Residential comparison · 13 facts
Lancaster, PA vs York, 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 $81,500 in York to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from York, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $88,500 in Lancaster.
A few differences
- Lancaster is higher on median household income ($63,690 vs $48,420).
- York is lower on cost of living index (81 vs 90).
- York is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,089/mo vs $1,340/mo).
Lancaster vs York · facet by facet
| Facet | Lancaster, PA | York, PA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $219,500 | $119,700 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,340/mo | $1,089/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 | 81 |
| Groceries index | 100 | 100 |
| Utilities | $180/mo | $180/mo |
| Median household income | $63,690 | $48,420 |
| 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 · York, PA
Questions & answers
- Is Lancaster cheaper than York?
- York has the lower day-to-day cost index (81 vs 90 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in York equals $85,000 in Lancaster?
- A household earning $85,000 in Lancaster needs about $81,500 in York to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of York lifestyle costs about $88,500 in Lancaster.