Lancaster, California Income Statistics
Lancaster Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of an area's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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D
Lancaster Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Lancaster | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $80,578 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $56,989 | $67,742 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 7.1% | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 9.5% | 17.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 8.1% | 20.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Lancaster is about 19% lower than in California. Income has been growing faster in Lancaster (7.1%/yr) than in California (5.6%/yr).
About 10% of adults in Lancaster earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the California average of 18%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Lancaster, California grew by 64.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $80,578 in 2024. That's an average of about 7.1% per year.
Lancaster stayed below the U.S. median household income from 2009 to 2023, starting 4.5% lower, and overtook it in the latest figures (2024), at 0.2% higher.
Income Distribution in Lancaster
How incomes are spread across brackets, compared with the U.S. Pick a range to count who falls in it.
Households by income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 20,251 households (38.3% of all households) have an income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 40.2% of all households.
In 2024, 22.6% of households in Lancaster had an income under $35,000 and 19.0% had $150,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 21.6% and 22.8%.
Compared with the U.S., Lancaster has a larger share of households earning $75,000 to $99,999 (15.1% vs 12.6%) and a smaller share earning $200,000 or more (8.1% vs 13.2%).
| Household income | Households | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $10,000 | 2,992 | 5.7% | 5.1% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 2,460 | 4.6% | 3.5% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 3,314 | 6.3% | 6.4% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 3,181 | 6.0% | 6.7% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 5,517 | 10.4% | 10.1% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 7,218 | 13.6% | 15.5% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 8,000 | 15.1% | 12.6% |
| $100,000 to $149,999 | 10,215 | 19.3% | 17.4% |
| $150,000 to $199,999 | 5,742 | 10.8% | 9.5% |
| $200,000 or more | 4,294 | 8.1% | 13.2% |
Shares are of all 52,933 households, one per occupied home whatever its size. Households with zero or negative income are counted in the lowest bracket. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19001).
Residents 15+ by personal income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 12,637 residents (9.5% of residents aged 15 and over) have a personal income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 13.9% of residents aged 15 and over.
That is 12.4% of residents who have any income.
In 2024, 23.1% of Lancaster residents aged 15 and over reported no personal income, 27.9% had some income but less than $25,000, and 16.8% had $75,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 12.8%, 28.7% and 22.0%.
Compared with the U.S., Lancaster has a larger share of residents with no personal income (23.1% vs 12.8%) and a smaller share earning $100,000 or more (9.5% vs 13.9%).
| Personal income | Residents | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| No income | 30,668 | 23.1% | 12.8% |
| $1 to $9,999 | 13,607 | 10.2% | 11.2% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 10,507 | 7.9% | 7.0% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 13,001 | 9.8% | 10.5% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 10,403 | 7.8% | 9.5% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 15,558 | 11.7% | 12.6% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 16,732 | 12.6% | 14.3% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 9,743 | 7.3% | 8.2% |
| $100,000 or more | 12,637 | 9.5% | 13.9% |
Shares are of the 132,856 residents aged 15 and over, the only people the Census Bureau asks about income, and include those who reported none. A share of the whole population would count children as people without income, while a share of earners alone would hide the 23.1% with no income; the calculator adds that second share whenever your range leaves out people with no income. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19325).
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Lancaster
| Metric | Lancaster | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.604 | 0.572 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $63,836 | $75,172 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $55,674 | $66,071 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 12.8% | 12.1% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Lancaster, it is 0.604, higher than California's 0.572, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 15% more than women's income in Lancaster, California. Over a 35-year career, a 15% wage gap accumulates to roughly $285,670 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Lancaster, California has narrowed from about 23% to 13% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 23% in 2010, and was narrowest at 8% in 2021. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $2,250 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Lancaster | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 7.5% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 9.9% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 20 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 5,498 people are unemployed in Lancaster, California.
The average commute time in Lancaster is 20 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in California.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Lancaster, California has fallen from 10.9% to 7.5% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 13.1% in 2014 and fell as low as 6.5% in 2019.
Lancaster has stayed well above the U.S. unemployment rate in every year from 2011 to 2024 and has never dropped below it. It came closest in 2019, at 1.2 points higher. The gap has held fairly steady over the period.
Lancaster, CA Wealth Compared With Nearby Cities
How Lancaster, CA compares with the 1 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lancaster, CA | 170,225 | $80,578 #2/2 | 7.1%/yr #1/2 | 7.5% #1/2 | 0.604 #1/2 |
| Palmdale, CA | 163,756 | $80,742 | 5.8%/yr | 8.4% | 0.605 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Lancaster, California has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than California, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Lancaster, California.
How Rich Is Lancaster, California?
Lancaster has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $80,578, about 19% lower than the California average of $99,161.
How fast is household income rising in Lancaster, California?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Lancaster, California rose 65%, from $48,851 to $80,578. Over the same years, income here outpaced California as a whole: +65% against +64%.
What was the median household income in Lancaster in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Lancaster, California was $75,694, up 7% from $70,618 in 2022. The California median that year was $96,718.
What was the median household income in Lancaster in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Lancaster, California was $57,166. By 2024 it had risen 41% to $80,578.
What is the Gini coefficient in Lancaster, California?
The Gini coefficient in Lancaster is 0.604. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Lancaster, California?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Lancaster, California has narrowed from about 23% to 13% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 23% in 2010, and was narrowest at 8% in 2021. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $2,250 since 2009.
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