Lancaster CA vs New Rochelle NY — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)

Lancaster, CA

California · Population: 170,013

  • Median HH Income$76,083
  • Median Home Price$466,147
  • Unemployment7.1%
  • Bachelor's+20.1%

New Rochelle, NY

New York · Population: 48,198

  • Median HH Income$48,535
  • Median Home Price$920,484
  • Unemployment9.7%
  • Bachelor's+22.8%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Lancaster
170,013
Lancaster +
New Rochelle
48,198
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Lancaster
N/A
New Rochelle
N/A
Median Age
Lancaster
34.2
Lancaster +
New Rochelle
40.7
Foreign Born
Lancaster
13.9%
Lancaster +
New Rochelle
4.6%
White
Lancaster
35.5%
New Rochelle
66.1%
New Rochelle +
Black
Lancaster
21.4%
Lancaster +
New Rochelle
17.8%
Asian
Lancaster
4.0%
Lancaster +
New Rochelle
2.3%
Hispanic
Lancaster
45.9%
Lancaster +
New Rochelle
8.0%
Spanish at Home
Lancaster
N/A
New Rochelle
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Lancaster
$76,083
Lancaster +
New Rochelle
$48,535
Per Capita Income
Lancaster
$29,766
New Rochelle
$30,033
New Rochelle +
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Lancaster
$77,230
New Rochelle
$77,425
New Rochelle +
Unemployment Rate
Lancaster
7.1%
Lancaster +
New Rochelle
9.7%
Poverty Rate
Lancaster
15.5%
Lancaster +
New Rochelle
23.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
Lancaster
20.1%
New Rochelle
22.8%
New Rochelle +

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Lancaster
$466,147
Lancaster +
New Rochelle
$920,484
Homeownership Rate
Lancaster
58.4%
Lancaster +
New Rochelle
57.5%

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Lancaster
503
New Rochelle
434
New Rochelle +
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Lancaster
2388
New Rochelle
1736
New Rochelle +

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Lancaster
30.6%
New Rochelle
26.6%
New Rochelle +
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Lancaster
12.6%
New Rochelle
10.6%
New Rochelle +
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Lancaster
19.3%
New Rochelle
13.8%
New Rochelle +
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Lancaster
12.9%
New Rochelle
9.5%
New Rochelle +
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Lancaster
15.8%
New Rochelle
14.9%
New Rochelle +
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Lancaster
14.0%
New Rochelle
9.3%
New Rochelle +

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Lancaster
62.1°F
New Rochelle
N/A
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Lancaster
7.4 in
New Rochelle
N/A

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Lancaster
7.9 µg/m³
Lancaster +
New Rochelle
8.1 µg/m³
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Lancaster
75.0%
New Rochelle
75.0%
Tie

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Lancaster
33.0 min
New Rochelle
20.0 min
New Rochelle +

Which City is Right for You?

Lancaster leads in median household income at $76,083, while lancaster offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $466,147. On public safety, New Rochelle is safer with a violent crime rate of 434 per 100,000 residents, compared to 503 in Lancaster. Lancaster has a lower unemployment rate at 7.1%, and Lancaster has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 7.9 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, New Rochelle scores better with a lower obesity rate of 26.6%.

Compare More Cities

About Lancaster & New Rochelle