Gahanna receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Gahanna
Lancaster
Opportunity
83 · Top 4%
vs67 · Top 27%
Growth
79 · Top 6%
vs56 · Top 39%
Climate
68 · Bottom 42%
vs63 · Bottom 29%
Physical resilience
77 · Top 28%
vs82 · Top 20%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 13%
vs88 · Top 37%
Schools
56 · Top 44%
vs26 · Bottom 18%
Access
99 · Top 8%
vs94 · Top 43%
Economic stability
77 · Top 12%
vs50 · Bottom 32%
Measured values
| Metric | Gahanna | Lancaster | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 35,486 | 41,249 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $109,061 | $59,133 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $54,374 | $34,001 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,854/sq mi | 2,166/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $350,900 | $193,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,466 | $1,083 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.6% | 59.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.3% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.1% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 51.7% | 21.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.6% | 12.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 359 | 229 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 10.1 | 5.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 8875.0% | -67.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 20°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.6" | 40.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 3 mi | 18 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.7 min | 29.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.8 | 37.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 12 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.07 | 19.45 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 60.3% | 41.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 66.4% | 51.9% | 2019-20 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Full profiles: Gahanna, OH · Lancaster, OH · How this is calculated: methodology