Lancaster County vs Philadelphia County
A side-by-side comparison of Lancaster County and Philadelphia County: population, income, housing, and more.
Lancaster County and Philadelphia County are counties in Pennsylvania. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Philadelphia County has the higher population (1,582,432 vs 555,151 in Lancaster County). Lancaster County has the higher median household income ($83,703 vs $60,698 in Philadelphia County). Lancaster County has the higher median home value ($279,400 vs $232,400 in Philadelphia County).
Population, income & housing
| Lancaster County | Philadelphia County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 555,151 | 1,582,432 |
| Median age | 39.1 yrs | 35.1 yrs |
| Median household income | $83,703 | $60,698 |
| Median home value | $279,400 | $232,400 |
| Median gross rent | $1,289 | $1,323 |
| Housing units | 217,863 | 739,725 |
| Homeownership rate | 69.9% | 52.3% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.0% | 34.6% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.3% | 8.4% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Lancaster County | Philadelphia County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 540,999 → 555,151 (+2.6%) | 1,579,075 → 1,582,432 (+0.2%) |
| Median household income | $66,056 → $83,703 (+26.7%) | $45,927 → $60,698 (+32.2%) |
| Median home value | $209,400 → $279,400 (+33.4%) | $163,000 → $232,400 (+42.6%) |
| Median gross rent | $1,009 → $1,289 (+27.8%) | $1,042 → $1,323 (+27.0%) |
Lancaster County
540,999555,151
$66,056$83,703
$209,400$279,400
$1,009$1,289
Philadelphia County
1,579,0751,582,432
$45,927$60,698
$163,000$232,400
$1,042$1,323
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Lancaster County | Philadelphia County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 6.3% | 6.1% |
| 5 to 17 | 17.0% | 15.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 8.7% | 9.8% |
| 25 to 34 | 12.9% | 18.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.8% | 13.4% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.2% | 10.9% |
| 55 to 64 | 12.9% | 11.5% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.6% | 8.6% |
| 75 and over | 8.6% | 5.7% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Lancaster County | Philadelphia County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 79.8% | 33.6% |
| Black or African American | 3.4% | 38.9% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Asian | 2.3% | 7.7% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.5% | 0.7% |
| Two or more races | 2.7% | 3.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 11.3% | 15.2% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Lancaster County | Philadelphia County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 12.9% | 12.6% |
| High school graduate | 34.5% | 29.8% |
| Some college or associate's | 21.7% | 22.9% |
| Bachelor's degree | 19.7% | 19.4% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 11.3% | 15.3% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Lancaster County | Philadelphia County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 73.3% | 46.7% |
| Carpooled | 10.0% | 7.6% |
| Public transit | 0.8% | 17.9% |
| Walked | 3.5% | 7.5% |
| Bicycle | 0.7% | 1.9% |
| Worked from home | 10.3% | 16.4% |
| Other means | 1.4% | 2.1% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Lancaster County | Philadelphia County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 55.3% | 8.4% |
| 1-unit, attached | 21.1% | 56.4% |
| 2 to 4 units | 7.2% | 14.1% |
| 5 to 19 units | 6.9% | 6.1% |
| 20 or more units | 5.7% | 14.6% |
| Mobile home & other | 3.7% | 0.4% |
Poverty & households
| Lancaster County | Philadelphia County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 8.7% | 22.0% |
| Average household size | 2.57 | 2.29 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 24 | 32 |
| Median year structure built | 1977 | 1949 |
Full profiles
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