City profile · Ohio · Census ACS 2023

Lancaster, OH

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Lancaster - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

40,902
Residents
$54,901
Median income
$180,200
Median home
$1,430
Median rent (state)

Lancaster - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Lancaster places in the 27th percentile for household income and the 22nd percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

27th
percentile, household income
37th
percentile, home value
56th
percentile, median rent
22nd
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Lancaster, OH

40,902 people live in Lancaster, Ohio - a small city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Lancaster brings in $54,901 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 10.5%. Lancaster's housing stock carries a median value of $180,200, and the median resident age is 36.9 years. About 21.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 56.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 28 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 75% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 2530.8 in FBI UCR data, near the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Lancaster's yearly average temperature at 53.2°F with 40.2 inches of precipitation per year.

Living costs in Ohio run below the national norm: the state registers 92.8 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,430 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Ohio's average monthly utility costs around $228 (state average). On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 72.6 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (High).

Population

40,902 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Ohio

Median Household Income

$54,901 /yr

Poverty 10.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

92.8 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Ohio average

How does Lancaster compare to other US cities?

Here's how Lancaster stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 27% higher than other cities
Home value 37% pricier than other cities
Median rent 56% pricier than other cities
Safety 22% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Ohio, Lancaster ranks #235 of 281 Ohio cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Lancaster's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Ohio, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

27thIncome percentile
22ndSafety percentile

27th percentile nationally for median household income · 22nd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Lancaster's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Lancaster's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 34 Avg. percentile National median
Lancaster's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Lancaster's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$180,200 Among the most affordable more affordable than 63% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Lancaster $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Lancaster, OH Lancaster, OH's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Lancaster, OH-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Lancaster, OH median $54,901/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Lancaster, OH's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Lancaster, OH. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 21.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 10.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 56.9%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
40,902
Median Income
$54,901
Median Home Value
$180,200
Median Age
36.9
Poverty Rate
10.5%
Labor force participation
56.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
21.3%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2530.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
405.4
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2125.4
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
53.2°F
Annual Precipitation
40.2"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
12
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
40,500 residents41,000 residents41,500 residents42,000 residents42,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 40,639 residents 41,956 residents ▲ +3.2%
Lancaster's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
28
housing units authorized
Single-Family
16
detached homes
Multifamily
12
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.7
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 112
2020 143
2021 263
2022 34
2023 16
2024 28

Permit volume decreased 75% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
79.0%
Carpool
8.7%
Public Transit
0.1%
Walk
2.8%
Work from Home
7.7%
Other
1.7%

Based on 18,008 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Ohio - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$105
avg/month
Natural Gas
$78
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$228
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Ohio state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Ohio state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Lancaster sits in

Cost of Living Index
92.8
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,430/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
72.6 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Ohio

Reynoldsburg
41,032 people
Findlay
40,280 people
Grove City
41,831 people
Warren
39,057 people
Delaware
43,168 people
Westerville
38,543 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Lancaster's 40,902 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Covington, KY
40,902 people
Lynnwood, WA
40,953 people
Mount Juliet, TN
40,828 people
Friendswood, TX
40,827 people
Maplewood, MN
40,981 people
Germantown, TN
40,812 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Lancaster's $54,901 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Pine Crest, TN
$54,900 median income
Fort Lewis, WA
$54,902 median income
Franklin, MN
$54,904 median income
Bradenville, PA
$54,896 median income
Addison, AL
$54,911 median income
Ethridge, TN
$54,911 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Lancaster, OH Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Lancaster, OH - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 91.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 3.0% White 91.5% Black or African American 1.8% Asian 0.7% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 1.1% Two or more races 4.7% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Lancaster compares to nearby Ohio cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Lancaster (this city) 40,902 $54,901
Reynoldsburg 41,032 $71,381
Findlay 40,280 $57,344
Grove City 41,831 $90,888
Census ACS 5-year FIPS OH FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Lancaster, OH?

What is the population of Lancaster, OH? +

The population of Lancaster, OH stands at 40,902 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Lancaster, OH? +

Lancaster households earn a median of $54,901 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Lancaster? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Lancaster; the closest available measure is the Ohio state average, a cost of living index of 92.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Ohio vary by metro area.

Is Lancaster, OH safe? +

Lancaster has a total crime rate of 2530.8 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Lancaster, OH? +

Lancaster's median home value sits at $180,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Lancaster? +

The average annual temperature in Lancaster runs 53.2°F, 40.2 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.