Living in Lebanon County

About Lebanon County

A Closer Look at the Area

Lebanon County sits in the heart of the Lebanon Valley, stretching from the Dauphin County line at Palmyra east through rolling Pennsylvania Dutch farmland to the Berks County line. Established in 1813 from Dauphin and Lancaster counties and named for the biblical 'land of milk and honey,' it is one of the most affordable and genuinely rural counties in the 717 area code — a place where working farmland, historic iron-furnace heritage, and a revitalizing small-city downtown sit within an easy 25–30 minute commute of the capital. Lebanon city, the county seat, is the economic and cultural anchor. Founded in 1740 and laid out along the historic Cornwall & Lebanon Railroad, the city grew as a manufacturing and agricultural center, and that working heritage still shows in its brick downtown, its strong industrial employment base, and its genuine small-city character. The heart of the city is its walkable downtown of restored brick and stone storefronts along Cumberland Street, anchored by the long-running Lebanon Farmers Market and the city's famous Lebanon bologna heritage. Coleman Memorial Park, with its lake and walking paths, anchors the city's recreation, while WellSpan Good Samaritan Hospital is one of the county's largest employers. West of the city, Palmyra sits at the Dauphin County line and offers one of the easiest commutes to Harrisburg in the entire 717 area code — the PA Turnpike interchange puts downtown Harrisburg within 20 minutes, and Hersheypark and the Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center are within a 10-minute drive, making Palmyra a favorite for medical professionals and Hershey-area employees seeking affordable housing close to work. Annville, home to Lebanon Valley College, adds a picturesque college-town atmosphere with a walkable Main Street of historic stone buildings, while Cornwall preserves the county's colonial iron heritage around the 1742 Cornwall Iron Furnace, a National Historic Landmark. The county is served by the Lebanon, Annville-Cleona, Palmyra Area, Cornwall-Lebanon, and Eastern Lebanon County school districts, giving buyers a range of options from the city's magnet programs to the well-regarded suburban districts. Housing across Lebanon County runs notably more affordable than the Cumberland and Dauphin county suburbs — from historic stone and brick homes near the downtown cores to mid-century colonials and newer construction in the surrounding townships, with price points that make it one of the best values in the metro. The commute into Harrisburg runs roughly 25–30 minutes via Route 422 and US-322, while the Amtrak Keystone Service connects nearby Elizabethtown to Philadelphia and Harrisburg. With its combination of genuine affordability, working farmland, a revitalizing city, historic iron-furnace heritage, and an easy commute to the capital, Lebanon County offers one of the most complete mixes of rural character, small-city energy, and value in the 717 area code.