The road heads into agricultural areas and enters Warwick Township prior to crossing Cocalico Creek into West Earl Township. The route heads through residential areas with some commercial development before it enters business areas, where it gains a center left-turn lane briefly before it becomes a divided highway and crosses PA 772 near Brownstown. Past this, PA 272 narrows back into a two-lane undivided road and runs through a mix of farm fields and commercial development, curving to the north. The road becomes the border between West Earl Township to the west and the borough of Akron to the east, running past homes and businesses. The route fully enters Akron and becomes South 7th Street, passing more development. PA 272 becomes North 7th Street upon crossing Main Street and continues through residential and commercial areas. The road passes through woods and leaves Akron, where it becomes the border between Ephrata Township to the west and the borough of Ephrata to the east, where the name changes to South Reading Road. The route passes over the Warwick to Ephrata Rail Trail and heads north-northeast through business areas, fully entering Ephrata and turning north. PA 272 crosses Cocalico Creek and curves northeast through a mix of homes and businesses. The road widens to a four-lane divided highway and reaches a cloverleaf interchange with US 322 north of the Ephrata Cloister. Past this, the route becomes North Reading Road and runs through business areas as a three-lane road with a center left-turn lane, passing to the north of WellSpan Ephrata Community Hospital. PA 272 continues through commercial areas as it forms the border between Ephrata Township to the northwest and the borough of Ephrata to the southeast.