sanctuary hosts special events such as Wolf Awareness Day, set for October 10, 2026.

Lititz Shirt Factory and Downtown Events

The Lititz Shirt Factory on Juniper Lane is a performance venue with food and drink and a busy calendar of live shows. Downtown events fill the rest of the year: the Fire & Ice Festival (scheduled for February 12–15 and 18–21, 2027), Taste of Lititz on the first Friday in June, the Lititz Farmers Market and a steady run of art shows and book signings.

Warwick to Ephrata Rail Trail

The Warwick to Ephrata Rail Trail, known locally as WERT, is one of the attractions Venture Lititz points visitors to for walking and biking. It is an easy way to get outside without leaving the area.

Where to Eat in Lititz

Bulls Head Public House

Inside the Lititz Springs Inn at 14 East Main Street, the Bulls Head serves British pub fare, American dishes and a long list of craft beer. It was named “Best Beer Bar in Pennsylvania” from 2015 to 2020 in CraftBeer.com’s Great American Beer Bars competition. The inn itself traces its hospitality back to 1764.

Tomato Pie Cafe

A downtown favorite at 23 North Broad Street, Tomato Pie Cafe describes itself as “a little food, a little coffee, a lot of charm.” It is a good spot for breakfast, lunch or a coffee break while you are unpacking.

Zig’s Bakery & Café

Zig’s runs its Lititz bakery and café at Brick Gables, 800 East Newport Road. Order at the counter and take a seat. It is open Monday through Saturday, and Zig’s also has stands at Lancaster Central Market and the Lebanon Farmers Market.

Jobs & Economy

Lititz has a mix of old-line manufacturers and newer creative businesses. Woodstream has made Victor mousetraps here since 1899. Sensenich Propeller, founded in 1932, is one of aviation’s oldest continuously operating propeller makers. Rock Lititz, headquartered on the edge of town, builds stage, sound and visual production for major touring artists and has attracted related suppliers to the area. The online White House Gift Shop is also based in Lititz.

Across Lancaster County, the largest employers in the first quarter of 2026 included Lancaster General Hospital, Lancaster County government, Giant Food Stores, Eurofins Lancaster Laboratories, Masonic Villages, Dart Container, Willow Valley Communities and Fulton Bank, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry. Closer to home, Tait Towers Manufacturing, the Warwick School District and UPMC Pinnacle Lititz all made the county’s top 50.

Schools in Lititz

Lititz is served by the Warwick School District, which also covers Warwick Township and Elizabeth Township. The Warriors compete in the Lancaster-Lebanon League. The district has six schools:

John Beck Elementary School
John R. Bonfield Elementary School
Kissel Hill Elementary School
Lititz Elementary School
Warwick Middle School
Warwick High School

Lititz is also home to Linden Hall, founded by the Moravians in 1746 and the oldest all-girls boarding school in the United States. It sits on 47 acres next to the Moravian Church. For college, the campuses in Lancaster are about an 18-minute drive. The Lititz Public Library is part of the Library System of Lancaster County.

Lititz Quick Facts

County	Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Type of government	Borough (surrounded by Warwick Township)
Founded	1756, by members of the Moravian Church
Land area	2.3 square miles
Population	9,370 (2020 Census); 9,689 (2025 estimate)
ZIP code	17543
Area codes	717 and 223 (10-digit dialing required)
School district	Warwick School District
Nearest airports	Lancaster (LNS), about 3.4 miles; Harrisburg International (MDT), about 32 miles
Borough office	7 South Broad Street
Main Street program	Venture Lititz (Main Street America Affiliate)

Moving to Lititz: Tips From Our Crew

Plan truck parking downtown. Downtown streets are busy, many side streets are tight, and many older homes have no driveway. Tell us about your block, alleys and any rear access so we can place the truck without blocking traffic or neighbors.
Avoid festival weekends. The Fire & Ice Festival runs over two February weekends, and the Fourth of July celebration at Lititz Springs Park draws big crowds. If you are moving into or out of the downtown area, pick a different date.
Measure old doorways and stairs. Many homes in the historic district have tight, steep staircases and narrow doors. Measure large sofas, box springs and armoires before moving day. We can take furniture apart and pad railings and door frames.
Renting? Check the borough’s rental rules. Lititz has a Residential Rental Inspection Ordinance. If you are a landlord or buying a property to rent, look into it early so an inspection does not hold up your move-in date.
Allow extra time on country roads. Rural roads around Lititz are shared with farm equipment and, in much of Lancaster County, horse-drawn buggies. Our drivers take it slow, and you should budget a little extra travel time too.
Get packing help for fragile pieces. Older homes often come with heirlooms, china and antiques. Our packing and unpacking service can handle the whole house or just the delicate items.
Book spring and fall early. Late spring and early fall have the nicest weather, which makes them the busiest time for movers. Call a few weeks ahead if you can.

Frequently Asked Questions About Moving to Lititz

How much does it cost to hire movers in Lititz?

Your price depends on how much you are moving, the distance, whether you need packing, and access at both homes, such as stairs, parking and narrow streets. The fastest way to a real number is a free quote. Call 717-844-5125 and an owner will call you back within 15 minutes between 8am and 8pm, or request your price online.

Is Lititz expensive to live in?

It costs more than most of Pennsylvania. Zillow’s home value index for Lititz was about $466,900 in August 2026, compared with about $387,900 for Lancaster County and $290,400 statewide. Median household income in the borough is $88,576, above both the county and state medians.

How far is Lititz from Lancaster?

Downtown Lancaster is about 8.7 miles south, roughly an 18-minute drive. Lancaster Airport is only about 3.4 miles from downtown Lititz, and Harrisburg is about 38 miles away.

What is Lititz known for?

Pretzels, chocolate and history. The Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery dates to 1861, Wilbur Buds were introduced in 1894, Linden Hall was founded in 1746, and the town’s Independence Day celebration goes back to 1813. Today it is also known as home to Rock Lititz and a busy, walkable downtown.

Do you move people out of Lititz to other states?

Yes. Along with local moves in Lancaster and York counties, we handle long-distance moves with a binding estimate, so your price never changes after you book, plus a dedicated truck, the same W-2 crew from pickup to delivery, and a guaranteed delivery date.

Move to Lititz With A & M Friendly Movers

A & M Friendly Movers has been family-owned since 2015. Owners Matthew Treharn and Amber Hallaman built the company around one idea: treat every move like it is our own family’s. Our crews are background-checked, drug-tested W-2 employees, never subcontractors. With our Owner’s Promise, you talk to an owner, not a call center, and if anything is damaged, an owner calls you the same day. Claims are resolved in 60 to 90 days. We have 850+ Google reviews across five locations.

Our Lititz movers handle local moves, packing, storage, and piano and safe moving. Certificates of insurance for apartment buildings are free, there is never a rescheduling fee, and military families get 5% off. Call 717-844-5125 or visit our Lititz moving page.

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