Hanover receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Hanover
York
Opportunity
65 · Top 31%
vs41 · Bottom 20%
Growth
64 · Top 26%
vs26 · Bottom 13%
Climate
64 · Bottom 31%
vs64 · Bottom 31%
Physical resilience
79 · Top 26%
vs82 · Top 20%
Housing affordability
85 · Top 43%
vs84 · Top 45%
Schools
62 · Top 36%
vs38 · Bottom 32%
Access
86 · Bottom 32%
vs94 · Top 40%
Economic stability
57 · Bottom 43%
vs47 · Bottom 27%
Measured values
| Metric | Hanover | York | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,584 | 44,938 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $61,293 | $48,420 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,446 | $26,308 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,487/sq mi | 8,492/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $212,800 | $119,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,137 | $1,014 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 53.4% | 43.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 6.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.9% | 2.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.9% | 17.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.5% | 21.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 18 | 5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.1 | 0.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 800.0% | -96.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 21°F | 21°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 42.1" | 42.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 29 mi | 16 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.5 min | 25.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.2 | 34.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.30 | 14.30 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 32.8% | 22.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 55.9% | 38.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 49.2% | 75.9% | 2024-25 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
Hanover
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
York
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: Hanover, PA · York, PA · How this is calculated: methodology