City comparison
Lancaster, PA vs Washington, DC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Washington, DC are 10.8% higher than in Lancaster, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Lancaster, PA would need about $110,800 in Washington, DC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,015 a month in Washington, DC versus $1,220 in Lancaster, PA. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Washington, DC and 19% in Lancaster, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,462 a year higher in Washington, DC than in Lancaster, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.1% moving from Lancaster, PA to Washington, DC ($108,592 → $121,785), while prices change by +10.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.2% in real buying power.
- Lancaster, PA: price level 98.3 (about average)
- Washington, DC: price level 108.9 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lancaster, PA | Washington, DC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.3 | 108.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,816 in Washington | $90,240 in Lancaster |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,220/mo | $2,015/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $73,649 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $5,532 (DC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,210 | $71,060 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Lancaster, PA MSA and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Lancaster, PA and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lancaster | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.8 | 151.1 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 104.8 |
| Utilities | 107.3 | 106.7 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 98.3 | 108.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lancaster, PA → Washington, DC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.8%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$2,462/yr.
27 Weak offer
Washington, DC → Lancaster, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$2,462/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lancaster, PA is in the Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA pay area; Washington, DC is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Lancaster, PA to Washington, DC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lancaster, PA | Washington, DC | Real change, Lancaster → Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,972 | $70,623 | +1.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,190 | $85,447 | +1.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,320 | $102,415 | +1.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,592 | $121,785 | +1.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,323 | $143,913 | +1.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lancaster, PA | Washington, DC | Washington pay in Lancaster dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,360 | $79,470 | $71,714 (−8.5%) |
| Software Developers | $104,740 | $154,930 | $139,809 (+33.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,110 | $102,140 | $92,171 (+21.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $89,620 | $102,710 | $92,686 (+3.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.