Pennsylvania · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Lancaster County, PA

Prices around Lancaster County, PA run 1.7% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $86,959 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,526 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $61,040 a year.

Lancaster County, PA at a glance

Median household income

$86,959$7,247 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,526HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)98.3-1.7% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity21.7¢per kWh · EIA Residential PA
Population557,931Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Lancaster County, PA?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,526Monthly market rent
Share of gross income21.1%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$61,040To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$2,174At 30% of $86,959
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Lancaster County, PA? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Lancaster, PA MSA, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Lancaster County, PA, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$1,102$13,224$44,08015.2%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,220$14,640$48,80016.8%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,526$18,312$61,04021.1%
3-Bedroom Home$1,980$23,760$79,20027.3%
4-Bedroom Home$2,020$24,240$80,80027.9%

Rent in Lancaster County, PA, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Lancaster County, PA

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $86,959 a year ($7,247 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,623/moRent ($1,526 2-BR), utilities (~$196/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$2,174/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,449/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $86,959 leaves after Pennsylvania taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Pennsylvania tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$86,959
$30,000$175,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$86,959
Net 77%
Fed 12%
PA 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$67,336After all taxes
Monthly deposit$5,611Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,590Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate22.6%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$10,301 / yr
Pennsylvania state income tax$2,670 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$6,652 / yr

Living in Lancaster County, PA: common questions

What is the median household income in Lancaster County, PA?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Lancaster County, PA is $86,959 per year (approximately $7,247 per month).

What is the average rent in Lancaster County, PA?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $1,102 for a studio, $1,220 for one bedroom, $1,526 for two, $1,980 for three and $2,020 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Lancaster County, PA expensive to live in?

Prices there run 1.7% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 98.3, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Lancaster County, PA?

To keep a $1,526 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $61,040 a year, or $5,087 a month. That is 70% of what the typical household in Lancaster County, PA earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Lancaster County, PA?

On the local median income of $86,959 ($7,247 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,623 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $2,174 for everything else and $1,449 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,526 takes 42% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Lancaster County, PA?

Homes in Pennsylvania paid 21.7¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $196. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.