City Town Info

Lancaster, PA


  • Overview
  • Almanac
  • People
  • Local
  • Schools
  • Comments

Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Introduction to Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Lancaster is located in the south-central portion of Pennsylvania, situated near the Conestoga River in Lancaster County. The city is part of the Pennsylvania Dutch Country. The Amish community plays a major role in the county with agriculture, various cottage industries and tourism. Mennonite communities are also located in the area. The region is known for livestock, apples, grains and dairy products. The city contains a wide variety of architectural styles represented in its numerous historic buildings.

History

The town was created by English shires. William Penn played a significant role in establishing the city in 1683. Lancaster was recognized as a townstead in 1730 by the governor of Pennsylvania. The vast majority of the land during this period was the property of Andrew Hamilton. The Continental Congress held meetings in Lancaster in 1777 and it was the capital of the state of Pennsylvania from 1799 to 1813.

John Wright named the town Lancaster in tribute to Lancaster, England where he earlier resided. The town became known as the "Red Rose City" due to its connection with Lancaster, England. The area became a chartered city in the year 1818. While the Revolutionary War was taking place, Lancaster served as the capital for the colonies and was a prominent munitions location.

Transportation

The Red Rose Transit Authority offers bus service for the community. Amtrak provides transportation at the Lancaster Train Station. The town is home to the Lancaster Airport.

Historic Landmarks

  • Hamilton Watch Company
  • Fulton Opera House
  • Rock Ford Plantation
  • W.W. Griest Building
  • J.P. McCaskey High School
  • Wheatland

Attractions

  • Elizabethtown College includes a center which focuses on the Plain communities in the United States such as the Amish.
  • The historic site, Ephrata Cloister features 18th century structures.
  • Franklin and Marshall College.
  • National Watch and Clock Museum.
  • Strasburg Railroad offers rides on restored passenger cars and travels through Amish country.
  • Plain and Fancy Farm provides an excellent tour of the Amish community.
  • Antiques Capital is a prominent location for antique dealers and features numerous attractions.
  • Bird-in-Hand Village.
  • Intercourse Merchants Association Group is a major business center for Amish and other residents and is very popular with tourists.
  • Lititz is a historic village.
  • Central Market.
  • Demuth Museum.
  • Lancaster Cultural History Museum.
  • Lancaster Museum of Art.
  • Fulton Theatre is a National Historic Landmark which features Broadway musicals and other productions.

Activities

  • Amish Buggy Rides.
  • Amish Village features a 1840's farm house.
  • Choo Choo Barn - Traintown U.S.A. features miniatures depicting Lancaster County and America.
  • Dutch Wonderland Family Amusement Park.
  • Landis Valley Museum is the biggest Dutch Living History Farm and Village in the United States.

High Points

Lancaster strengths, compared to Peers (similar size places nationally) or State (other places in Pennsylvania):

CategoryTrophy
Racial Diversity
(vs. State)
Top 1%trophyLancaster Racial Diversity
Walking and Biking to Work
(vs. Peers)
Top 7%Lancaster Walking and Biking to Work
Public Transportation Use
(vs. State)
Top 9%Lancaster Public Transportation Use
Affordability of Rents
(vs. Peers)
Top 17%Lancaster Affordability of Rents

Comparative Profile of Lancaster, PA

Comparing Lancaster to similar size places nationwide (Peers) and to other places in Pennsylvania (State):

Ratings range from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).


The People

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers
Compared
to State
Racial Diversity1010
Children Under 5 Years Old810
Male Share of the Population68
Female Share of the Population53
Senior Citizens41
Well-Paid Single Men35
Age of the Population21

Families

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers
Compared
to State
Average Household Size58
Portion of People Married11

Wealth

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers
Compared
to State
College Educated Adults25
People Above Poverty21
People in Middle Class or Better11
Median Family Income12

Commute & Sprawl

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers
Compared
to State
Walking and Biking to Work1010
Public Transportation Use910
Short Commute Times88
Working at Home45

Housing

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers
Compared
to State
Studio & One-Bedroom Rentals1010
People Living Alone97
Affordability of Rents95
Affordability of Property Taxes63
Seasonal and Vacation Housing34
Housing Recently Built12
Detailed pages on related topics: Colleges in Lancaster, Graduate Schools in Lancaster, Lancaster mortgage and property, Lancaster travel

You are visiting:
All StatesPennsylvania > Lancaster

Find a school near you

Additional Details

Lancaster CareersLancaster Careers
Lancaster career and employment information.
Lancaster CollegesLancaster Colleges
Lancaster colleges and trade schools.
Lancaster Graduate SchoolsLancaster Graduate Schools
Lancaster Graduate and Business Schools
Lancaster Hotels & TravelLancaster Hotels & Travel
Lancaster hotels, landmarks, tourism, transportation.
Lancaster MortgageLancaster Mortgage
Lancaster property, mortgage, and real estate.

Career and College Resources on CityTownInfo

Real-World Career Reports

Career Stories from workers: daily activities, job tips, best/worst job aspects, training, etc.

Daily Career & Education News from our staff. We're an approved Google News provider!

Career References and Original Articles

Resource Center. A starting point for all CityTownInfo career and college resources.

Career Overviews of hundreds of careers: descriptions, salaries, forecasts, schools, more.

Best Careers Not Requiring Degrees: Good pay, job growth, low need for degrees.

Helpful Articles, many in "how-to" format; e.g., "How to Become a Chef".

College Directories and Lists

These lists link to thousands of detailed school profiles.

Colleges by State. Nearly every college and trade school in the country.

Colleges Listed Alphabetically. About 7,000 colleges & trade schools, including online schools.

Colleges by Major City. Browse cities with multiple college options.

Online Colleges. Colleges with online degree programs.

Graduate Schools by State. Colleges offering graduate degree programs.

Graduate Schools by Major City. Find cities with multiple graduate school options.

Places Similar to Lancaster

We've crunched the numbers to create PlaceMatch™, which compares thousands of cities and towns to find the places most similar to each.

Find places similar to Lancaster

Additional Resources


Large City Map

Info for Lancaster Government Officials

Are you an official in the Lancaster government or quasi-government agency such as the chamber of commerce, visitors bureau or economic development council? If so, visit our information page for government officials to see how CityTownInfo can support you.

Spread The Word

Webmasters & Bloggers: Please link to this page on Lancaster. Just copy the HTML below and paste it into your web page or blog.


Copyright © QuinStreet, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Click to verify BBB accreditation and to see a BBB report.    TRUSTe online privacy certification