York-Hanover cost of living
Prices in the York-Hanover, PA metro area run at 96.0 against a national average of 100, ranking it #147 of 387 metros. Rents there sit at 79.8.
What drives the number
Prices in York-Hanover run at 96.0 where the national average is 100, so about 4 per cent below the country as a whole. It ranks #147 of 387 metro areas. Against Pennsylvania as a whole it is 1.6 points less expensive, which is the unusual direction, and it means the expensive part of the state is somewhere else.
Housing is unusually cheap relative to everything else here. Rents sit at 79.8 against goods at 100.7 and other services at 107.0, so the overall figure of 96.0 understates how affordable the housing itself is. Services, which are priced by local wages, are what hold the overall number up.
Low prices only help if pay does not fall by more. Dividing the local median wage by 96.0 is how to check, and the wage pages carry that comparison.
The vertical line is the national average of 100. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, SARPP, 2024.
What the biggest local jobs are really worth
The same pay buys different amounts in different places, so a salary quoted in York-Hanover is not comparable to one quoted elsewhere until it is divided by the local parity. These are the occupations that employ the most people here, with the quoted median alongside what that median is worth at national prices.
| Occupation | Employed | Median pay | Worth nationally | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 8,380 | $38,970 | $40,594 | $38,940 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 4,560 | $27,810 | $28,969 | $30,480 |
| General and Operations Managers | 4,550 | $96,940 | $100,979 | $102,950 |
| Retail Salespersons | 4,490 | $29,630 | $30,865 | $34,580 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 4,490 | $36,370 | $37,885 | $37,090 |
| Cashiers | 4,010 | $29,220 | $30,438 | $31,190 |
| Registered Nurses | 3,700 | $85,800 | $89,375 | $93,600 |
| Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators | 3,700 | $47,620 | $49,604 | $46,390 |
Pay from the BLS metro survey, adjusted by dividing by the metro parity of 96.0.
Nearby metro areas
| Metro area | All items | Rents | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | 102.6 | 113.1 | #50 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | 100.0 | 105.5 | #90 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | 98.7 | 96.3 | #100 |
| Lancaster | 98.3 | 93.8 | #106 |
| Reading | 97.1 | 85.4 | #127 |
| State College | 96.8 | 85.7 | #134 |
York-Hanover: common questions
Is York-Hanover expensive?
Prices are 4% below the national average, a parity of 96.0 where the country is 100. It ranks #147 of the 387 metro areas BEA measures. Against Pennsylvania as a whole it is 1.6 points less expensive.
What salary do you need in York-Hanover?
The median worker there earns $46,970, which buys what $48,927 buys nationally once local prices are taken into account. Comparing a salary offer between cities without this adjustment is comparing nothing useful.
Is housing the reason?
Usually. Rents here are at 79.8 against goods at 100.7. Goods barely vary between American cities because most are shipped and priced nationally; housing varies enormously, and it dominates any cost of living comparison.