Lancaster receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Galion
Lancaster
Opportunity
60 · Top 41%
vs67 · Top 27%
Growth
33 · Bottom 22%
vs56 · Top 39%
Climate
62 · Bottom 24%
vs63 · Bottom 29%
Physical resilience
70 · Top 36%
vs82 · Top 20%
Housing affordability
99 · Top 11%
vs88 · Top 37%
Schools
44 · Bottom 40%
vs26 · Bottom 18%
Access
96 · Top 30%
vs94 · Top 43%
Economic stability
41 · Bottom 18%
vs50 · Bottom 32%
Measured values
| Metric | Galion | Lancaster | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,339 | 41,249 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $52,176 | $59,133 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $27,978 | $34,001 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,392/sq mi | 2,166/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $112,700 | $193,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $803 | $1,083 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 58.6% | 59.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.0% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.7% | 21.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.2% | 12.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2 | 229 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 5.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 0.0% | -67.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 20°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 42.5" | 40.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 15 mi | 18 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.2 min | 29.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.9 | 37.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 12 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.56 | 19.45 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 55.2% | 41.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 55.2% | 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.
Physical risk tradeoff
Galion
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
Lancaster
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: Galion, OH · Lancaster, OH · How this is calculated: methodology