Cost of living in Lancaster research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Lancaster is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in South Carolina, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Lancaster is 96, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Lancaster is 1.0x lower than the national average.
Lancaster ranks as the #49 cheapest in South Carolina out of 99.
Lancaster ranks as the #2,104 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Lancaster is $278,368.
The median income in Lancaster is $43,234.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Lancaster has an overall cost of living index of 96, which is 1.0x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to South Carolina, Lancaster has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than South Carolina's index of 93.
The standard of living in Lancaster ranks as #49 most affordable out of the 99 places we measured in South Carolina. By definition, that implies Lancaster ranks as the #50 most expensive place in the Palmetto State.
For more reading on life in Lancaster, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Lancaster. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Lancaster is 103.
The Groceries index in Lancaster is 102.
The Health index in Lancaster is 112.
The Housing index in Lancaster is 82.
The Transportation index in Lancaster is 93.
The Utilities index in Lancaster is 91.
| Living Expense | Lancaster | South Carolina | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 96 | 93 | 100 | |
| Services | 103 | 102 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 102 | 97 | 100 | |
| Health | 112 | 92 | 100 | |
| Housing | 82 | 81 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 93 | 92 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 91 | 109 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in South Carolina, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Lancaster is $278,368.
The Median Rent in Lancaster is $824.
The Median Income in Lancaster is $43,234.
The Home Value To Income in Lancaster is 6.4x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Lancaster is 0.23x.
| Statistic | Lancaster | South Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $278,368 | $302,294 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $824 | $1,126 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $43,234 | $66,818 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 6.4x | 4.5x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.23x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
| Item | Lancaster | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.27 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $13.55 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $21.67 | $18 |
| Haircut | $18.25 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $59.75 | $45.56 |
| Item | Lancaster | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $6.27 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.39 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.61 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.98 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $10.96 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.47 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.81 | $3.7 |
| Item | Lancaster | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $143.74 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $148.29 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $115.52 | $113.29 |
| Item | Lancaster | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.29 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $53.32 | $59.92 |
| Item | Lancaster | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $167.89 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $189.9 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Lancaster. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Charlotte, NC has a cost of living index of 110, 1.1x Lancaster.
Concord, NC has a cost of living index of 103, 1.1x Lancaster.
Huntersville, NC has a cost of living index of 119, 1.2x Lancaster.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte, NC | 886,283 | 110 | 1.1x |
| Concord, NC | 106,518 | 103 | 1.1x |
| Huntersville, NC | 62,458 | 119 | 1.2x |
| Indian Trail, NC | 41,146 | 113 | 1.2x |
| Matthews, NC | 29,959 | 113 | 1.2x |
| Harrisburg, NC | 19,203 | 122 | 1.3x |
| Stallings, NC | 16,495 | 115 | 1.2x |
| Weddington, NC | 13,468 | 148 | 1.5x |
| Wesley Chapel, NC | 8,923 | 127 | 1.3x |
| Marvin, NC | 6,542 | 180 | 1.9x |