A town of about 41,249 people in Fairfield County, part of the Columbus area. Resident comments and photos are about Lancaster; job numbers cover the wider area.
Everyday life
Shops, cafes, and daily routines
Hobbies & activities
Trails, parks, and pastimes
Nearby scenery
Lakes, overlooks, and drives
Photos and reviews come from Google Maps and show single places, not the whole area. Reviews are the most relevant ones Google returns for each place. We show the longest highly rated review under 400 characters and, when there is one, the longest low-rated review. Google doesn't verify reviews but removes fake ones when it finds them.
Of about 7,057 rented homes in Lancaster, 97% rent for under $2,000 a month and 99% for under $3,000.
Under $1,000: 50%
$1,000 to $1,499: 35%
$1,500 to $1,999: 11%
$2,000 to $2,499: 2%
$2,500 to $2,999: 0%
$3,000 or more: 1%
Census American Community Survey 2019 to 2023 (table B25063). Gross rent includes utilities the renter pays. Today's asking rents for open apartments usually run higher.
What moving costs
Hiring movers
Average cost: $1,946
From a 2025 survey of 1,000 people who hired movers. This Old House. Your quote depends on your stuff, stairs and the time of year.
Moving in as a renter
The middle rented home in Lancaster rents for under $1,000 a month. First month plus a one-month deposit comes to about under $2,000 before you get the keys.
Estimate from Census rent data (2019 to 2023, rent plus tenant-paid utilities). Deposits and fees vary by landlord and state law.
Your first weeks in Ohio
Forward your mail: USPS change of address. It costs about $1 online to confirm who you are.
Switch your driver's license and car registration. Each state sets its own deadline, often somewhere between 10 days and a few months after you move. Find the Ohio DMV.
1,517 students · 16.7 students per teacher · 4 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
NCES Common Core of Data 2022-23, National Center for Education Statistics. Varro doesn't rate or rank schools. For test results and programs, see each district's site and your state's school report card.
Childcare and colleges
Daycare and preschool
Ohio keeps an official list of licensed childcare, with inspection reports and openings in many states. In a lot of towns, infant spots fill up months ahead, so it helps to get on waitlists before you move.
Typical full-time prices in this county (2022)
Age
Daycare center
Home daycare
Infant (under 2)
$295/week
about $15,300 a year
$200/week
about $10,400 a year
Toddler (2)
$265/week
about $13,800 a year
Preschool (3 to 4)
$232/week
about $12,100 a year
$175/week
about $9,100 a year
School-age
$150/week
about $7,800 a year
For an infant at a center: $295/week here, $265 across OH, $259 across the U.S.. Full-time infant care at a center here costs about 15% of a typical family's income. These are 2022 prices, the newest the government has published by county, and prices have gone up since.
U.S. Department of Labor, National Database of Childcare Prices, 2022. Middle (median) price for full-time care. State and U.S. figures average the county prices, weighted by population (Census 2024).
Public, 4-year · 2,890 students · $5,136 in-state, $7,896 out-of-state
Moving for school? Public colleges charge state residents much less, and community colleges often charge even less to people who live in their district. Most states want you to have lived there about 12 months, for reasons other than school, before you count as a resident for tuition. The rules differ by state, so check with the college's registrar.
IPEDS 2023-24, National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS). Degree-granting public and nonprofit schools with 100+ students. Varro doesn't rank colleges.
The facts behind it
Typical home value
$330,327
What a typical home sells for across the Columbus area.
Source: Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026
Average commute
24 minutes one way
How long residents' trips to work take on average, counting every job and way of getting there. U.S. average: about 27 minutes.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Homeowners insurance
About $2,118 a year
The statewide average for a typical policy in OH. Your own quote will depend on the home.
Source: Statewide estimate, 2026
Natural disaster risk
Relatively Low
FEMA's overall rating for the county, covering floods, storms, wildfire, earthquakes and more.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hail risk
Relatively Moderate
FEMA's rating for hail damage in the county, compared with other U.S. counties.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hospitals nearby
2 within 5 miles
Hospitals mapped within 5 miles of the center. Emergency and specialty care vary, so check which ones fit your needs.
Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Drug overdose deaths (county)
15.5 per 100,000 people a year
26 deaths in the 12 months ending March 2026. OH average: 19.7 per 100,000. U.S.: 19.9. Counts are by where people lived, and recent months may still be updated.
Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, provisional counts through March 2026; Census population estimates 2024
People without housing (local count)
About 6.2 per 10,000 residents
HUD's one-night count in January 2025 found 4,296 people without housing in the Ohio Balance of State area (81 counties): 2,815 in shelters and 1,481 outside, up from 4,089 in 2024. OH: 10.3 per 10,000. U.S.: 21.9. One-night counts miss people, and how areas count differs.
Source: HUD Point-in-Time Count, January 2025 (HUD, 2025 report to Congress); Census population estimates 2024
Median household income
$87,069
Half of households in the county earn more than this, half earn less.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Property tax
1.15% of home value a year
About $1,150 a year for every $100,000 of home value.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
State income tax
Flat 2.75%
OH's state income tax. Some cities and counties add their own.