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METRO AREA · 1990 CENSUS

Lancaster Metro

Lancaster, PA · 1 counties · 422,822 residents · 943.924 sq mi
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The short version

Lancaster is wealthier than most US places, with a median household income of $33,255. Population has declined 10% since 2000. Median home value is $89,300.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $30,130
Mid-age
median age 32.8
US median: 33.0
Less educated
17% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
422,822
−10%vs 2000
vs 470,658 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
448 / sq mi
−10%vs 2000
vs 499 / sq mi in 2000
Median age
32.8
−9%vs 2000
vs 36.1 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Population, 1990 – 2024
409K450K490K531K571K1990201020202024Lancaster
2024558K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 57.9%(33,366)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 97.5%(31,597)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 147.2%(30,234)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 197.2%(30,405)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 247.4%(31,196)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3416.7%(70,428)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4414.8%(62,484)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 549.8%(41,437)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 648.6%(36,158)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 747.5%(31,598)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 844.2%(17,743)
US avg: 4%
85 and over1.5%(6,176)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$33,255
−4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $45,507 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$14,235
−30%vs 2000
vs $20,398 in 2000
US average: $14,340
Poverty rate
8.0%
+0.2 ptsvs 2000
vs 7.8% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$89,300
−1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $118,300 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$441
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $572 in 2000
US average: $450
Owner-occupied
69.4%
−1.4 ptsvs 2000
vs 70.8% in 2000
30.6% rent
RELATED:See current rent listings in Lancaster on RentDataNow
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%
1990
White, non-Hispanic94.2%(398,246)
Black2.3%(9,571)
Hispanic / Latino3.5%(14,842)
Asian1.1%(4,739)
Other2.4%(10,266)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

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)
RANKED:Largest German population · Largest Irish population · Largest English population · Largest Puerto Rican population · Largest Italian population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
16.7%
−3.8 ptsvs 2000
vs 20.5% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
70.5%
−6.9 ptsvs 2000
vs 77.4% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
Graduate degree
5.3%
−1.4 ptsvs 2000
vs 6.7% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
20.3 min
+44%vs 2000
vs 14.2 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
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
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$87,337+163%
Home value$520,025+482%
Population578,734+3%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LANCASTER VS
Huntsville
Income$85,881+158%
Home value$295,284+231%
Population556,444−1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LANCASTER VS
New Haven
Income$88,197+165%
Home value$353,100+295%
Population578,741+3%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LANCASTER VS
Modesto
Income$81,468+145%
Home value$450,100+404%
Population557,719−1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Lancaster, PA?

Lancaster, PA has about 422,822 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in Lancaster, PA?

The typical household in Lancaster, PA earns about $33,255 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 $89,300, and the typical rent is about $441 a month.

How educated are people in Lancaster, PA?

About 16.7% 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 8.0% of people in Lancaster, PA live below the federal poverty line.

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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 →