Delaware receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Lancaster
Delaware
Opportunity
67 · Top 27%
vs85 · Top 3%
Growth
56 · Top 39%
vs69 · Top 18%
Climate
63 · Bottom 29%
vs64 · Bottom 31%
Physical resilience
82 · Top 20%
vs83 · Top 20%
Housing affordability
88 · Top 37%
vs98 · Top 13%
Schools
26 · Bottom 18%
vs47 · Bottom 44%
Access
94 · Top 43%
vs92 · Top 50%
Economic stability
50 · Bottom 32%
vs71 · Top 26%
Measured values
| Metric | Lancaster | Delaware | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 41,249 | 44,589 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $59,133 | $99,786 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,001 | $44,497 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,166/sq mi | 2,203/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $193,900 | $318,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,083 | $1,286 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.1% | 64.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 3.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.1% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.9% | 47.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.6% | 7.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 229 | 386 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.6 | 8.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -67.8% | -31.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 20°F | 21°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.3" | 35.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 18 mi | 22 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.2 min | 27.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.4 | 36.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 14 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.45 | 18.17 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 41.6% | 53.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 51.9% | 62.8% | 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
Lancaster
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Delaware
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Full profiles: Lancaster, OH · Delaware, OH · How this is calculated: methodology