City profile · South Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Lancaster, SC

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.

8,738
Residents
$43,234
Median income
$226,300
Median home
$1,011
Median rent (state)

Lancaster - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Lancaster lands in the 11th percentile for household income and the 1st percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

11th
percentile, household income
50th
percentile, home value
21st
percentile, median rent
1st
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, SC

8,738 people live in Lancaster, South Carolina - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $43,234 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 24.2%. Typical homes in Lancaster are valued around $226,300, and the median resident age is 38.2 years. 17.3% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 48.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 108 residential building permits were authorized in Lancaster (Active), per Census BPS data. Lancaster's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 7243.4 in FBI UCR data, above the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in South Carolina run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, South Carolina scores 93.7 (Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,011 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in South Carolina run around $224, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Commute times here average 24.5 minutes, with 79.1% driving alone and 4.8% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 79.4 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (High).

Population

8,738 residents

Census ACS 2023 - South Carolina

Median Household Income

$43,234 /yr

Poverty 24.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

93.7 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, South Carolina 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 11% higher than other cities
Home value 50% pricier than other cities
Median rent 21% pricier than other cities
Safety 1% safer than other cities

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

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to South Carolina alone, Lancaster ranks #118 of 127 South Carolina cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Lancaster against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to South Carolina only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

South Carolina-relative analysis

Poverty Rate places Lancaster toward the top of South Carolina's cities

Among the 439 South Carolina cities PlainCities tracks with reported poverty rate data, Lancaster ranks #98 - the 78th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Lancaster only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#268 of 403
33rd percentile in South Carolina
Median Gross Rent
#287 of 441
33rd percentile in South Carolina
Median Home Value
#106 of 404
74th percentile in South Carolina
Poverty Rate
#98 of 439
78th percentile in South Carolina
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#241 of 441
45th percentile in South Carolina

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within South Carolina only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

11thIncome percentile
1stSafety percentile

11th percentile nationally for median household income · 1st 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 26 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+)

$226,300 Among the most affordable more affordable than 50% 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%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). This entry sits in this band. $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, SC Lancaster, SC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Lancaster, SC-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, SC median $43,234/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, SC'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, SC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 17.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 24.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 48.7%

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

Population
8,738
Median Income
$43,234
Median Home Value
$226,300
Median Age
38.2
Poverty Rate
24.2%
Labor force participation
48.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
17.3%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
7243.4
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
1063.9
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
6179.5
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.

Schools

Total Schools
14
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
8,000 residents8,500 residents9,000 residents9,500 residents10,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 8,502 residents 9,623 residents ▲ +13.2%
Lancaster's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

🏗️ Active
Total Permits (2024)
108
housing units authorized
Single-Family
108
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
12.4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 0
2020 40
2021 71
2022 77
2023 72
2024 108

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
24.5 minutes
Drive Alone
79.1%
Carpool
11.1%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
1.7%
Work from Home
4.8%
Other
3.3%

Based on 3,337 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for South Carolina - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$130
avg/month
Natural Gas
$52
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$224
estimated/month

Estimates reflect South Carolina 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 South Carolina 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
93.7
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,011/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
79.4 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in South Carolina

York
8,697 people
Seneca
8,910 people
Sangaree
8,517 people
Georgetown
8,511 people
Sans Souci
8,199 people
Hardeeville
9,293 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Lancaster's 8,738 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Presque Isle, ME
8,736 people
Temple Hills, MD
8,740 people
Rodeo, CA
8,735 people
Hillview, KY
8,735 people
Mascoutah, IL
8,743 people
Toppenish, WA
8,746 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Lancaster's $43,234 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Moberly, MO
$43,231 median income
Jackson, MS
$43,238 median income
Decatur, AR
$43,239 median income
Hooven, OH
$43,229 median income
Daniel, WY
$43,229 median income
Saulsbury, TN
$43,226 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Lancaster, SC 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, SC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 38.9% 46.1% 9.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 14.3% White 38.9% Black or African American 46.1% Asian 1.5% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 3.8% Two or more races 9.6% 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 South Carolina 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) 8,738 $43,234
York 8,697 $47,315
Seneca 8,910 $52,207
Sangaree 8,517 $77,939
Census ACS 5-year FIPS SC FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Lancaster, SC?

What is the population of Lancaster, SC? +

Lancaster, SC counts 8,738 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

In Lancaster, the typical household earns $43,234 per year, 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 South Carolina state average, a cost of living index of 93.7 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within South Carolina vary by metro area.

Is Lancaster, SC safe? +

Lancaster has a total crime rate of 7243.4 per 100,000 residents, which is above 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, SC? +

Homes in Lancaster carry a median value of $226,300, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, 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

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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.