The Town FilesLancaster, California
City in Los Angeles County · population 173,516 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $446,600
- Household income
- $81,511
- Jan low / Jul high
- 31° / 98°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 34.5
Lancaster is a city of 173,516 people in Los Angeles County, California. The median home is worth $446,600, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 96% of California towns, better transit than 72% of California towns, more vibrant than 71% of California towns.
How Lancaster ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Lancaster is worth $446,600, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 5.5 times the median household income of $81,511, which is more affordable than 67% of California towns. Median rent is $1,764 a month. 60.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lancaster | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $446,600 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,764 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $81,511 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.5× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 60.4% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1986 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.6% | — |
Who lives in Lancaster
| People | Lancaster | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.5 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.1% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 26.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.0% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.6% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 6.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 15.4% | — |
| Work from home | 9.8% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 30.8 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.6% | 93.3% |
Weather in Lancaster
July highs average 97.6°F and January lows 31.3°F. About 6.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 109 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 68 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lancaster since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on September 1, 2007 about 4.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 1, 2007.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 6 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on October 15, 2015.
Severe weather in Los Angeles County since 1996
Los Angeles County has been included in 88 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 8, 2025 | Fire | FM-5605: Canyon Fire |
| January 8, 2025 | Fire | DR-4856: Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
| January 8, 2025 | Fire | FM-5550: Eaton Fire |
| January 8, 2025 | Fire | FM-5551: Hurst Fire |
| January 7, 2025 | Fire | FM-5549: Palisades Fire |
Jobs and pay in Los Angeles County
Los Angeles County had 4,525,711 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $83,554 a year. Unemployment was 5% in 2023; in Lancaster itself the ACS puts it at 7.5%.
Public schools in Lancaster
45 public schools with 33,090 students, about 24.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assurance Learning Academy (charter) | 8-12 | 3,111 | 27.1 |
| Lancaster High | 9-12 | 2,697 | 25.0 |
| Eastside High | 9-12 | 2,592 | 24.7 |
| Antelope Valley High | 9-12 | 1,512 | 21.9 |
| Amargosa Creek Middle | 6-8 | 954 | 21.2 |
| New Vista Middle | 6-8 | 938 | 21.8 |
| Sundown Elementary | K-6 | 889 | 26.9 |
| Joe Walker Middle | 6-8 | 818 | 24.1 |
| iLEAD Lancaster Charter (charter) | K-8 | 795 | 27.4 |
| Monte Vista Elementary | K-5 | 792 | 25.5 |
| Endeavour Middle | 6-8 | 780 | 22.3 |
| West Wind Elementary | K-5 | 777 | 25.9 |
Towns near Lancaster
- Quartz Hill, CA3.7 mi · 11,447 people · home $485,300
- Desert View Highlands, CA7.2 mi · 2,676 people · home $360,400
- Palmdale, CA8.1 mi · 169,450 people · home $471,000
- Rosamond, CA12.1 mi · 20,961 people · home $352,600
- Acton, CA13.7 mi · 7,431 people · home $733,400
- Sun Village, CA15.5 mi · 12,345 people · home $384,700
- Agua Dulce, CA15.6 mi · 3,451 people · home $933,400
- Lake Los Angeles, CA20.4 mi · 13,187 people · home $322,300
Lancaster questions
Is Lancaster, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lancaster scores better for retirees than 15% of California towns and quieter than 19%. 12.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.5).
How much does a house cost in Lancaster?
The median owner-occupied home in Lancaster is valued at $446,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $81,511, so homes cost about 5.5 times income. Median rent is $1,764 a month.
What is the weather like in Lancaster?
July highs average 97.6°F and January lows 31.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 6.8 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Lancaster get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lancaster since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on September 1, 2007. The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)