Lancaster, PA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In Lancaster, PA Summary

Cost of living in Lancaster research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Lancaster is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Pennsylvania, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Lancaster is 93, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Lancaster is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • Lancaster ranks as the #77 cheapest in Pennsylvania out of 247.

  • Lancaster ranks as the #2,137 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Lancaster is $145,300.

  • The median income in Lancaster is $54,145.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
93
Lancaster's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Lancaster, PA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Lancaster has an overall cost of living index of 93, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Pennsylvania, Lancaster has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Pennsylvania's index of 97.

The standard of living in Lancaster ranks as #77 most affordable out of the 247 places we measured in Pennsylvania. By definition, that implies Lancaster ranks as the #170 most expensive place in the Keystone State.

For more reading on life in Lancaster, check out:

77 out of 247
In Pennsylvania
2,137 out of 6,412
In America

Lancaster Cost Of Living Vs. Pennsylvania

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Lancaster. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Lancaster is 102.

  • The Groceries index in Lancaster is 97.

  • The Health index in Lancaster is 94.

  • The Housing index in Lancaster is 67.

  • The Transportation index in Lancaster is 110.

  • The Utilities index in Lancaster is 110.

Living Expense Lancaster Pennsylvania National Average
Overall 93 97 100
Services 102 99 100
Groceries 97 101 100
Health 94 97 100
Housing 67 85 100
Transportation 110 105 100
Utilities 110 106 100
For more reading on cost of living around Pennsylvania, check out:
Lancaster Cost of Living Vs. PA

Lancaster, PA Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Pennsylvania, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Lancaster is $145,300.

  • The Median Rent in Lancaster is $995.

  • The Median Income in Lancaster is $54,145.

  • The Home Value To Income in Lancaster is 2.7x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Lancaster is 0.22x.

Statistic Lancaster Pennsylvania United States
Median Home Value $145,300 $197,300 $244,900
Median Rent $995 $1,013 $1,163
Median Income $54,145 $67,587 $69,021
Home Value To Income 2.7x 2.9x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.22x 0.18x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Lancaster, PA
$145,300
Median Home Value
$995
Median Rent
$54,145
Median Income

Lancaster, PA Costs By Category

Detailed Lancaster Services Costs Vs. Pennsylvania

Item Lancaster Pennsylvania
Shampoo $1.18 $1.06
Movie $13.11 $10.68
Bowling $13.65 $14.67
Haircut $18.18 $18.62
Beauty Salon $33.13 $39.05

Detailed Lancaster Groceries Costs Vs. Pennsylvania

Item Lancaster Pennsylvania
Ground Beef $4.21 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.34 $1.39
Milk $2.44 $2.05
Potatoes $3.49 $3.29
Pizza $10.69 $10.62
Beer $11.96 $9.38
Toothpaste $1.84 $2.34

Detailed Lancaster Health Costs Vs. Pennsylvania

Item Lancaster Pennsylvania
Optometrist $86.81 $108.57
Doctor $103.0 $116.17
Dentist $93.74 $99.13

Detailed Lancaster Transportation Costs Vs. Pennsylvania

Item Lancaster Pennsylvania
Gasoline $2.54 $2.22
Tire Balancing $48.77 $50.07

Detailed Lancaster Utilities Costs Vs. Pennsylvania

Item Lancaster Pennsylvania
All Electricity $191.01 $167.67
Phone $189.01 $175.64

Lancaster SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
6/10
Housing
7
Affordability
7
Diversity
10
Safety
N/A
Amenities
10
Education
6
Commute
8

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Lancaster

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Lancaster. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Ephrata, PA has a cost of living index of 96, 1.0x Lancaster.

  • Columbia, PA has a cost of living index of 91, 1.0x Lancaster.

  • Lititz, PA has a cost of living index of 102, 1.1x Lancaster.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Lancaster
Ephrata, PA 13,767 96 1.0x
Columbia, PA 10,243 91 1.0x
Lititz, PA 9,485 102 1.1x
Willow Street, PA 9,338 113 1.2x
Georgetown, SC 8,435 91 1.0x
Mount Joy, PA 8,251 101 1.1x
Leola, PA 7,721 103 1.1x
Millersville, PA 7,698 99 1.1x
Red Lion, PA 6,478 95 1.0x
New Holland, PA 5,743 105 1.1x

Articles About Pennsylvania

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