New Holland is a close-knit borough surrounded by Lancaster’s farms
New Holland is a historic and modern center of community for the Lancaster County farmers tending some of the most fertile soil in the nation. Cars and horse-drawn carriages come into the borough on country roads, courtesy of the region's rich Pennsylvania Dutch and Anabaptist heritage. And while it’s a short drive to join the crowds in Lancaster city’s Central Market and orbiting outlet malls, New Holland is a place where neighbors might prefer to plant new pollinator gardens and prepare for next year’s farmers festival instead. “New Holland is just a peaceful area. You have a lot of amenities nearby, but you can get a house where the view off the back porch is a stunning sunset over farmland,” says Amy Beachy, a sales associate with Coldwell Banker Realty who specializes in and lives in Lancaster County. “All of these little towns in Lancaster County, they’ve just got this hometown feeling that you don’t get in a big city.”
Single-family homes in 20th-century and 21st-century styles
Walkable blocks in New Holland's core are lined by the blend of housing styles popular in country towns around the turn of the 20th century: boxy American Foursquares, National farmhouses and the occasional ornate Victorian. Surrounding these older streets, grassier, more suburban subdivisions are full of Cape Cods, ranch-style homes, or New Traditional colonials, depending on whether they were built in the midcentury or the 1980s through the 2000s. Attached homes, including twin homes built in the early 1900s and townhouses built in the early 2000s, sell for around $160,000 to $350,000. Detached homes usually sell for around $250,000 to $550,000, depending on age, size and condition. “Garden Spot Village is nearby, that's a very well-known local retirement community for Lancaster County,” Beachy says. “If you’re a buyer with family living there, New Holland is a good place to stay close to parents or grandparents.”
Attending Eastern Lancaster County School District
New Holland is served by the Eastern Lancaster County School District. New Holland Elementary School earns a B-minus from Niche, and Garden Spot Middle School scores a C-plus. While attending B-rated Garden Spot High School, students can choose to further their career and technical education skills at Lancaster County Career and Technology Center.
Shopping and dining on Main Street
Strip malls and old-school, sidewalk-lined commercial districts pocket New Holland’s Main Street. Ferns and pothos plants hang over cafe tables at New Holland Coffee Company. Smorgasbords, or buffets with hot and cold dishes, are a Lancaster County specialty. While Shady Maple runs one of the most highly trafficked smorgasbords in the region a few miles outside the borough, locals fill their bellies and beat the crowds at Yoders Restaurant & Buffet. Residents can pick up fresh produce at Yoder’s Country Market next door, or head to Grocery Outlet on the other end of town. Several houses of worship hold services throughout the borough, from New Holland Mennonite Church to Saint Stephen Reformed Church.
Getting outside at borough parks and Welsh Mountain Nature Preserve
New Holland Park is the borough’s main community park, full of pickleball and basketball courts, baseball diamonds and a wooden castle playground. Golfers head to the park’s 9-hole Pitch & Putt golf course, and the nearby swimming pool opens through the warmer months. Groff Memorial Park is a smaller green space, home to a tree-shaded walking trail that winds around a wooden gazebo and benches. A walking path connects Groff Memorial Park to the New Holland Community Butterfly Garden, a small, well-manicured acreage for people and pollinators that opened in 2025. Nolts Pond offers a quiet place for catch-and-release fishing and watching the ducks. To explore longer hiking trails through deeper woods, residents drive about 10 minutes to Welsh Mountain Nature Preserve.
The New Holland Farmers Fair and music in the park
Local farmers and the borough’s craftsmen and artists shut down parts of Main Street for the annual New Holland Farmers Fair. The four-day event has been an autumnal tradition for more than 90 years. Lights flash on carnival rides, music stages and fried food booths throughout the festival, while other attractions like livestock shows, tug-of-war competitions and pet and baby parades draw visitors on specific days.
PA commuting from Lancaster to Philly
Industrial parks full of local manufacturers are south of New Holland’s Main Street. The city of Lancaster, and Lancaster General Hospital, are about 15 miles from the borough. Red Rose Transit Authority buses stop along Main Street, offering another way to reach the county seat. Harrisburg International Airport is nearly 50 miles away, and Philadelphia is roughly 60 miles from home.
Written By
Julia Szymanski
