Population 460 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Lancaster: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Lancaster
Household size in Lancaster
| Period | Lancaster | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.43 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.38 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.44 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.27 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.16 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Lancaster is a place of small households, averaging 2.27 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.43, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Lancaster
| Period | Lancaster | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.9 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.6 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.8 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.0 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.1 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Lancaster are younger than 39.0 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Lancaster
| Period | Lancaster | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.1% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 1.9% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.2% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 14.4% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +8.3 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in seven households in Lancaster (14.4%), above the national share of 11.6%.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Lancaster
Renters in Lancaster
| Period | Lancaster | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.3% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 14.5% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 28.6% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 21.4% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.1 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 21.4% of households in Lancaster rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Just over six in ten owners (62.2%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Lancaster
| Period | Lancaster | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.1% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.8% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.4% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.1% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.1 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Lancaster: 7.1% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. The picture is much the same across Illinois.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Lancaster
| Period | Lancaster | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1975 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1971 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1980 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1978 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +4 | +6 |
The typical home in Lancaster was built around 1978, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are newer than in Illinois overall, where the median home dates to 1970.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Lancaster
| Period | Lancaster | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $431 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $658 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $492 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $801 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$370 | +$475 | +$606 |
Rent in Lancaster runs $801 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 18.4% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Lancaster
Bachelor's degrees in Lancaster
| Period | Lancaster | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.3% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 26.4% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 19.3% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 37.2% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +10.0 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Nearly four in ten adults 25 and older in Lancaster (37.2%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Lancaster
| Period | Lancaster | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.8% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.4% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 86.6% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.3% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.5 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Lancaster: 94.3% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Lancaster
| Period | Lancaster | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.5% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.4% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.8% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.5% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | +2.0 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Lancaster runs well above the national rate: 7.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Lancaster compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lancaster | 2.27 | 39.0 | 14.4% | 21.4% | 7.1% | 1978 | $801 | 37.2% | 94.3% | 7.5% |
| Mount Carmel | 2.27 | 42.1 | 14.3% | 29.5% | 13.4% | 1958 | $783 | 17.7% | 92.3% | 3.3% |
| Maud | 2.32 | 45.0 | 7.2% | 8.6% | 12.2% | 1969 | $954 | 6.0% | 92.7% | 1.3% |
| Odgen | 2.42 | 38.0 | 9.7% | 7.3% | 5.9% | 1995 | $784 | 19.8% | 95.0% | 1.9% |
| Keensburg | 2.34 | 31.8 | 14.6% | 14.6% | 22.9% | 1976 | $784 | 3.7% | 81.0% | 3.2% |
| East Mount Carmel | 2.83 | 38.0 | 11.1% | 12.3% | 8.4% | 1987 | $845 | 20.9% | 91.9% | 0.4% |
| Bellmont | 2.32 | 47.8 | 5.7% | 7.7% | 9.9% | 1967 | $990 | 6.5% | 95.1% | 0.9% |
| Patton | 2.39 | 38.5 | 10.2% | 8.4% | 6.4% | 1992 | $786 | 19.5% | 94.5% | 2.7% |
| Gards Point | 2.61 | 47.4 | 12.5% | 5.6% | 29.8% | 1987 | $778 | 15.2% | 96.6% | 0.3% |
| Johnson | 2.53 | 46.9 | 5.8% | 18.9% | 11.1% | 1990 | $1,058 | 16.4% | 87.9% | 3.3% |
| Owensville | 2.51 | 38.8 | 6.7% | 18.8% | 10.0% | 1978 | $879 | 18.5% | 92.0% | 4.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Mount Zion, TN · Sherman City, MI · Shanksville, PA · Shady Grove, AR · Shade Gap, PA · Seven Devils, NC · Sessoms, GA · Sekiu, WA · Schoolton, OK · Salkehatchie, SC
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Lancaster. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.