Lancaster vs York
Lancaster, Pennsylvania versus York, 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 York on overall objective livability (51 vs 44 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Lancaster | York |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $61k | $42k |
| Cost of Living | $48k | $49k |
| Home Value | $180k | $93k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $943 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.82% | 2.94% |
| Income Tax | 4.95% | 4.95% |
| Sales Tax | 6.34% | 6.34% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 12.40% | 13.48% |
| Unemployment | 7.4% | 12.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 31°F | 31°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 76°F | 76°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 44.1 in | 45.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 21.4 in | 24.6 in |
| Sunny Days | 183 days | 180 days |
| Summer Humidity | 65°F | 66°F |
| Comfortable Days | 73 days | 78 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 46.3 | 26.8 |
| Air Quality | 58 AQI | 56 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 99.5 |
| Violent Crime | 63/100k | 1624/100k |
| Property Crime | 190/100k | 2559/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 57,970 | 44,782 |
| Median Age | 31.8 | 34.3 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.66 | 0.65 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.91 | 1.00 |
| Political Leaning | R+16 | R+25 |
| White (%) | 38.9% | 36.6% |
| Black (%) | 14.1% | 23.9% |
| Hispanic (%) | 39.4% | 34.0% |
| Asian (%) | 2.7% | 1.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.0% | 4.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 23 min | 23 min |
| Walkability | 10.6/20 | 16.4/20 |
| Airport Distance | 57 mi | 55 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 87.2% | 83.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 53.82 | 53.15 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | 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 Lancaster or York more affordable?
- Lancaster has the lower cost of living: its index is $48k, compared with Lancaster's $48k and York's $49k. Median rent is $1k in Lancaster versus $943 in York.
- Is Lancaster or York safer?
- Lancaster has the lower violent crime rate. Lancaster reports 63/100k and York reports 1624/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Lancaster or York?
- The median home value is $180k in Lancaster and $93k in York, so homes are more affordable in York.