Lancaster receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Lancaster
Lockport
Opportunity
50 · Bottom 37%
vs44 · Bottom 24%
Growth
23 · Bottom 10%
vs16 · Bottom 5%
Climate
62 · Bottom 23%
vs61 · Bottom 17%
Physical resilience
80 · Top 25%
vs77 · Top 29%
Housing affordability
99 · Top 10%
vs100 · Top 9%
Schools
55 · Top 45%
vs50 · Bottom 48%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs91 · Bottom 46%
Economic stability
74 · Top 19%
vs52 · Bottom 35%
Measured values
| Metric | Lancaster | Lockport | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,113 | 20,610 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $66,148 | $62,410 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,240 | $34,502 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,721/sq mi | 2,454/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $202,200 | $139,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $969 | $945 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 73.7% | 58.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.8% | -0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.6% | 24.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.7% | 15.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1 | 2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 0.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 80°F | 81°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 17°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.7" | 33.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 4 mi | 16 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.7 min | 25.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 45.1 | 36.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.33 | 11.58 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 44.4% | 37.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 59.4% | 56.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 29.7% | 43.4% | 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
Lancaster
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Lockport
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: Lancaster, NY · Lockport, NY · How this is calculated: methodology