Uprootmap
Reading vs Lancaster
Reading and Lancaster
Photo: Randolph Carney / Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
Assumed income $83,730, same in both cities. Example, until you change it.
Other cities
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 Reading to Lancaster
In 2022-2023, 765 households filed a move from Reading to Lancaster (about 1,224 people, average adjusted gross income $59,008). 571 households went the other way. Source: IRS migration.
A one-bedroom asking rent is about $1,167 in Reading and $1,217 in Lancaster. Reading 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 94% in Reading.
Lancaster averages 194 sunny days, with July highs around 87°F and January nights around 30°F. Reading is 195 sunny days, 87°F in July, 29°F in January. Commutes average 24 minutes in Lancaster and 25 in Reading.
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.
Who already made this move
In 2022-2023, 765 households moved Reading → Lancaster (about 1,224 people, average AGI $59,008). 571 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 Reading and Lancaster changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.
What the move itself costs
About 37 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.
- Full-service mover
- $1,550–$2,900
- Container or pod
- $1,050–$1,950
- Rent a truck
- $350–$650
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Dig into Lancaster
Questions
Is Lancaster cheaper than Reading after tax and rent?
No. Lancaster leaves about $48 less a month, so the cost of living is higher there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $1,167 in Reading 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 Reading 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.