Hanover receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Lancaster
Hanover
Opportunity
67 · Top 28%
vs65 · Top 31%
Growth
57 · Top 37%
vs64 · Top 26%
Climate
64 · Bottom 32%
vs64 · Bottom 31%
Physical resilience
62 · Top 47%
vs79 · Top 26%
Housing affordability
83 · Top 46%
vs85 · Top 43%
Schools
53 · Top 48%
vs62 · Top 36%
Access
88 · Bottom 35%
vs86 · Bottom 32%
Economic stability
55 · Bottom 39%
vs57 · Bottom 43%
Measured values
| Metric | Lancaster | Hanover | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 57,719 | 16,584 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $63,690 | $61,293 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $31,159 | $35,446 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 7,987/sq mi | 4,487/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $219,500 | $212,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,240 | $1,137 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 48.6% | 53.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 3.3% | 2.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.4% | 15.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 20.3% | 14.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 56 | 18 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.0 | 1.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 21°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 42.1" | 42.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 27 mi | 29 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.7 min | 25.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.2 | 41.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 37 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.64 | 14.30 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 28.7% | 32.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 45.0% | 55.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 70.0% | 49.2% | 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: hurricane.
Hanover
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: Lancaster, PA · Hanover, PA · How this is calculated: methodology