City comparison
Denver, CO vs Lancaster, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Denver, CO are 7.7% higher than in Lancaster, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Lancaster, PA would need about $107,700 in Denver, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,754 a month in Denver, CO versus $1,220 in Lancaster, PA. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Denver, CO and 19% in Lancaster, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $622 a year higher in Denver, CO than in Lancaster, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.5% moving from Denver, CO to Lancaster, PA ($118,675 → $108,592), while prices change by −7.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.5% in real buying power.
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (pricier)
- Lancaster, PA: price level 98.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Denver, CO | Lancaster, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.8 | 98.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,886 in Lancaster | $107,658 in Denver |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,754/mo | $1,220/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $62,320 | $48,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA |
Rent areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA and Lancaster, PA MSA. Metro areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO and Lancaster, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Denver | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 146.9 | 93.8 |
| Goods | 101.0 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 107.3 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 105.8 | 98.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Denver, CO → Lancaster, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$622/yr.
93 Strong offer
Lancaster, PA → Denver, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.1%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$622/yr.
42 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Denver, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Lancaster, PA is in Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Denver, CO to Lancaster, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Denver, CO | Lancaster, PA | Real change, Denver → Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $62,972 | −1.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $76,190 | −1.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $91,320 | −1.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $108,592 | −1.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $128,323 | −1.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Denver, CO | Lancaster, PA | Lancaster pay in Denver dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,910 | $78,360 | $84,361 (+9.7%) |
| Software Developers | $137,610 | $104,740 | $112,761 (−18.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,020 | $76,110 | $81,939 (−18.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,130 | $89,620 | $96,484 (−4.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.