Refton, Pennsylvania Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 321, Refton's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Refton is a small community located in Pennsylvania, within Lancaster County. The total population is 321. It ranks as the 1558th most populous out of 1,991 Census-designated places in Pennsylvania.

Age Demographics

The median age in Refton is 23.0 years. This is 44% lower than the state median of 40.9 years. With 34.9% of the population under 18, Refton has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Refton is $146,897. This is 88% higher than the state median of $77,971. It is also 82% higher than the national median of $80,734. The ACS records no residents below the poverty line in Refton. In a community this small the estimate rests on very few survey responses, so it should be read as an absence of measurement rather than a measured absence of poverty. The unemployment rate is 20.1%. This is 283% higher than the state rate of 5.3%. The median home value is $414,300. Housing costs are 63% higher than the state median of $254,500. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.8x, Refton is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 100.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 44% higher than the state average of 69.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

Every resident counted in Refton was recorded as White (non-Hispanic). A figure of exactly 100.0% reflects a survey sample too small to capture the community's full composition rather than a precise measurement.

Education

63.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Refton in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 80% higher than the state rate of 35.2%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. No surveyed resident aged 25 or older reported leaving school before earning a high school diploma, though a rate of exactly 100% reflects the limits of a small sample. Notably, 38.8% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Refton, Pennsylvania is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Pennsylvania state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 1,991 Census-designated places in Pennsylvania. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.