Around 58,000 people live in Lancaster, a compact city at the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country, surrounded by farmland and Amish and Mennonite communities. It is one of the older cities in the country, and the brick downtown shows it, but it feels lively rather than sleepy, with galleries, restaurants and a strong arts scene around Gallery Row and Penn Square.
Start at Central Market, then drive out through Amish country, ride the Strasburg Rail Road, or tour Wheatland, President Buchanan's home. Lititz and Hershey make easy day trips, and First Friday gallery walks run every month. The housing market has tightened, with homes selling fast and rents climbing, though the cost of living is still close to the national average. Expect slow traffic and buggies on rural roads, the occasional car break-in, and real winter snow and ice. Philadelphia is about 70 miles away, and about four in ten residents are Hispanic or Latino.
Cities with a similar character, anywhere on the site.
Out of 10. Open any score to see how it’s worked out. “Data-based” scores come from published figures; “Hey! En Route estimate” scores are worked out from what we know about the city; “Hey! En Route rating” scores were set by our editors.
- Known as
- The Red Rose City; Spanish Rose; Heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country
- Founded
- 1729 founded; 1742 incorporated as a borough; 1818 incorporated as a city
- Languages
- English; Spanish (about 40% Hispanic or Latino population); Pennsylvania Dutch and Pennsylvania German in Amish and Mennonite communities
- Airports
- Lancaster Airport (LNS), about 6 mi north of downtown, limited commercial service (unverified currently); Harrisburg International (MDT), about 30 mi; Philadelphia International (PHL), about 75 mi; Baltimore/Washington (BWI), about 80 mi; Amtrak Keystone service downtown
- Tipping
- Restaurants 18-20% for table service; bars $1-2 per drink; hotel housekeeping $3-5 per night; bellhop $1-2 per bag; taxi/rideshare 15-20%; buggy and farm tour guides optional, $5-10; farm stands and roadside stands generally do not expect tips
