The Town FilesLancaster, Kentucky
City in Garrard County · population 3,899 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $175,300
- Household income
- $43,898
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 7 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 26
- Median age
- 34.0
Lancaster is a city of 3,899 people in Garrard County, Kentucky. The median home is worth $175,300, above the typical Kentucky town ($161,450).
How Lancaster ranks
Percentile among Kentucky towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Kentucky towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Lancaster is worth $175,300, above the typical Kentucky town ($161,450). Homes cost about 4.0 times the median household income of $43,898, which is more affordable than 15% of Kentucky towns. Median rent is $801 a month. 54.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lancaster | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $175,300 | $161,450 |
| Median rent | $801 | $837 |
| Median household income | $43,898 | $54,969 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.0× | 3.0× |
| Homeownership | 54.6% | 63.5% |
| Median year built | 1968 | 1974 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.6% | — |
Who lives in Lancaster
| People | Lancaster | Typical Kentucky town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.0 | 39.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.4% | 18.1% |
| Under 18 | 26.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.2% | 19.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 29.1% | 18.0% |
| Veterans | 7.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.9% | — |
| Work from home | 9.0% | 7.5% |
| Average commute | 26.2 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.8% | 88.6% |
Weather in Lancaster
July highs average 86.5°F and January lows 23.3°F. About 47.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 6.9 inches of snow (typical Kentucky town: 9.4 in). Expect about 27 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 103 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
26 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lancaster since 1950, compared with 19 for the typical Kentucky town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 3, 1974 about 8.4 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 10 deaths and 128 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 3, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 25 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 7, 2015.
Severe weather in Garrard County since 1996
Garrard County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for hurricane, snowstorm, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 1, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4937: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3633: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 24, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4864: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 3, 2025 | Severe Storm | EM-3626: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| February 16, 2025 | Severe Storm | EM-3624: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides |
Jobs and pay in Garrard County
Garrard County had 2,759 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,370 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Lancaster itself the ACS puts it at 11.7%.
Public schools in Lancaster
5 public schools with 2,208 students, about 13.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garrard County High School | 9-12 | 788 | 14.6 |
| Garrard Middle School | 6-8 | 531 | 12.6 |
| Lancaster Elementary School | PK-5 | 464 | 13.3 |
| Camp Dick Robinson Elementary School | PK-5 | 425 | 13.3 |
| Garrard County Area Technology Center | 8-12 | — | — |
Towns near Lancaster
- Stanford, KY7.2 mi · 3,640 people · home $155,000
- Danville, KY10.7 mi · 17,234 people · home $207,600
- Berea, KY15.8 mi · 15,539 people · home $199,900
- Richmond, KY17.3 mi · 34,585 people · home $214,900
- Harrodsburg, KY17.9 mi · 9,064 people · home $154,200
- Wilmore, KY18.6 mi · 5,999 people · home $248,900
- Nicholasville, KY19.0 mi · 31,093 people · home $226,800
Lancaster questions
Is Lancaster, Kentucky a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lancaster scores better for retirees than 56% of Kentucky towns and quieter than 65%. 17.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.0).
How much does a house cost in Lancaster?
The median owner-occupied home in Lancaster is valued at $175,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $43,898, so homes cost about 4.0 times income. Median rent is $801 a month.
What is the weather like in Lancaster?
July highs average 86.5°F and January lows 23.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.9 inches of precipitation a year and 6.9 inches of snow.
Does Lancaster get tornadoes?
26 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lancaster since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 3, 1974. The typical Kentucky town has had 19.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)