The Town FilesLancaster, Pennsylvania
City in Lancaster County · population 58,039 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $219,500
- Household income
- $63,690
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 21 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 17
- Median age
- 32.2
Lancaster is a city of 58,039 people in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $219,500, close to the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks more walkable than 100% of Pennsylvania towns, more vibrant than 99% of Pennsylvania towns, better for first-time buyers than 96% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Lancaster ranks
Percentile among Pennsylvania towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Pennsylvania towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Lancaster is worth $219,500, close to the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $63,690, which is more affordable than 25% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,240 a month. 48.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lancaster | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $219,500 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,240 | $996 |
| Median household income | $63,690 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.4× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 48.6% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1938 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.3% | — |
Who lives in Lancaster
| People | Lancaster | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.2 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.4% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 20.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.4% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 20.3% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 3.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 13.4% | — |
| Work from home | 10.3% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 23.6 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.3% | 89.0% |
Weather in Lancaster
July highs average 87.0°F and January lows 22.2°F. About 44.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 21.4 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 20 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 111 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lancaster since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 15, 1989 about 6.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 29, 2015.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 61 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on July 1, 2004.
Severe weather in Lancaster County since 1996
Lancaster County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 30, 2020 | Biological | DR-4506: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3441: Covid-19 |
| March 23, 2016 | Snowstorm | DR-4267: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| February 6, 2014 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3367: Severe Winter Storm |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Lancaster County
Lancaster County had 252,045 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $59,966 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Lancaster itself the ACS puts it at 8.1%.
Public schools in Lancaster
37 public schools with 21,479 students, about 13.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| McCaskey Campus | 9-12 | 2,642 | 14.8 |
| Manheim Twp HS | 9-12 | 1,956 | 16.7 |
| Conestoga Valley SHS | 9-12 | 1,296 | 16.0 |
| Landis Run Intermediate School | 5-6 | 910 | 15.2 |
| Manheim Twp MS | 7-8 | 902 | 13.1 |
| Gerald G Huesken MS | 6-8 | 898 | 13.2 |
| Martin School | PK-8 | 650 | 12.0 |
| Centerville MS | 7-8 | 607 | 13.5 |
| Hambright El Sch | K-6 | 589 | 14.4 |
| Centerville El Sch | K-6 | 553 | 14.9 |
| Fritz El Sch | K-5 | 513 | 12.2 |
| Reynolds MS | 6-8 | 504 | 9.7 |
Towns near Lancaster
- Manheim, PA3.4 mi · 43,977 people · home $362,800
- Millersville, PA3.7 mi · 7,903 people · home $277,600
- West Lampeter, PA4.1 mi · 17,383 people · home $345,000
- Willow Street, PA4.5 mi · 9,149 people · home $314,700
- East Lampeter, PA4.6 mi · 17,776 people · home $306,900
- Pequea, PA5.0 mi · 5,474 people · home $319,700
- East Petersburg, PA5.0 mi · 4,573 people · home $259,300
- East Hempfield, PA5.2 mi · 26,304 people · home $360,500
Lancaster questions
Is Lancaster, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lancaster scores better for retirees than 1% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 1%. 10.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.2).
How much does a house cost in Lancaster?
The median owner-occupied home in Lancaster is valued at $219,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $63,690, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is $1,240 a month.
What is the weather like in Lancaster?
July highs average 87.0°F and January lows 22.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.1 inches of precipitation a year and 21.4 inches of snow.
Does Lancaster get tornadoes?
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lancaster since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 15, 1989. The typical Pennsylvania town has had 10.
- 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)