City comparison
Lancaster, PA vs Philadelphia, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 4.4% higher than in Lancaster, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Lancaster, PA would need about $104,400 in Philadelphia, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,520 a month in Philadelphia, PA versus $1,220 in Lancaster, PA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA and 19% in Lancaster, PA.
- Both are in PA, so estimated state income tax is the same: $3,070 a year on $100,000.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.0% moving from Lancaster, PA to Philadelphia, PA ($108,592 → $117,284), while prices change by +4.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.5% in real buying power.
- Lancaster, PA: price level 98.3 (about average)
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lancaster, PA | Philadelphia, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.3 | 102.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,373 in Philadelphia | $95,810 in Lancaster |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,220/mo | $1,520/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% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,210 | $54,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Lancaster, PA MSA and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA. Metro areas: Lancaster, PA and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lancaster | Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.8 | 113.1 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 107.3 | 114.4 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 103.1 |
| Overall | 98.3 | 102.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lancaster, PA → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
56 Fair offer
Philadelphia, PA → Lancaster, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
82 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lancaster, PA is in the Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA pay area; Philadelphia, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Lancaster, PA to Philadelphia, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lancaster, PA | Philadelphia, PA | Real change, Lancaster → Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,972 | $68,013 | +3.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,190 | $82,289 | +3.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,320 | $98,630 | +3.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,592 | $117,284 | +3.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,323 | $138,595 | +3.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lancaster, PA | Philadelphia, PA | Philadelphia pay in Lancaster dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,360 | $78,570 | $75,278 (−3.9%) |
| Software Developers | $104,740 | $133,040 | $127,466 (+21.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,110 | $85,990 | $82,387 (+8.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $89,620 | $101,180 | $96,941 (+8.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.