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
Manchester-Nashua
Opportunity
86 · Top 3%
vs84 · Top 5%
Growth
44 · Bottom 41%
vs39 · Bottom 32%
Climate
64 · Bottom 44%
vs61 · Bottom 31%
Physical resilience
62 · Top 41%
vs53 · Bottom 47%
Housing affordability
93 · Bottom 45%
vs86 · Bottom 28%
Access
87 · Top 31%
vs96 · Top 13%
Economic stability
92 · Top 3%
vs98 · Top 1%
Measured values
| Metric | Lancaster | Manchester-Nashua | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 557,931 | 426,378 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $86,959 | $103,545 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $43,128 | $54,111 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 591/sq mi | 486/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $301,100 | $421,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,357 | $1,623 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.8% | 67.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 2.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 3.3% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.4% | 41.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.2% | 6.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,017 | 699 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.8 | 1.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -16.2% | -16.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 17°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 42.1" | 40.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 29 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.5 min | 29.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.4 | 41.0 | 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: hurricane.
Manchester-Nashua
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Lancaster
76
Your Score
73
Area Score
Manchester-Nashua
74
Your Score
69
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Lancaster, PA Metro Area · Manchester-Nashua, NH Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology