Population 50,314 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Lancaster
Household size in Lancaster
| Period | Lancaster | Charlotte area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.60 | 2.60 | 2.54 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.79 | 2.68 | 2.59 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.70 | 2.67 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.63 | 2.62 | 2.50 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.03 | +0.01 | −0.04 | −0.03 |
Households in Lancaster average 2.63 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the northeast.
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 | Charlotte area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.5 | 36.7 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.3 | 37.8 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.2 | 38.6 | 40.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.2 | 38.8 | 41.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.7 | +2.0 | +2.9 | +2.3 |
Lancaster skews a little older than the country: its median age is 42.2, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 39.5 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. The youngest areas are in the northeast, the oldest in the northwest.
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 | Charlotte area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.4% | 12.3% | 13.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.4% | 12.7% | 13.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.5% | 11.5% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.1% | 11.3% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.3 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Lancaster as they are nationally: 12.1%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 3.3 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 | Charlotte area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.6% | 30.9% | 30.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 31.4% | 33.4% | 31.4% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 28.0% | 34.3% | 30.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 20.8% | 34.1% | 28.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −10.9 pts | +3.2 pts | −2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 20.8% 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 four in ten owners (42.6%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Renting is most common in the center and least common in the northwest. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 10.9 points, even as the national share rose.
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 | Charlotte area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.6% | 10.4% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.9% | 10.0% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.4% | 8.6% | 13.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 9.0% | 8.3% | 11.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.6 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Lancaster as nationally: 9.0%, against 9.6%. Vacancy has fallen 3.6 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 | Charlotte area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1979 | 1986 | 1984 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1981 | 1987 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1984 | 1989 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1991 | 1994 | 1991 | 1980 |
| Change | +12 | +8 | +7 | +6 |
Lancaster has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1991, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1979 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northwest, the oldest in the center.
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 | Charlotte area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $607 | $875 | $780 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $751 | $966 | $859 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $922 | $1,127 | $984 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $949 | $1,552 | $1,294 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$342 | +$678 | +$514 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Lancaster costs $949 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $342 a month since 2006–10, up 56%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 32.5% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the northwest and lowest in the center.
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 | Charlotte area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.8% | 30.6% | 25.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.1% | 32.4% | 26.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 17.7% | 35.9% | 28.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 26.8% | 40.6% | 32.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +12.1 pts | +10.0 pts | +7.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in Lancaster than nationally: 26.8% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 12.1 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the northwest and least in the east.
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 | Charlotte area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 77.0% | 85.8% | 84.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 83.0% | 87.3% | 85.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 81.8% | 89.2% | 87.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 88.5% | 90.6% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +11.5 pts | +4.8 pts | +6.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Lancaster is close to the national rate: 88.5% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in the Charlotte area as a whole (90.6%). The share with a diploma has risen 11.5 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 | Charlotte area | South Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.7% | 9.1% | 9.1% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 13.3% | 10.8% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.8% | 5.2% | 5.8% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.6% | 4.3% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −9.0 pts | −4.8 pts | −4.2 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Lancaster than nationally: unemployment was 4.6%, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 9.0 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. 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 | 2.63 | 42.2 | 12.1% | 20.8% | 9.0% | 1991 | $949 | 26.8% | 88.5% | 4.6% |
| Unity | 2.71 | 39.1 | 11.2% | 21.5% | 2.6% | 2000 | $1,159 | 29.2% | 93.9% | 1.5% |
| Riverside | 2.54 | 47.4 | 8.0% | 14.2% | 7.7% | 1987 | $839 | 30.0% | 89.8% | 3.7% |
| Caskey | 2.47 | 46.6 | 10.6% | 28.4% | 15.0% | 1976 | $632 | 27.8% | 82.9% | 4.3% |
| Grace | 2.47 | 46.3 | 9.7% | 27.1% | 14.9% | 1979 | $656 | 28.1% | 84.3% | 4.3% |
| Jones Crossroads | 2.46 | 45.8 | 8.4% | 11.8% | 13.3% | 1987 | $817 | 20.6% | 88.7% | 1.4% |
| Rowell | 2.34 | 51.8 | 5.2% | 6.3% | 6.9% | 1999 | $1,092 | 26.0% | 82.0% | 4.5% |
| Landsford | 2.68 | 46.0 | 13.2% | 20.7% | 16.9% | 1992 | $1,312 | 27.7% | 87.7% | 2.8% |
| Fort Lawn | 3.10 | 35.0 | 25.5% | 17.6% | 6.9% | 1990 | $1,344 | 13.4% | 82.2% | 9.5% |
| Heath Springs | 2.67 | 43.8 | 13.5% | 27.5% | 11.4% | 1981 | $819 | 15.2% | 87.1% | 6.3% |
| Primus | 2.59 | 43.3 | 12.5% | 14.1% | 21.2% | 1984 | $729 | 15.6% | 87.1% | 3.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Lititz, PA · Rancho Santa Margarita, CA · Newburgh, NY · Newark, CA · Mount Vernon, WA · Middletown, DE · Middletown, CT · Madison, MS · Los Banos, CA · Rosenberg, TX
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.
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