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
St. Louis
Opportunity
86 · Top 3%
vs73 · Top 19%
Growth
44 · Bottom 41%
vs44 · Bottom 39%
Climate
64 · Bottom 44%
vs68 · Top 48%
Physical resilience
62 · Top 41%
vs57 · Top 48%
Housing affordability
93 · Bottom 45%
vs99 · Top 30%
Access
87 · Top 31%
vs98 · Top 7%
Economic stability
92 · Top 3%
vs78 · Top 17%
Measured values
| Metric | Lancaster | St. Louis | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 557,931 | 2,810,850 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $86,959 | $80,196 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $43,128 | $45,864 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 591/sq mi | 357/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $301,100 | $244,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,357 | $1,113 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.8% | 70.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 3.3% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.4% | 38.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.2% | 10.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,017 | 6,385 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.8 | 2.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -16.2% | 1.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 24°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 42.1" | 41.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 29 mi | 1 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.5 min | 26.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.4 | 39.9 | 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.
St. Louis
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, hail.
Full profiles: Lancaster, PA Metro Area · St. Louis, MO-IL Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology