Example household · Baltimore, MD · $83,730 · same pay · 1 adult

Lancaster skyline

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Baltimore vs Lancaster

Baltimore and Lancaster

Photo: Randolph Carney / Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 3.0

Assumed income $83,730, same in both cities. Example, until you change it.

Same pay in both cities. One adult, one bedroom.

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So you know: homicide deaths in Lancaster are under the US rate in this release, 2.2 versus 6.5 per 100,000. CDC via County Health Rankings, CDC NVSS 2017–2023 (CHR 2025 release).

Why people look at Baltimore to Lancaster

In 2022-2023, 195 households filed a move from Baltimore to Lancaster (about 292 people, average adjusted gross income $78,626). 161 households went the other way. Source: IRS migration.

A one-bedroom asking rent is about $1,509 in Baltimore and $1,217 in Lancaster. Baltimore has a state tax on wages. Lancaster has a state tax on wages. Local pay in Lancaster is 95% of the national level for the same work, against 106% in Baltimore.

Lancaster averages 194 sunny days, with July highs around 87°F and January nights around 30°F. Baltimore is 213 sunny days, 88°F in July, 25°F in January. Commutes average 24 minutes in Lancaster and 31 in Baltimore.

These figures are projections built from available public data. Conditions change, and the numbers may not reflect current prices, taxes, or immigration rules. Check official sources before you make decisions.

How we figure this

Who already made this move

In 2022-2023, 195 households moved Baltimore → Lancaster (about 292 people, average AGI $78,626). 161 households went the other way.

Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration. Not a moving company; not a recommendation.

The monthly number is take-home pay minus rent and the other bills. The gap between Baltimore and Lancaster changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.

What the move itself costs

About 64 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.

Full-service mover
$1,600–$2,950
Container or pod
$1,050–$2,000
Rent a truck
$350–$700

Movers in Lancaster and how to hire one →

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Questions

Is Lancaster cheaper than Baltimore after tax and rent?

Yes. Lancaster leaves about $495 more a month, so the cost of living is lower there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $1,509 in Baltimore and $1,217 in Lancaster.

Does Lancaster have state income tax?

Lancaster is in Pennsylvania, which taxes wage income, plus a local wage tax of 1.00%.

Did people actually move from Baltimore to Lancaster?

Yes, when the IRS published that flow. The count and their average income are on this page. Leftover prices the same household in both cities.