City comparison
Harrisburg, PA vs Lancaster, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Harrisburg, PA (98.7) and Lancaster, PA (98.3, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Harrisburg, PA goes as far as $99,600 in Lancaster, PA.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,212 a month in Harrisburg, PA and $1,220 in Lancaster, PA.
- Both are in PA, so estimated state income tax is the same: $3,070 a year on $100,000.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $108,592 in either. A transfer from Harrisburg, PA to Lancaster, PA changes real buying power by +0.4%, purely from prices.
- Harrisburg, PA: price level 98.7 (about average)
- 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
| Harrisburg, PA | Lancaster, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.7 | 98.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,602 in Lancaster | $100,400 in Harrisburg |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,212/mo | $1,220/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,610 | $48,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA | Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA |
Rent areas: Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA MSA and Lancaster, PA MSA. Metro areas: Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA and Lancaster, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Harrisburg | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 96.3 | 93.8 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 108.1 | 107.3 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 98.7 | 98.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Harrisburg, PA → Lancaster, PA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
70 Fair offer
Lancaster, PA → Harrisburg, PA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Harrisburg, PA to Lancaster, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Harrisburg, PA | Lancaster, PA | Real change, Harrisburg → Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,972 | $62,972 | +0.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,190 | $76,190 | +0.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,320 | $91,320 | +0.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,592 | $108,592 | +0.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,323 | $128,323 | +0.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Harrisburg, PA | Lancaster, PA | Lancaster pay in Harrisburg dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $77,160 | $78,360 | $78,673 (+2.0%) |
| Software Developers | $109,470 | $104,740 | $105,159 (−3.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,510 | $76,110 | $76,414 (−0.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,770 | $89,620 | $89,978 (−7.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.