You might not realize it, but there's a good chance you've seen Ephrata before - on the silver screen! The runway at its airport appeared in the Stephen Spielberg film, _Always, _which was Audrey Hepburn's last movie.
Ephrata has a population that is a little about 7,000 people. It is currently considered the county seat of Grant County. Ephrata is relatively a recent city, especially when compared to other cities in the United States. It was settled in 1886, which was just 3 years before Washington gained Statehood. Ephrata has a lot of history surrounding it. For instance it was the central point of the "Great Horse Roundup" back in 1906. Even though Ephrata is a small city, it still has plenty of heritage and history to keep it going, the amount of activities and fun to be had around Ephrata is practically endless.
Moving to Ephrata
Living in Ephrata is extremely different when it is compared to any other major cities. Expect to know your neighbors extremely well. You can also expect that most things in the city will be placed close together. This means that you can do most of your shopping without ever having to get into your car. The commutes in Ephrata are reported to be short, so if you don't' like having a long commute to head to work this may be a big plus for you. The job force is almost evenly divided between blue and white collar workers, so it doesn't matter which one you are, you should feel like you fit in without any problem at all.
Renting an apartment in Ephrata
When you are looking for places to rent you will want to keep a few things in mind, the number one question being: what kind of a place are you looking for? There are many different apartments and houses available for rent in Ephrata; however they will all differ in quality. Renting an apartment is similar to buying a house; many of the apartments are slightly older in Ephrata so make sure you fully understand the condition of an apartment before you decide to rent in it.
The same goes for your credit history, having bad credit may cause your rent to be higher than it normally would be. In the same light having good credit can help you save a lot of money on rent. Make sure you have a deposit ready and you should be good to go. If you run into an apartment that doesn't check for credit be careful. Usually these apartments don't worry about how their apartment is; instead they just focus on money. You will quickly notice that most of these apartments are not well taken care of.
Before you sign anything
Before you sign any contracts make sure that you fully understand the agreement. This goes with getting an apartment or house to rent, or if you are buying a house. Never sign if you don't understand the contract, the last thing you want is to be locked into a horrible contract. Make sure that everything is explained to you, this way you won't run into problems in the future.
Neighborhoods in Ephrata
Ephrata, WA is a small enough city that it is just considered one neighborhood. This means that you can expect a small city lifestyle as well as a close knit community. The city has one school district, and that school district has eight schools. If you plan on having kids who are in school make sure you check to see where the schools are located before you purchase a home. This may help you find a home with a better location. The crime rate in Ephrata is relatively low, and the city is known as a nice and peaceful one, perfect for medium sized families. Want to know more about specific geographical areas in Ephrata and what they're like? Check out the helpful info below.
Southern Ephrata: Southern Ephrata is home to its municipal airport, as well as the Oasis RV Park and Golf Course. It's not the most populated part of town, but it could be a good place to live if you like the country.
Northern Ephrata: Northern Ephrata is where most of the action happens in town. The Ephrata Amtrak station is here, as is Patrick Park.
Living in Ephrata
Ephrata is considered the gateway to the Columbia Basin area. There is always some fun activity going on in the Basin area. Whether it is Splash Zone, Basin Summer Sounds, or Sage-N-Sun festival you are bound to find a fun activity. As such Ephrata gives you the best parts of living in a small peaceful town, as well as the exciting fun activities that you would normally find in a big city. It's perfect for families, or for people who just want to get out into a small city where they feel more comfortable and peaceful. If you like dining out, this is a great city for you. There are tons of delicious restaurants! Some of the best include Bamboo Shoot, Tequilas, and Wanda's Country Cafe. If you're more into being active outside, you'll have plenty of opportunities in Ephrata. The town has some great parks like Lions Park, Parkway Ball Fields, and Patrick Park. For more indoor recreation and exercise spots, check out Anytime Fitness or the Ephrata Athletic Club.
Of course, if you want big city amenities and you get tired of the small town feel, just hop on over to nearby Yakima, which is about an hour and a half drive away. It's not a huge city, but it certainly has some great things to do! Check out the Yakima Valley Museum, or see a show at the Capitol Theatre. If Yakima doesn't do it for you, then, of course, you can drive to Seattle. The city's about 2 hours and 45 minutes from Ephrata, and once you're there, you can enjoy a slew of coffee shops, an excellent Chinatown, a view from the space needle, and lots and lots of awesome bookstores and literary spots.