Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Among the top 14% of US counties for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 23% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade F, better than 9% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 54% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 86% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B+, better than 82% of US counties
- top 11% for violent crime
- top 13% for school quality
- bottom 2% for air quality
Lancaster County is a county in Pennsylvania with about 553,000 residents. It grades A for getting around and F for weather. Standout strengths include violent crime, school quality, and property crime. It rates lower on monthly owner costs and air quality.
- The median home value in Lancaster County is $264k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median household income in Lancaster County is $81k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median gross rent in Lancaster County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Lancaster County has a violent crime rate of 182/100k, per the FBI Uniform Crime Reports.
- The average one-way commute in Lancaster County is 24 min, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Snowy
very cold
cold
cool
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warm
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cold
v.cold
62%49%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.2 in3.1 in
humid 75%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$81k89th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$48kbetter than 29% of US counties
Home Value$264k83rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 11% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$146kbetter than 4% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.48%better than 15% of US counties
Income Tax3.69%better than 76% of US counties
State 3.10% + Local 0.59%
Sales Tax6.34%better than 76% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden10.58%better than 31% of US counties
Unemployment3.4%better than 76% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)31°F40th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)75°F40th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation45.0 in54th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall23.6 inbetter than 36% of US counties
Sunny Days192 daysbetter than 12% of US counties
Summer Humidity65°Fbetter than 53% of US counties
Comfortable Days77 daysbetter than 44% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk95.0better than 5% of US counties
Air Quality58 AQIbetter than 2% of US counties
School Quality88.7better than 87% of US counties
Violent Crime182/100kbetter than 89% of US counties
Property Crime344/100kbetter than 82% of US counties
Community
Population553,20296th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age39.028th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.2851st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9727th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+1627th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)80.2%49th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)3.4%59th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)11.2%75th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)2.4%86th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)2.8%35th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time24 minbetter than 54% of US counties
Walkability7.2/20better than 79% of US counties
Airport Distance57 mibetter than 76% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access85.4%better than 63% of US counties
Amenities Nearby5.33better than 69% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 74% of US counties
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)
Frequently asked questions
- Is Lancaster County an affordable place to live?
- Lancaster County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $48k, better than 29% of comparable areas. Median rent is $1k.
- Is Lancaster County safe?
- Lancaster County is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 182/100k (better than 89%). Property crime is 344/100k.
- What is the weather like in Lancaster County?
- Lancaster County averages 75°F in July and 31°F in January, with 45.0 in of annual precipitation and about 192 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Lancaster County?
- Public-school quality in Lancaster County is above average, scoring better than 87% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Lancaster County?
- The average one-way commute in Lancaster County is 24 min.