Lancaster vs Philadelphia
Side-by-side comparison across six federal data streams. Lancaster edges out Philadelphia on the composite MoveScore (65 vs 62).
| Metric | Lancaster | Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| MoveScore (Composite) | 65/100 (C) | 62/100 (C) |
| Safety (FBI UCR) | N/A | 65/100 (B) |
| Violent Crime / 100k | N/A | 542 |
| Water (EPA SDWIS) | N/A | 70/100 (B) |
| Air (EPA AQS median AQI) | 58 (C) | 58 (C) |
| Schools (NCES) | N/A | N/A |
| Fiscal Health (Census) | 51/100 · $51,351 pc | 45/100 · $56,272 pc |
| Hospitals (CMS HCAHPS) | 4.0/5 · 3 tracked | 3.2/5 · 21 tracked |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is a better place to live, Lancaster or Philadelphia?
Lancaster edges out Philadelphia on the composite MoveScore (65 vs 62). The honest answer depends on what you weight most. Lancaster and Philadelphia each have different strengths across the six federal data streams — see the breakdown above and decide which trade-offs fit your priorities.
Are Lancaster and Philadelphia in the same state?
Yes, both cities are in Pennsylvania.
Where does the data come from?
All sub-scores trace to federal government sources: FBI UCR for safety, EPA SDWIS for water, EPA AQS for air, NCES/EDFacts for schools, Census ASPEP for fiscal health, and CMS HCAHPS for hospitals.
Side-by-side comparisons use the same six federal data streams as full city profiles. Bold entries indicate the better value on each metric.