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METRO AREA

Lancaster Metro

Lancaster, PA · 1 counties · 563,159 residents (2025 est.) · 944 sq mi
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The short version

Lancaster is home to 557,931 people. That puts it in the top 2% of US metro areas for household income. 6% of residents were born outside the United States. 87,273 more people live here than in 2000. The poverty rate is 8.2%, under the national 12.5%. The typical home is worth $301,100, having more than doubled since 2000.

At a glance
Wealthier
median household income $86,959, above the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 39.4
US median: 38.9
Average education
32% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 40%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place

What stands out about Lancaster

What changed most since 1990

  • Median home value (2024 dollars)$214,326 → $301,100 (+40%)US over the same years: +67%

Among the 36 metro and micro areas based in Pennsylvania

  • 2nd in household income$86,959
  • 6th in share with a bachelor's degree32.4%
  • 4th in home value$301,100
  • 10th in diversity score44.7
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
557,931
+19%since 2000
from 470,658 in 2000
563,159 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
591 / sq mi
+19%since 2000
from 499 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
Median age
39.4
+9%since 2000
from 36.1 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
944 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
409K450K490K531K571K19902000201020202024Lancaster
2024558K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56.2%(34,744)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.3%(34,953)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.6%(36,897)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.7%(37,122)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.1%(34,173)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3412.9%(71,719)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412%(67,054)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5411%(61,539)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6412.6%(70,296)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7410.8%(60,027)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 846.1%(33,758)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.8%(15,649)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$86,959
+5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $45,507 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$43,128
+111%since 2000
from $20,398 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
57.4%
+25.0 ptssince 2009
from 32.4% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
8.2%
+0.4 ptssince 2000
from 7.8% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.430
+4%since 2010
from 0.415 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade14.3%
US avg: 9.9%
Information11.8%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade7.8%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance5.1%
US avg: 5.9%
Other services5.1%
US avg: 6.7%
Professional, scientific, technical4.3%
US avg: 5.1%
Public administration3.5%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing3%
US avg: 2.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing2.3%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction2.1%
US avg: 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.2%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services0.8%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$301,100
+40%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $118,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,357
+30%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $572 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
69.8%
−1.0 ptssince 2000
from 70.8% in 2000
30.2% rent
Vacancy rate
3.0%
−1.0 ptssince 2009
from 3.9% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.55 people
−2%since 2009
from 2.59 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
18.8%
−6.6 ptssince 2009
from 25.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
44.0%
+2.6 ptssince 2009
from 41.5% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.5
+7%since 2009
from 3.2 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
68
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic89.3%(420,366)
Black2.5%(11,837)
Hispanic / Latino5.7%(26,742)
Asian1.4%(6,723)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic79.1%(441,484)
Black3.4%(19,142)
Hispanic / Latino11.5%(64,326)
Asian2.4%(13,414)
Other3.5%(19,565)
Diversity Score
45
+51%since 2009
from 30 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
39
−12%since 2020
from 44 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Puerto Rican6.8%(38,167)
Dominican1.3%(7,186)
Mexican1%(5,414)
South American0.8%(4,562)
Central American0.5%(2,913)
Cuban0.4%(2,485)
Colombian0.4%(1,979)
Guatemalan0.2%(1,200)
Spaniard0.2%(960)
Peruvian0.1%(813)
Ecuadorian0.1%(777)
Honduran0.1%(690)
+ 10 more hispanic origin groups with data
Salvadoran0.1%(518)
Panamanian0.1%(345)
Venezuelan0.1%(327)
Argentine0%(240)
Chilean0%(237)
Paraguayan0%(119)
Bolivian0%(36)
Uruguayan0%(13)
Asian origin
Vietnamese0.5%(2,722)
Chinese0.3%(1,890)
Filipino0.3%(1,672)
Asian Indian0.3%(1,623)
Nepalese0.2%(1,254)
Korean0.1%(614)
Hmong0.1%(593)
Bhutanese0.1%(551)
Burmese0.1%(418)
Cambodian0.1%(375)
Laotian0.1%(308)
Pakistani0%(248)
+ 5 more asian origin groups with data
Japanese0%(239)
Taiwanese0%(106)
Thai0%(64)
Kazakh0%(14)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(155)
Tongan0%(61)
Chamorro0%(39)
Guamanian0%(13)
Ancestry
German30.7%(171,149)
Irish10.6%(59,328)
English9.1%(50,634)
Italian5.9%(32,984)
American5.3%(29,765)
Swiss3.3%(18,479)
Polish2.8%(15,590)
Scottish1.5%(8,533)
French1.5%(8,109)
Dutch1%(5,626)
Welsh0.9%(5,116)
+ 50 more ancestry groups with data
Scotch-Irish0.8%(4,524)
Swedish0.7%(3,689)
Russian0.5%(2,946)
Ukrainian0.5%(2,880)
Greek0.5%(2,845)
British0.4%(2,460)
Norwegian0.4%(2,325)
Slovak0.4%(2,012)
West Indian0.4%(2,006)
Hungarian0.3%(1,827)
Lithuanian0.3%(1,783)
Ethiopian0.3%(1,531)
Arab0.2%(1,287)
Austrian0.2%(1,092)
Haitian0.2%(1,090)
Czech0.2%(1,084)
French Canadian0.2%(1,079)
Romanian0.2%(963)
Portuguese0.1%(689)
Jamaican0.1%(606)
Croatian0.1%(580)
Canadian0.1%(568)
Lebanese0.1%(520)
Danish0.1%(514)
Latvian0.1%(503)
Serbian0.1%(480)
Kenyan0.1%(431)
Belgian0.1%(316)
Nigerian0.1%(316)
Slovene0%(248)
Armenian0%(241)
Brazilian0%(234)
Finnish0%(216)
Iranian0%(213)
Egyptian0%(212)
Iraqi0%(200)
Syrian0%(132)
Guyanese0%(88)
Turkish0%(68)
Bulgarian0%(51)
Moroccan0%(50)
Israeli0%(49)
Ghanaian0%(37)
Barbadian0%(12)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
32.4%
+11.9 ptssince 2000
from 20.5% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
87.5%
+10.2 ptssince 2000
from 77.4% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
11.8%
+5.1 ptssince 2000
from 6.7% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
23.8 min
+68%since 2000
from 14.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
71.8%
−6.9 ptssince 2009
from 78.7% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
10.0%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 9.6% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.7%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
11.6%
+6.7 ptssince 2009
from 4.9% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
3.5%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 3.6% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.7%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
8.6%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 9.3% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
3.4%
−2.9 ptssince 2011
from 6.2% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
65.7%
−1.3 ptssince 2011
from 67.0% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
75.9%
+1.8 ptssince 2020
from 74.1% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
10.5%
+1.3 ptssince 2009
from 9.2% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
39.6%
+9.0 ptssince 2009
from 30.6% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.2%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 48.9% in 2009
Female
50.8%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 51.1% in 2009
Foreign born
5.8%
+1.8 ptssince 2009
from 4.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
5.7%
−4.2 ptssince 2009
from 9.9% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
11.8%
+1.1 ptssince 2012
from 10.7% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
11.2%
−2.2 ptssince 2013
from 13.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
88.1%
+13.3 ptssince 2017
from 74.8% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
92.3%
+3.7 ptssince 2020
from 88.6% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
89.7%
+1.1 ptssince 2020
from 88.5% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
83.2%
−0.6 ptssince 2016
from 83.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
6.8%
Unchangedsince 2016
from 6.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married30.9%(67,743)
Married59.3%(130,134)
Widowed2.7%(5,978)
Divorced7.1%(15,685)
Women 15+
Never married27.7%(64,104)
Married54.3%(125,792)
Widowed9.2%(21,410)
Divorced8.8%(20,491)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
11.2%
−2.2 ptssince 2013
from 13.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
56.3%
−1.1 ptssince 2020
from 57.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
14.3%
−0.1 ptssince 2020
from 14.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
19.8%
+1.1 ptssince 2020
from 18.7% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
16.6%
+0.5 ptssince 2020
from 16.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
1.7%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 1.9% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
68.5%
−1.1 ptssince 2020
from 69.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
34.2%
+1.4 ptssince 2020
from 32.8% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)19.5%(4,743)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)19.6%(4,758)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era36.8%(8,944)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War6.3%(1,521)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.4%(340)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 24,325 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time

Lancaster, decade by decade

Lancaster population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
YearPopulationMedian household incomeMedian home valueBachelor's degree+Diversity score
1990422,822$79,814$214,32616.7%16.4
2000470,658$82,898$215,50220.5%24.8
2010519,445$78,783$265,27223.3%33.8
2020552,984$84,343$265,07328.6%43.8
2024557,931$86,959$301,10032.4%44.7

Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.

In this metro

Largest cities

LancasterCENTRAL58,366Ephrata13,647Elizabethtown11,961Columbia10,314Lititz9,689Willow Street9,647Millersville9,280Mount Joy8,319Leola7,448New Holland5,754Manheim4,977East Petersburg4,702Maytown4,443Akron4,093Denver3,747Brownstown3,650Reamstown3,468Salunga3,355Strasburg3,085Mountville2,977Bowmansville2,959Rothsville2,934Marietta2,931Quarryville2,871Rheems2,426Landisville2,168Reinholds2,168Lampeter2,140Gap2,128Swartzville1,799

The 30 most populous of 61 cities and towns in this metro. CENTRAL marks the metro's principal cities.

What's inside

1 component county

Lancaster CountyCENTRAL563,159
Drill deeper

Metros similar to Lancaster

Reno
Pop 578,734
Huntsville
Pop 556,444
New Haven
Pop 578,741
Modesto
Pop 557,719
Places similar to Lancaster
Head to head

Compare Lancaster side by side

LANCASTER VS
Reno
Income$87,337same
Home value$520,025+73%
Population578,734+3%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LANCASTER VS
Huntsville
Income$85,881−1%
Home value$295,284−2%
Population556,444−1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LANCASTER VS
New Haven
Income$88,197+1%
Home value$353,100+17%
Population578,741+3%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LANCASTER VS
Modesto
Income$81,468−6%
Home value$450,100+49%
Population557,719−1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Lancaster, PA?

Lancaster, PA has about 557,931 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Lancaster, PA?

The typical household in Lancaster, PA earns about $86,959 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Lancaster, PA expensive?

In Lancaster, PA, the median home is worth about $301,100, and the typical rent is about $1,357 a month.

How educated are people in Lancaster, PA?

About 32.4% of adults age 25 and over in Lancaster, PA hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Lancaster, PA?

About 8.2% of people in Lancaster, PA live below the federal poverty line.

Has Lancaster, PA grown since 1990?

Yes, Lancaster, PA has grown since 1990. The population has added about 135,109 residents, a change of about 32 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →

Lancaster, PA: population, income & housing data · CensusEasy