Merriam receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Lancaster
Merriam
Opportunity
50 · Bottom 37%
vs57 · Top 48%
Growth
23 · Bottom 10%
vs27 · Bottom 14%
Climate
62 · Bottom 23%
vs66 · Bottom 36%
Physical resilience
80 · Top 25%
vs83 · Top 19%
Housing affordability
99 · Top 10%
vs91 · Top 30%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs91 · Bottom 47%
Economic stability
74 · Top 19%
vs77 · Top 13%
Measured values
| Metric | Lancaster | Merriam | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,113 | 11,085 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $66,148 | $73,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,240 | $44,272 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,721/sq mi | 2,568/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $202,200 | $263,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $969 | $1,181 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 73.7% | 60.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.8% | -2.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.6% | 45.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.7% | 6.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1 | 2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 0.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 0.0% | -99.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 80°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.7" | 38.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 4 mi | 19 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.7 min | 22.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 45.1 | 39.3 | 2024 ACS 5-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.
Merriam
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: Lancaster, NY · Merriam, KS · How this is calculated: methodology