Lancaster, CA

Census place 0640130 · pop 169,169

F26/ 100
💀 Bad
F
in CA
📍 California ranks #49 of 50 states →
🏆 Obesity30.6% · top 26%
🚽 Disaster100/100 · bottom 1%
💡 Did you know?

A high-desert Antelope Valley city whose paved "musical road" plays a tune as cars drive over it.

Source ↗
Taxes
0.91% property · US 0.99%8.99% sales · US 7.00%up to 13.30% income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Natural disaster riskCounty-level100/1001

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.

Air quality (AQI)County-level80 AQI3

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.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level133 days3

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.

Violent crime rate835/100k5

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.

Unemployment rateCounty-level5.5%7

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.

Commute time31 min14

U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities

31 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Poor mental health19.3%18

U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities

19.3% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Rent$2,426/mo19

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).

Bachelor's degree or higher20.0%22

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.

Housing cost$446,60025

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.

Uninsured adults12.9%26

U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities

12.9% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Property crime rate1953/100k30

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.

Poverty rate15.6%32

U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities

15.6% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Physical inactivity28.2%33

U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities

28.2% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Homeownership60.4%39

U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities

60.4% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Adult smoking14.0%43

U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities

14.0% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Broadband access91.6%50

U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities

91.6% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Income inequality0.4351

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).

Property-tax burden0.91%54

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.

Median household income$81,51158

U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities

$81,511 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Population growth (5yr)+6.4%70

U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities

+6.4% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Adult obesity30.6%74

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.