Moving to Dallastown, PA: Living in Dallastown Guide

Dallastown is a small, walkable borough in York County, about 9 miles southeast of downtown York. It packs about 4,200 people into less than a square mile, with a Main Street lined with older homes, a pizza shop and a butcher that has been in business since 1874. The school district that carries its name is one of the largest employers in the county, and the surrounding York Township has grown into one of York County’s biggest suburbs.

Dallastown suits first-time buyers, young families and anyone who wants a real small-town feel with York, Lancaster, Harrisburg and even Baltimore within commuting range. Home prices are below the York metro average, and you can walk to the park, the schools and Main Street. The trade-off is older housing and tight streets, which matter on moving day.

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

Where Is Dallastown?

Dallastown is in south-central York County, part of the York–Hanover metro area. The borough covers about 0.8 square miles, and neighboring Red Lion is only about 2 miles east. The area was settled in 1736 and renamed during the 1844 presidential campaign after George M. Dallas of Philadelphia, who became vice president under James K. Polk. Dallastown was incorporated as a borough in 1866.

Approximate driving distances:

Red Lion: about 2 miles, roughly 7 minutes
Downtown York (Continental Square): about 9 miles, roughly 17 minutes
Lancaster: about 27 miles, roughly 45 minutes
Harrisburg (State Capitol): about 33 miles, roughly 50 minutes
Baltimore Inner Harbor: about 50 miles, roughly 1 hour 10 minutes
Washington, DC: about 86 miles, roughly 2 hours
Philadelphia: about 103 miles, roughly 2 hours 15 minutes

Drive times are routing estimates without traffic. The nearest airports are Harrisburg International (MDT), about 38 miles away, and Baltimore/Washington International (BWI), about 61 miles away. The Dallastown Area School District notes that many residents commute to Baltimore-area jobs because Maryland is so close.

Dallastown Population & Demographics

Dallastown’s population has held steady for years. The Census Bureau estimates the borough had 4,198 residents on July 1, 2025. Neighboring York Township is much bigger, with an estimated 31,479 residents, and York County as a whole was estimated at 473,197. Dallastown is younger than the county and the state, and a little over half of its homes are rentals.

Measure	Dallastown	York County	Pennsylvania
Population (July 1, 2025 estimate)	4,198	473,197	13,059,432
Median age	36.4	41.1	40.9
Median household income	$63,517	$84,829	$77,971
Per capita income	$27,196	—	$44,355
Bachelor’s degree or higher (age 25+)	24.8%	—	35.2%
Owner-occupied homes	45.1%	76.3%	69.3%
Persons below poverty level	7.3%	—	11.7%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2025 population estimates; all other rows from the American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates via Census Reporter. Small-town survey figures have wider margins of error, so treat them as a general picture.

Is Dallastown Safe?

We did not find a recent, reliable crime data source for a borough this size that we’re comfortable quoting, so we won’t give you numbers. Dallastown is policed by the York County Regional Police Department, which serves ten municipalities, including York Township, Windsor Township, Jacobus and Yoe. The department publishes news and contact information online through CrimeWatch. The best check is still the simple one: walk the street you’re considering in the evening and on a weekend, and ask the police department or borough office about anything you notice.

Cost of Living in Dallastown

Home Prices

Zillow’s Home Value Index puts the typical Dallastown home at about $281,600 as of August 2026, up about 4.0% from a year earlier. That is below the York–Hanover metro figure of about $311,100, slightly below the typical Pennsylvania home (about $290,400) and well below the typical U.S. home (about $368,700). Zillow’s figure for the 17313 ZIP code, which covers more of the surrounding area, is about $280,600.

The Census Bureau’s survey puts the median value of owner-occupied homes inside the borough at $188,500 (2020–2024). Just outside the borough, the median is higher: $260,800 in York Township and $269,700 in Windsor Township. Borough housing is mostly older single-family homes and twins on small lots. The townships have more newer subdivisions and larger yards.

Rent

Zillow’s Observed Rent Index for Dallastown was about $1,079 a month in August 2026, well below the York–Hanover metro figure of about $1,396 and the U.S. figure of about $1,948. The Census median gross rent in the borough is $1,158 (2020–2024). With about 55% of Dallastown’s homes rented, there are more rental options here than in most nearby townships.

Best Neighborhoods in Dallastown

Main Street and the Borough Core

The blocks along and just off Main Street are the oldest part of town. You can walk to Roma’s, Sechrist Bros., Dallastown Community Park and the district’s elementary, middle and high schools. Houses are mostly older singles and twins with porches and small yards. This area suits first-time buyers and renters who want to walk to things. Be ready for on-street parking and steep, narrow staircases in some older homes.

York Township

York Township is the big suburban neighbor, with an estimated 31,479 residents in 2025. The median household income is $80,190, and the median home value is $260,800. About 70% of homes are owner-occupied. The township is served by the Dallastown Area School District. It suits families who want a larger house and yard and an easy drive into York.

Red Lion and Windsor Township

Red Lion, about 2 miles east, is a slightly larger borough (about 6,523 residents in 2025) with a median home value of $177,400. It is one of the more affordable places to buy in the area. Nearby Windsor Township has the highest incomes of the group, with a median household income of $95,700 and a median home value of $269,700. Red Lion and Windsor are served by the Red Lion Area School District, not Dallastown, so double-check the district if schools matter to you.

Weather & Climate

Dallastown has four distinct seasons. The closest long-term NOAA station, York 3 SSW Pump Station, shows these 1991–2020 normals:

January: average high 41.2°F, average low 21.3°F
July: average high 87.7°F, average low 63.1°F
Average annual temperature: 54.0°F
Precipitation: about 46.5 inches a year
Snowfall: about 24.6 inches a season, mostly in January and February

Spring (late April through early June) and fall (mid-September through October) are the most comfortable times to move. July moves are fine with an early start and plenty of water. For winter moves, keep a backup date in case of snow or ice.

Things to Do in Dallastown

William H. Kain County Park

About 4 miles west of Dallastown, William H. Kain County Park covers 1,637 acres around two lakes: Lake Redman (290 acres) and Lake Williams (220 acres). There are more than a dozen miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding, plus fishing, boating, playgrounds and pavilions. The park operates under a 50-year lease between the York Water Company and York County.

Heritage Rail Trail County Park

The Heritage Rail Trail runs about 27 miles from John C. Rudy County Park in York to the Maryland line near New Freedom, following the route of the 19th-century Northern Central Railway. It connects to Maryland’s 20-mile Torrey C. Brown Rail Trail for a 47-mile corridor. The crushed-stone surface and gentle grade make it good for families, runners and casual cyclists.

Ma & Pa Railroad Heritage Village

The Ma & Pa Railroad Heritage Village at Muddy Creek Forks, about 13 miles southeast in Airville, preserves a piece of the old Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad. In 2026, train rides run on Sundays from June through early September, with special fall foliage rides, pumpkin patch trains and a Christmas City Express in December.

Central Market York

About 9 miles away in downtown York, Central Market at 34 West Philadelphia Street fills nearly a full city block and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It’s a good Saturday-morning stop for produce, baked goods and lunch, and it’s near the Strand-Capitol Performing Arts Center.

Dallastown Area Historical Society Walking Tours

The Dallastown Area Historical Society, founded in 2001, keeps the town’s archives and offers themed walking tours with maps. One tour covers a dozen historic grocery and shop sites along Main Street from the 1870s to the 1980s. It’s an easy way to learn your new town. Fun fact: President Lyndon Johnson visited Dallastown in 1966 for the borough’s centennial.

Where to Eat in Dallastown

Wyndridge Farm

Wyndridge Farm at 885 South Pleasant Avenue is a family-owned, 100-year-old farm estate that now combines Spruce Brewing Company, Wyndridge Cidery, a scratch-kitchen restaurant and an event venue. It’s a popular spot for weekend dinners, Sunday meals and weddings. The restaurant is closed Mondays and Tuesdays, so check hours before you go.

Roma’s Pizza & Restaurant

Roma’s sits at 2 East Main Street, near Dallastown Community Park. The menu covers pizza, stromboli, calzones, pasta, subs, wings and seafood, with dine-in, carryout and delivery. It’s the easy first-night-in-the-new-house dinner when the kitchen boxes aren’t unpacked yet.

Sechrist Bros. Meats

Sechrist Bros. at 32 East Main Street isn’t a sit-down restaurant, but it is a Dallastown institution. Jacob Sechrist started the business in 1874, and the family still runs it. Its skinless franks won a national championship in the first national competition the company entered, in 1993. The shop is open Tuesday through Saturday for fresh and smoked meats.

Jobs & Economy

York County has a large, mixed economy. Pennsylvania’s first-quarter 2026 rankings list York Hospital, the federal government, Amazon, WellSpan Health and Walmart as the county’s five largest employers. Others in the top 20 include BAE Systems, Kinsley Construction, Utz Quality Foods, FedEx, York International, Harley-Davidson and Weis Markets. The Dallastown Area School District ranks 21st in the county, and the Red Lion Area School District, York College of Pennsylvania and Constellation Energy also make the top 50.

By industry, restaurants, schools, warehousing and hospitals employ the most people in the county. Because Dallastown is only about 50 miles from Baltimore, many residents also commute into Maryland.

Schools in Dallastown

Dallastown is served by the Dallastown Area School District, which covers 52.5 square miles and includes Dallastown, Jacobus, Loganville and Yoe boroughs plus Springfield and York townships. The district’s enrollment page lists 6,268 students. Its schools include:

Elementary: Dallastown Elementary, Leaders Heights Elementary, Loganville-Springfield Elementary, Ore Valley Elementary and York Township Elementary
Intermediate: Dallastown Area Intermediate School
Middle: Dallastown Area Middle School
High: Dallastown Area High School
Online: Dallastown Area Cyber Academy

The high school, elementary and middle schools are right in the borough. Dallastown Area High School is known for having the longest school hallway in Pennsylvania, almost a third of a mile. For college, York College of Pennsylvania is in York. Always confirm the elementary school for a specific address with the district before you buy or sign a lease.

Dallastown Quick Facts

County	York County
Settled / incorporated	Settled 1736; incorporated as a borough 1866
Area	About 0.8 square miles
ZIP code	17313
Area codes	717 and 223 (overlay)
Police	York County Regional Police Department
Trash hauler	Penn Waste
Public schools	Dallastown Area School District
Nearest airports	Harrisburg International (MDT), about 38 miles; BWI, about 61 miles
Population (2025 estimate)	4,198

Moving to Dallastown: Tips From Our Crew

A few things our Dallastown moving crews keep in mind when planning a move here:

Plan the truck spot on Main Street. Main Street is the town’s through road, and many homes along it and on the side streets have little or no driveway. Ask the borough office about any rules for parking a moving truck, and ask neighbors to leave curb space open the night before.
Time your move around school traffic. The high school, middle school and elementary school are all in the borough. Drop-off and pickup times can back up nearby streets, so we try to schedule loading and unloading outside those windows.
Use the Thursday large-item pickup. Penn Waste picks up trash on Mondays and Thursdays in Dallastown, with a three-bag limit, and one large item per week on Thursdays. If you’re clearing out furniture, start a few weeks early, or book our junk removal service for the rest. Construction debris isn’t allowed in regular trash, and recycling is mandatory under borough ordinance.
Grab a recycling bin. New residents can pick up recycling bins at the Dallastown Borough Office.
Measure for older staircases. Many homes in the borough are more than a century old, with narrow stairs and tight landings. Measure your largest pieces before moving day. Our crews bring padding and door-jamb protection, and we can take apart beds and tables when needed.
Keep a winter backup date. The nearby York weather station averages about 25 inches of snow a season. If you’re moving in January or February, pick a backup date. We never charge a rescheduling fee.

Frequently Asked Questions About Moving to Dallastown

How much does it cost to hire movers in Dallastown?

It depends on the size of your home, the distance, stairs and parking, how much packing you need and your moving date. A second-floor apartment on Main Street and a four-bedroom house in York Township are priced very differently. The quickest way to find out is a free quote. Call 717-844-5125, and an owner will call you back, usually within 15 minutes between 8am and 8pm.

Is Dallastown a good place for first-time buyers?

It can be. Zillow’s typical home value in Dallastown is about $281,600, below the York–Hanover metro figure of about $311,100, and the Census median value inside the borough is lower still. You’ll mostly find older homes, so budget for updates and get a thorough inspection.

How far is Dallastown from York and Baltimore?

Downtown York is about 9 miles away, roughly a 17-minute drive without traffic. Baltimore’s Inner Harbor is about 50 miles away, a little over an hour. Harrisburg is about 33 miles north.

Which school district serves Dallastown?

The Dallastown Area School District, which also serves York Township, Springfield Township and the boroughs of Jacobus, Loganville and Yoe. Nearby Red Lion and Windsor Township are in a different district, the Red Lion Area School District, so confirm the district for any address you’re considering.

Can you move us from Maryland or out of state to Dallastown?

Yes. We handle local moves around York County and long-distance moves in and out of Pennsylvania. Long-distance moves come with a binding estimate, your own dedicated truck, the same W-2 crew from door to door and a guaranteed delivery date.

Move to Dallastown With A & M Friendly Movers

A & M Friendly Movers has been family-owned since 2015, and our York team works in Dallastown and the surrounding townships all the time. 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. If anything is damaged, an owner calls you the same day, and claims are resolved in 60–90 days. We offer packing and unpacking, storage, piano and safe moving and military moves. See how our Dallastown movers can help, visit our York movers page, or call 717-844-5125.

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