First, let’s start with the pronunciation. It’s not E-Mouse. It’s pronounced Ee-May-Us. Living in Emmaus Pennsylvania offers residents rich culture and natural assets with historic sites, public parks, and a walkable and welcoming downtown.
Emmaus is a quaint town at the base of South Mountain in Lehigh Valley. Located just a few miles from Pennsylvania’s third largest city of Allentown, the town was settled in the 1740s and dates its founding to 1759. Emmaus has kept up with the times and has been nationally recognized as one of the nicest small towns in America, offering a peaceful quality of life and plenty of activities to keep residents busy, including street festivals, music and arts in the parks, and the popular Emmaus Farmers Market held each Sunday from May through November.
Emmaus was the former headquarters of Rodale, Inc., a pioneer of the organic lifestyle and a popular publisher of health-related books and magazines, including Men’s Health, Prevention, Runner’s World and Women’s Health magazines. In 1940, J.I. Rodale and his wife, Anna, bought a 63-acre farm in Emmaus that became the site of Rodale’s first experiments with organic agriculture. Rodale was acquired by Hearst in 2018 and the local offices were recently moved to Easton.
Emmaus High School ranks in the top academic tier of Pennsylvania public high schools and is well-known for its soccer, field hockey and lacrosse programs, and also boasts excellent programs in baseball, swimming, and golf. Learn more about education in the Lehigh Valley.
What is there to do in Emmaus?
Popular attractions include the Emmaus Theatre and the Wildlands Conservancy’s South Mountain Preserve and Dorothy Rider Pool Wildlife Sanctuary, together covering more than 400 acres with more than 10 miles of hiking.
Eat where the locals eat: Sweet Memories Cafe, Switchback Pizza Company, The Trapp Door Gastropub, Baked Bakery & Cafe, True Blue Mediterranean Cafe, and Yocco’s Hot Dogs, a local favorite, is also headquartered in Emmaus.
Drink where the locals drink. Emmaus is home to Funk Brewing, Yergey Brewing, Triple Sun Spirits, and what is arguably the best beer distributor in the state, Shangy’s, featuring more than 4,000 domestic and imported beer brands.
Emmaus Quick Facts
- Population: 11,467 (US Census Bureau 2019)
- Median age: 40 (Wikipedia)
- Median home sale price: $203,710 (Zillow)
- School district: East Penn School District
- Neighboring municipalities: Allentown, Salisbury, Upper Milford, Lower Macungie
Where to begin?
Emmaus is a welcoming community and the businesses support each other. The Emmaus Main Street Partners strive to improve the quality of life and the economic vitality of a vibrant and active Emmaus community through collaborative efforts among business owners, residents, volunteers, and other partners. Check out their video featuring local businesses in Emmaus.