Lancaster, CA
Census place 0640130 · pop 169,169
A high-desert Antelope Valley city whose paved "musical road" plays a tune as cars drive over it.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
100/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities
80 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities
133 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
835 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
5.5% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities
31 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
19.3% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$2,426/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities
20.0% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$446,600 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
12.9% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
1953 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
15.6% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities
28.2% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
60.4% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities
14.0% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities
91.6% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities
Gini 0.43 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.91% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$81,511 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+6.4% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
30.6% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
Frequently asked
- Is Lancaster, CA a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Lancaster scores 26/100 — a F (Bad) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is adult obesity and its weakest is natural disaster risk. California overall ranks #49 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Lancaster, CA?
- Lancaster reports 835 violent crimes per 100k and 1953 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Lancaster, CA expensive to live in?
- Lancaster has a median home value of $446,600 and typical rent around $2,426/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Lancaster, CA?
- Its weakest measured area is natural disaster risk (100/100) — 1/100, worse than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.)
- What is Lancaster, CA best at?
- Its strongest measured area is adult obesity (30.6%) — 74/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: A high-desert Antelope Valley city whose paved "musical road" plays a tune as cars drive over it.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.
