Residential comparison · 13 facts
Lancaster, PA vs Wilkes-Barre, PA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Lancaster needs about $80,500 in Wilkes-Barre to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Wilkes-Barre, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $89,500 in Lancaster.
A few differences
- Lancaster is higher on median household income ($63,690 vs $48,515).
- Wilkes-Barre is lower on cost of living index (79 vs 90).
- Wilkes-Barre is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($973/mo vs $1,340/mo).
Lancaster vs Wilkes-Barre · facet by facet
| Facet | Lancaster, PA | Wilkes-Barre, PA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $219,500 | $117,200 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,340/mo | $973/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.5% | 1.5% |
| State & local income tax | 4.57% | 4.57% |
| Sales tax | 6.34% | 6.34% |
| Cost of living index | 90 | 79 |
| Groceries index | 100 | 100 |
| Utilities | $180/mo | $180/mo |
| Median household income | $63,690 | $48,515 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 3.4% |
| Crime index | 40/100 | 40/100 |
| School rating | 6.3/10 | 6.3/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 180 days | 180 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Lancaster, PA · Wilkes-Barre, PA
Questions & answers
- Is Lancaster cheaper than Wilkes-Barre?
- Wilkes-Barre has the lower day-to-day cost index (79 vs 90 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Wilkes-Barre equals $85,000 in Lancaster?
- A household earning $85,000 in Lancaster needs about $80,500 in Wilkes-Barre to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Wilkes-Barre lifestyle costs about $89,500 in Lancaster.