City Report · TX

Lancaster

Pop. 40,820·18th most expensive in Texas·Rental market data updated monthly for Lancaster, TX
Median rent (all units)
$2,252/mo
Year-over-Year
+4.1%
Month-over-Month
-0.3%
vs US Median
+$320
Reported rents
Stable (Monthly)
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Most AffordableMost Expensive
Lancaster · $2,252
More expensive than 71% of US cities · National median $1,932/mo
Rent Reality Score
61/100
Good value
OverheatedFairGreat value

Rents are 6% below what Lancaster's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.

Actual rent
$2,252/mo
Expected by trend
$2,388/mo
The Rent Reality Score compares today's median rent to where Lancaster's own long-run trajectory projects it should be. See the full rankings →
Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio
$1,555
1 BR
$1,625
2 BR
$1,910
3 BR
$2,395
4 BR+
$3,075
Fair Market Rent (HUD)
$1,910/mo

These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $2,252 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.

Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →

Rent trends

12-month history

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Last updated: October 17, 2026

From the history

What the numbers show

Cheapest month to sign

November. Asking rents in Lancaster usually run 0.7% below trend in November and 1.1% above it in June, about $41 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.

Compared with the peak

Rent in Lancaster is 0.3% below its high of $2,258 in August 2026, at $2,252 as of September 2026.

Past year vs. the rest of Texas

Rent in Lancaster changed +4.1% over the year to September 2026. Across the 224 Texas cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +1.0%.

Rent vs. income since 2019

From 2019 to 2024, rent in Lancaster rose 40.7% while median household income rose 19.3% ($57,259 to $68,302). Rent outpaced income.

Since before the pandemic

Rent in Lancaster is 44.5% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.

Recent direction

Rent rose in 9 of the last 12 months.

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($68,302) is $1,708 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($1,625); a 2-bedroom is $1,910.

Cheaper nearby

Duncanville, 10 miles away, rents for 33% less ($1,509/mo), about $8,900 a year in savings.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Lancaster. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.

Annual cost
$27,024/yr
At $2,252/mo median
Rent Market Meter
Landlord's Market
Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market
Rents are climbing (4.1% YoY), so leverage tilts toward landlords. Act sooner rather than later.
Based on rent-price momentum (+4.1% YoY, -0.3% MoM), not inventory.
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Demographics

Who lives here

Lancaster, TX is majority owner-occupied, has a large share of families with children, 25.3% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population
40,820
Median income
$68,302
Median age
35.7
Renters
31.9%
Age distribution
28.1%
21.1%
24.9%
13.7%
12.1%
Under 1828.1%
18–3421.1%
35–5424.9%
55–6413.7%
65+12.1%
Gender
47.7%
52.3%
Male47.7%
Female52.3%
Race & ethnicity
12.6%
65.2%
24.4%
White12.6%
Black65.2%
Hispanic24.4%
Asian1.2%
Education (25+)
14.1%
28.5%
32.1%
25.3%
No HS diploma14.1%
HS diploma28.5%
Some college32.1%
Bachelor's+25.3%
Housing tenure
68.1%
31.9%
Owner68.1%
Renter31.9%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

2021 vs 2026

How Lancaster, TX has changed in 5 years

Rent
$1,700 → $2,252
up 32.5%
Income
$59,952 → $68,302
up 13.9%
Population
41,057 → 40,820
down 0.6%
Renter share
35.5% → 31.9%
-3.6 pts
Bachelor's+
22.5% → 25.3%
+2.8 pts
Median age
32.5 → 35.7
+3.2 yrs

Rent in Lancaster, TX has climbed 32.5% since 2021, going from about $1,700 per month to roughly $2,252 today. Household income in the area moved from $59,952 to $68,302 across the same window, up 13.9% versus 2021. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 18.6 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. About 31.9% of households rent today, against 35.5% in 2021. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 22.5% to 25.3%. Reading these numbers side by side helps frame whether current listings in Lancaster, TX look reasonable against where the market sat half a decade ago.

Community

Discussions about Lancaster

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View Lancaster rent history (2015–2026) →
Salary vs rent

Can you afford rent in Lancaster on your salary?

At $2,252/mo, how Lancaster rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).

By apartment size

Lancaster rent by bedroom count

Median rent for each apartment size in Lancaster. Click any size for full breakdown.

Local insights

Tips for renters in Lancaster

About renting in Lancaster, TX

Last updated: October 17, 2026

The median rent in Lancaster is $2,252/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,555/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,910/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,625/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,395/mo.

At 40% of local median household income ($68,302/yr), Lancaster ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 4.1% over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in Lancaster?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $90,000/year (about $43/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $2,252/mo in Lancaster. The local median household income is $68,302/yr, so the typical household falls short of that bar.

Is rent going up or down in Lancaster?

Rent in Lancaster has risen 4.1% over the past year as of September 2026. It sits 0.3% below its high of $2,258 in August 2026.

When is the cheapest time to rent in Lancaster?

Asking rents in Lancaster are usually lowest in November, about 0.7% below their yearly trend, and highest in June, about 1.1% above it. At today's median that is a gap of roughly $41 a month. This pattern comes from 11 years of Zillow rent data.

Has rent outpaced income in Lancaster?

Yes. From 2019 to 2024, rent in Lancaster rose 40.7% while median household income rose 19.3%, from $57,259 to $68,302. Rent is Zillow's yearly average; income is the Census 5-year estimate for the same years.

Which Lancaster neighborhoods have the lowest rent?

The most affordable ZIP codes in Lancaster are 75146 ($2,227/mo), and 75134 ($2,252/mo). Citywide, the median rent is $2,252/mo.

How does Lancaster rent compare to other cities in Texas?

Lancaster is one of the pricier among Texas cities for rent, ranking #18 of 257 tracked cities at $2,252/mo. Over the year to September 2026, rent in Lancaster changed +4.1%, against a typical +1.0% across the 224 Texas cities Zillow tracks.

Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Lancaster?

Nearby cities with lower median rent than Lancaster ($2,252/mo) include Duncanville ($1,509/mo), Ferris ($2,088/mo), and Desoto ($2,131/mo).
Income Affordability
40%
MODERATE

At $2,252/mo, rent takes ~40% of Lancaster's median household income ($68,302/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.

Lancaster 40%Benchmark 30%
State income taxNone
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Lowest-rent ZIP codes in Lancaster
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Neighborhoods

Estimated from ZIP-level data

Schools nearby

Public schools near Lancaster, TX

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