City comparison
Lancaster, PA vs Reading, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Lancaster, PA are 1.2% higher than in Reading, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Reading, PA would need about $101,200 in Lancaster, PA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,220 a month in Lancaster, PA and $1,237 in Reading, 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 Reading, PA ($108,592 → $117,284), while prices change by −1.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.3% in real buying power.
- Lancaster, PA: price level 98.3 (about average)
- Reading, PA: price level 97.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lancaster, PA | Reading, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.3 | 97.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,782 in Reading | $101,233 in Lancaster |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,220/mo | $1,237/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% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,210 | $49,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Lancaster, PA MSA and Reading, PA MSA. Metro areas: Lancaster, PA and Reading, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lancaster | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.8 | 85.4 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 107.3 | 108.2 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 98.3 | 97.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lancaster, PA → Reading, PA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.2%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
73 Strong offer
Reading, PA → Lancaster, PA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.2%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
65 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lancaster, PA is in the Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA pay area; Reading, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Lancaster, PA to Reading, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lancaster, PA | Reading, PA | Real change, Lancaster → Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,972 | $68,013 | +9.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,190 | $82,289 | +9.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,320 | $98,630 | +9.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,592 | $117,284 | +9.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,323 | $138,595 | +9.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lancaster, PA | Reading, PA | Reading pay in Lancaster dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,360 | $79,860 | $80,845 (+3.2%) |
| Software Developers | $104,740 | $120,920 | $122,411 (+16.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,110 | $75,550 | $76,482 (+0.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $89,620 | $98,470 | $99,684 (+11.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.