Lancaster, SC Cost Of Living

Demographics | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Lancaster, SC Summary

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.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
96
Lancaster's Overall Cost Of Living
1.0x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Lancaster, SC?

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:

49 out of 99
In South Carolina
2,104 out of 6,489
In America

Lancaster Cost Of Living Vs. South Carolina

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
For more reading on cost of living around South Carolina, check out:
Lancaster Cost of Living Vs. SC

Lancaster, SC Housing Cost Breakdown

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
$278,368
Median Home Value
$824
Median Rent
$43,234
Median Income

Lancaster, SC Costs By Category

Detailed Lancaster Services Costs Vs. South Carolina

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

Detailed Lancaster Groceries Costs Vs. South Carolina

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

Detailed Lancaster Health Costs Vs. South Carolina

Item Lancaster South Carolina
Optometrist $143.74 $125.68
Doctor $148.29 $135.78
Dentist $115.52 $113.29

Detailed Lancaster Transportation Costs Vs. South Carolina

Item Lancaster South Carolina
Gasoline $3.29 $3.46
Tire Balancing $53.32 $59.92

Detailed Lancaster Utilities Costs Vs. South Carolina

Item Lancaster South Carolina
All Electricity $167.89 $193.99
Phone $189.9 $192.25

Lancaster SnackAbility

5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
2/10
Housing
6
Affordability
3
Diversity
9
Safety
N/A
Amenities
8
Education
4
Commute
7

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Lancaster

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

Articles About South Carolina

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