Cost of Living in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Rent, everyday costs and taxes in Lancaster, what each job keeps after paying them, and how the city compares with the rest of the US.
- Population
- 58,366
- Median household income
- $63,690
- Cost of living (US = 100)
- 98.3
- Unemployment rate
- 8.1%
Is Lancaster a good place to live?
Lancaster is one of the pricier places for a typical paycheck: a typical worker keeps less here than in 131 of 178 other large cities. Higher earners do better.
A typical worker in Lancaster keeps $3,919 a year after taxes, rent and everyday costs. Try your job
- Cost of living2% below the US average (BEA, 2024)
- Rent$1,378 a month for a 1-bedroom (HUD)
- Taxes$1,480 of state income tax on a typical wage, plus $823 of local income tax
Cost of living in Lancaster
Prices in the Lancaster, PA area run 2% below the US average. Utilities is the biggest difference, at 7% above the US average.
- Housing6% below the US average
- Goods (food, clothing, cars)1% above the US average
- Utilities7% above the US average
- Other services (healthcare and more)2% below the US average
- All items2% below the US average
Monthly budget for one person
| Cost | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bedroom | $1,378 | $16,536 |
| Food | $497 | $5,964 |
| Transportation | $393 | $4,716 |
| Healthcare | $344 | $4,128 |
| Utilities | $279 | $3,348 |
| Total before taxes | $2,891 | $34,692 |
Rent by apartment size
| Monthly rent | Lancaster | Whole metro area |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,262 | $1,152 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,378 | $1,256 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,702 | $1,553 |
| 3 bedrooms | $2,166 | $1,978 |
| 4 bedrooms | $2,238 | $2,041 |
Living in Lancaster
How Lancaster compares with the US on income, housing, work and commuting (Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024 5-year).
| Measure | Lancaster | US |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $63,690 | $81,604 |
| Median home value | $219,500 | $360,600 |
| Median rent paid | $1,240 | $1,487 |
| Households renting | 51.4% | 34.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 8.1% | 4.6% |
| Living below the poverty line | 20.3% | 12.2% |
| Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher | 29.4% | 36.9% |
| Median age | 32.2 years | 39.2 years |
| Average commute, one way | 23.6 minutes | 27.2 minutes |
| Working from home | 10.3% | 13.3% |
| Commuting by public transit | 4.3% | 3.7% |
Home internet
4 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Lancaster, led by Xfinity, T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T. Fiber reaches 16% of homes and 99.8% can get gigabit speeds.
Pros and cons of living in Lancaster
Pros
- Affordable homes to buy. The median home is worth $219,500, against $360,600 nationally.
- Shorter commutes. The average one-way commute is 23.6 minutes, against 27.2 nationally.
- Cheaper rent. Median rent is $1,240 a month, against $1,487 nationally.
- Fast home internet. 99.8% of homes can get gigabit speeds (FCC).
Cons
- Higher unemployment. Unemployment is 8.1%, against 4.6% nationally (ACS 2020–2024 5-year).
- Paychecks don't stretch far. A typical worker keeps $3,919 a year, less than in 131 of 178 large cities.
- Higher poverty rate. 20.3% of residents live below the poverty line, against 12.2% nationally.
- Local income tax. Residents also pay Lancaster city and school district earned income tax (resident rate) and Lancaster Local Services Tax income tax: $823 on a typical wage.
What your job keeps in Lancaster
Pick a job, or enter your salary, to see what's left after federal, payroll, state and local taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
- Typical salary
- $48,210
- Federal income tax
- −$3,605
- Payroll taxes
- −$3,688
- State income tax
- −$1,480
- Local income tax
- −$823
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$16,536
- Everyday costs
- −$18,159
a year, or $327 a month
Pay: BLS OEWS Lancaster, PA. Rent: HUD FY2027. Taxes: 2026 federal, state and local schedules for a single filer.
What the most common jobs keep here
The 10 jobs we cover with the most workers in the Lancaster, PA area.
| Job | Median pay | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| Project manager | $95,820 | $37,018 |
| Registered nurse | $89,620 | $32,946 |
| Teacher | $79,682 | $26,418 |
| Accountant | $76,110 | $24,072 |
| Licensed practical nurse | $63,290 | $15,330 |
| Truck driver | $58,350 | $11,592 |
| Carpenter | $55,690 | $9,579 |
| Welder | $54,370 | $8,581 |
| Auto mechanic | $50,530 | $5,674 |
| Nursing assistant | $44,890 | $1,406 |
Other jobs, A–Z
What each keeps in Lancaster on its median pay. Pick one in the calculator above for the full breakdown.
- Civil engineer $38,305
- Data scientist $33,827
- Dental assistant $3,238
- Dental hygienist $27,159
- Dentist $66,920
- Diesel mechanic $15,497
- Electrician $15,482
- Financial analyst $33,622
- Firefighter $8,974
- HVAC technician $13,242
- Lawyer $56,444
- Lineman $43,854
- Mechanical engineer $29,064
- Medical assistant −$93
- Nurse practitioner $61,812
- Occupational therapist $41,379
- Paralegal $14,188
- Paramedic $12,833
- Pharmacist $62,054
- Pharmacy technician −$2,613
- Physical therapist $41,891
- Physician assistant $55,527
- Plumber $14,317
- Police officer $31,093
- Radiologic technologist $22,627
- Respiratory therapist $26,666
- Social worker $8,058
- Software engineer $42,875
- Speech-language pathologist $42,343
- Veterinarian $60,882
Local income tax:
Compare Lancaster with other cities
Compare Lancaster with another city: any city or state, any of our 40 jobs.
Moving to Lancaster
5 licensed interstate movers are based in Lancaster, and 3 more elsewhere in the Lancaster, PA area (FMCSA, household-goods authority).
Questions people ask
Is Lancaster, PA a good place to live?
Lancaster is one of the pricier places for a typical paycheck: a typical worker keeps less here than in 131 of 178 other large cities. Higher earners do better. The typical worker here earns $48,210 and keeps $3,919 a year after federal, payroll and state taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
What is the cost of living in Lancaster?
Prices in the Lancaster, PA area are 2% below the US average (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024). A 1-bedroom rents for $1,378 a month (HUD fair market rent, FY2027), and everyday costs for one person, covering food, transportation, healthcare and utilities, come to about $1,513 a month.
How much do you need to earn to live in Lancaster?
A single person renting a 1-bedroom alone needs about $43,100 a year before tax to cover taxes, rent and everyday costs, with nothing left over. The typical worker in the Lancaster, PA area earns $48,210.
What is the average rent in Lancaster?
HUD's fair market rent for FY2027 is $1,262 for a studio, $1,378 for a 1-bedroom and $1,702 for a 2-bedroom. The Census Bureau puts the median rent paid in Lancaster at $1,240 a month (2024).
Does Lancaster have a state or city income tax?
Yes. On a typical wage of $48,210, Pennsylvania state income tax comes to about $1,480 a year. Lancaster residents also pay Lancaster city and school district earned income tax (resident rate) and Lancaster Local Services Tax income tax, about $823 on the same wage.
What internet providers serve Lancaster?
4 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Lancaster, led by Xfinity, T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T. 16% of homes can get fiber and 99.8% can get gigabit speeds (FCC National Broadband Map).
Sources and method
Everyday costs: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024 (one-person households) × CPI-U to August 2026 × BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Taxes assume a single filer with the standard deduction and wage income only.
- Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population estimates
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates
- BLS OEWS May 2025, metropolitan area estimates
- HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, FY2027
- BLS Consumer Expenditure Surveys 2024, Table 1400 (size of consumer unit)
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U)
- BEA Regional Price Parities by MSA, 2024
- FCC National Broadband Map, fixed broadband availability (data as of December 31, 2025, released 2026-09-29)
- FMCSA Carrier - All With History (operating authority and insurance)
Data compiled October 13, 2026. How we calculate