The Town FilesLancaster, Texas
City in Dallas County · population 41,275 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $246,300
- Household income
- $68,302
- Jan low / Jul high
- 36° / 96°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 45
- Median age
- 35.7
Lancaster is a city of 41,275 people in Dallas County, Texas. The median home is worth $246,300, above the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 96% of Texas towns, better transit than 93% of Texas towns, more walkable than 92% of Texas towns.
How Lancaster ranks
Percentile among Texas towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Texas towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Lancaster is worth $246,300, above the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 3.6 times the median household income of $68,302, which is more affordable than 25% of Texas towns. Median rent is $1,704 a month. 68.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lancaster | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $246,300 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $1,704 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $68,302 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.6× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 68.1% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1991 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Lancaster
| People | Lancaster | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.7 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.1% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 28.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.3% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.0% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 8.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.1% | — |
| Work from home | 8.9% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 28.7 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.6% | 89.2% |
Weather in Lancaster
July highs average 95.9°F and January lows 35.6°F. About 40.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.4 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 106 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 40 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
45 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lancaster since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 10 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 25, 1994 about 1.4 miles from the town center and killed 3. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 3 deaths and 114 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on October 20, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 124 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on April 12, 1986.
Severe weather in Dallas County since 1996
Dallas County has been included in 28 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 17, 2024 | Flood | DR-4781: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| February 19, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4586: Severe Winter Storms |
| February 14, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3554: Severe Winter Storm |
| August 24, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3540: Tropical Storms Marco And Laura |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4485: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Dallas County
Dallas County had 1,826,215 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $89,284 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Lancaster itself the ACS puts it at 7.2%.
Public schools in Lancaster
14 public schools with 8,594 students, about 17.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| LANCASTER H S | 9-12 | 2,313 | 18.8 |
| LANCASTER MIDDLE | 7-8 | 968 | 18.3 |
| ILTEXAS LANCASTER EL (charter) | PK-5 | 717 | 14.6 |
| HOUSTON EL | PK-5 | 708 | 17.7 |
| WEST MAIN EL | PK-5 | 608 | 17.4 |
| PLEASANT RUN EL | PK-5 | 600 | 16.2 |
| BELT LINE EL | PK-5 | 522 | 17.4 |
| LIFE SCHOOL LANCASTER (charter) | K-6 | 480 | 19.2 |
| ROSA PARKS/MILLBROOK EL | PK-5 | 441 | 17.6 |
| ROLLING HILLS EL | PK-5 | 428 | 17.1 |
| G W CARVER 6TH GRADE STEM LEARNING CENTER | 6-6 | 426 | 13.3 |
| ILTEXAS LANCASTER MIDDLE (charter) | 6-8 | 383 | 16.7 |
Towns near Lancaster
- Hutchins, TX4.9 mi · 5,607 people · home $235,200
- DeSoto, TX5.2 mi · 56,145 people · home $319,400
- Wilmer, TX5.4 mi · 4,974 people · home $157,200
- Glenn Heights, TX5.6 mi · 15,819 people · home $309,600
- Red Oak, TX6.0 mi · 14,222 people · home $366,100
- Ferris, TX7.0 mi · 2,788 people · home $261,800
- Ovilla, TX7.4 mi · 4,304 people · home $446,700
- Duncanville, TX8.8 mi · 40,706 people · home $255,500
Lancaster questions
Is Lancaster, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lancaster scores better for retirees than 4% of Texas towns and quieter than 5%. 12.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.7).
How much does a house cost in Lancaster?
The median owner-occupied home in Lancaster is valued at $246,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $68,302, so homes cost about 3.6 times income. Median rent is $1,704 a month.
What is the weather like in Lancaster?
July highs average 95.9°F and January lows 35.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 40.9 inches of precipitation a year and 0.4 inches of snow.
Does Lancaster get tornadoes?
45 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lancaster since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 25, 1994. The typical Texas town has had 21.
- 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)