Harrisburg vs Lancaster
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania versus Lancaster, Pennsylvania: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Lancaster edges out Harrisburg on overall objective livability (51 vs 47 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Harrisburg | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $47k | $61k |
| Cost of Living | $47k | $48k |
| Home Value | $112k | $180k |
| Monthly Rent | $944 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.07% | 1.82% |
| Income Tax | 5.10% | 4.95% |
| Sales Tax | 6.34% | 6.34% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 12.17% | 12.40% |
| Unemployment | 9.0% | 7.4% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 32°F | 31°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 77°F | 76°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 45.2 in | 44.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 23.9 in | 21.4 in |
| Sunny Days | 200 days | 183 days |
| Summer Humidity | 62°F | 65°F |
| Comfortable Days | 76 days | 73 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 48.9 | 46.3 |
| Air Quality | 57 AQI | 58 AQI |
| School Quality | 97.1 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 1110/100k | 63/100k |
| Property Crime | 1068/100k | 190/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 50,055 | 57,970 |
| Median Age | 31.9 | 31.8 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.65 | 0.66 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.93 | 0.91 |
| Political Leaning | Even | R+16 |
| White (%) | 25.3% | 38.9% |
| Black (%) | 42.4% | 14.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 24.7% | 39.4% |
| Asian (%) | 2.8% | 2.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.9% | 5.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 20 min | 23 min |
| Walkability | 15.5/20 | 10.6/20 |
| Airport Distance | 77 mi | 57 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 82.8% | 87.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 77.91 | 53.82 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Harrisburg or Lancaster more affordable?
- Harrisburg has the lower cost of living: its index is $47k, compared with Harrisburg's $47k and Lancaster's $48k. Median rent is $944 in Harrisburg versus $1k in Lancaster.
- Is Harrisburg or Lancaster safer?
- Lancaster has the lower violent crime rate. Harrisburg reports 1110/100k and Lancaster reports 63/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Harrisburg or Lancaster?
- The median home value is $112k in Harrisburg and $180k in Lancaster, so homes are more affordable in Harrisburg.