Fulton Opera House · Photo: Scanlan · CC BY-SA 3.0728 homes sold in Lancaster in the last year, at a typical $258K
Most homes sold are condos. Below: what each kind of home sells for, what your budget buys, the best months to buy, how hard you’ll have to bid, and a shortcut to every site where Lancaster homes are listed.
Every place Lancaster homes are listed, in one stop
We don’t copy listings: the agents’ sites have the photos and the latest price changes. Set what you want once and we open each site already filtered to Lancaster.
For sale
Rent
New, land & open houses
Links open the listing sites; TownRatings isn’t paid for them and doesn’t rank one above another. Rentals and government-owned homes come from sources outside the MLS.
5% of Lancaster’s sales are condos, at $30K more than a house
73 houses and 36 condos sold in the year to May 2026. Houses sell faster and draw more bidding wars.
typical sale · 73 sold in 12 months
- Per square foot
- $194PA $183
- Days to sell
- 23
- Sold over asking
- 32%
- Listings with a price cut
- 34%
typical sale · 36 sold in 12 months
- Per square foot
- $274PA $261
- Days to sell
- 211
- Sold over asking
- 25%
- Listings with a price cut
- 42%
Multi-family (2–4 units): 65 sold, typical $352K
Townhouses: 554 sold, typical $246K
Too few sales in 12 months for reliable figures.
About as many homes sell as usual, at 2.4 times the 2016 price
728 sales in the last year, against 1,069 in 2021 and a low of 682 in 2012. The typical sale went from $108K in 2016 to $258K.
Source: Redfin Data Center, MLS sales. Typical price and $/sq ft are the monthly medians, weighted by sales.
What $250K buys in Lancaster
Check a listing against what Lancaster homes sold for
Against the town’s median price per square foot over the last 12 months. A rough check: condition, lot and location within town move a price more than this can see.
Bidding wars in Lancaster are more common than before the pandemic, but 55% fewer homes come up for sale
We read every month of Lancaster’s home sales since 2012 so you don’t have to. Each figure covers 12 months, because a single month in a town is too few sales to mean much. Latest: the year to May 2026, 728 sales.
If you’re buying in Lancaster
- Shop in August. It brings about 90 new listings a month, close to the busiest month, with fewer bidding wars (21% over asking).
- You can negotiate. 38% of listings have cut their price, against 27% before the pandemic.
- Bid near asking. Buyers paid 100% of the list price on average; 33% paid over.
- Move fast on good ones. Half of homes are under contract within two weeks.
Spring brings the homes; fall brings the bidding wars
May has the most new listings (about 96 a month), but September is the most competitive: 26% of September sales close over asking. July and August offer nearly as much choice with fewer homes bid up (24%). January has the least competition (16%).
Averages for each calendar month, 2015 on.
Nearly as heated as 2021, and about like Pennsylvania as a whole
| Lancaster now | 2017–19 | 2021 peak | PA now | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sold over askingShare of sales that closed above the list price | 33% | 16% | 25% | 33% |
| Gone within two weeksShare of homes under contract within 14 days | 50% | 22% | 60% | 46% |
| Listings with a price cutShare of homes for sale that cut their price | 38% | 27% | 34% | 26% |
| Price paid vs. askingAverage sale price ÷ list price | 100% | 97.4% | 99.4% | 98.9% |
| Days to sellMedian days from listing to contract | 18 | 48 | 12 | 37 |
100 homes for sale on a typical day
That’s 1.5 times the 2023 low (66), 55% fewer than in 2017–19 and well under 2012’s 451.
1 in 3 listings has cut its price
38% in the last year, against 27% in 2017–19 and 26% across Pennsylvania. More sellers are pricing high and coming down.
Since 2019, houses are up 39%, condos 43%
A house typically sold for $304K in the last year (73 sales), a condo for $334K (36).
Median sale price, weighted by sales each month. Years with fewer than 4 sales of a type are left out.
Lancaster ranks 138th of 261 busy Pennsylvania markets for bidding wars
Share of sales over asking in the last year, among towns with 60 or more sales. Lancaster is in the middle of the pack.
Source: Redfin Data Center, city market tracker, January 2012 to May 2026 (MLS sales, not seasonally adjusted). Ratios are weighted by homes sold; price cuts by homes for sale.
Owning the typical Lancaster home costs about $1,680 a month
Price: Lancaster’s typical sale, last 12 months. Property tax at Lancaster’s 1.6% (median bill ÷ median value, Census ACS); insurance at 0.35% of price a year. Before PMI, HOA dues, upkeep and the tax deduction. Whether Lancaster is affordable on local pay is on Cost of living.
Six things worth knowing
New listings in May
The month with the most choice. December has the fewest, about 52.
Best time to buyProperty tax, a year
Of a home’s value: the median bill over the median home value. On a $258K home, about $4,000 a year.
Taxes vs. neighborsSchools
The schools grade for Lancaster, from test results, graduation and how much students grow.
Schools in LancasterTypical commute
The average one-way trip to work for people who live in Lancaster.
Work & commuteCheck the flood map
Flood insurance isn’t in a standard policy, and lenders require it in FEMA flood zones. Check the address before you make an offer.
Natural hazardsLook up any property
Assessed value, lot size and every past sale of a home you’re eyeing are public, at the town or county assessor and the registry of deeds.
No busy market nearby sells for less a square foot; Lampeter for far more
The busier markets within 25 miles of Lancaster, by what sold. Prices, taxes and how far a paycheck goes next door are on Cost of living.
| Sold | Typical sale | $/sq ft | Over asking | Days to sell | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lancaster | 728 | $258K | $178 | 33% | 18 |
| Millersville | 69 | $367K | $196 | 35% | 20 |
| Manheim Township | 66 | $285K | $174 | 32% | 30 |
| Willow Street | 62 | $361K | $221 | 44% | 10 |
| East Petersburg | 48 | $336K | $212 | 62% | 7 |
| Mountville | 47 | $327K | $173 | 49% | 22 |
| Lampeter | 25 | $492K | $224 | 32% | 15 |
Redfin Data Center, June 2025 to May 2026. Towns with fewer than 20 sales are left out, and Redfin doesn’t report every town separately.
Post your home to Lancaster, free
Selling it yourself, renting out an apartment or looking for a roommate? Post it to Lancaster. People who follow the town see it, and so do people comparing Lancaster with their own town. No commission, no listing fee.
Questions about buying a home in Lancaster
What do homes sell for in Lancaster, PA?
728 homes sold in the year to May 2026 at a typical $258K, $178 a square foot. Houses sold for about $304K, condos for about $334K.
Is Lancaster a buyer’s or seller’s market?
A seller’s market: 102 homes were for sale in May 2026 and 67 sold, about 1.5 months of supply. Buyers paid 100% of asking on average, and 38% of listings cut their price.
When is the best time to buy in Lancaster?
May brings the most new listings. The sales history shows which months have fewer bidding wars.
How much are property taxes in Lancaster?
About 1.6% of a home’s value a year. On a $258K home that’s near $4,000.
Where can I see homes for sale in Lancaster?
Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com and Homes.com all carry Lancaster’s MLS listings; the search links above open each one filtered to Lancaster.
Sales, prices, days on market and listings: Redfin Data Center (MLS, monthly, not seasonally adjusted). Property tax rate: Census American Community Survey. Two-bedroom rent: HUD Fair Market Rent. Typical home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Schools grade: TownRatings (how grades work).