Side-by-side comparison of Lancaster, PA and York, PA — cap rates, rent, prices, and investment metrics.
Cash flow: York has the edge with an estimated cap rate of 4.96% compared to Lancaster's 4.30%. Neither city passes the 1% rule outright, so deal sourcing and value-add strategies become more important. Median home prices are $225,000 in Lancaster vs $165,000 in York, while rents come in at $1,280/mo and $1,050/mo respectively.
Growth & appreciation: Lancaster is growing faster at 0.4% annually vs York's 0.1%. Lancaster leads on home value appreciation at 2.6% per year.
Costs & risk: Property taxes are 1.35% in Lancaster vs 1.38% in York. Vacancy rates of 5.5% and 6.5% are mixed — Lancaster has the tighter rental market.
Bottom line: Lancaster edges out York on most key metrics. While cap rates are moderate at 4.30%, Lancaster's overall profile is stronger. Use our free calculators to model specific deals in Lancaster or York.