HUD FY2026 · ACS 2019–2023 generous above-median

Upper-half FMR gap - Lancaster, PA MSA

Displayed gap in Lancaster, PA MSA: +16.1% (HUD $1,526 vs ACS $1,315) · counties in FMR rows: Lancaster County .

FMR gap dispatch plate

CBSA 29540 · Lancaster, PA -16.1% shortfall

GAP-GENEROUS · FMR-ABOVE · SPREAD-PLUS · PHOTO-FINISH · COUNTY-SPARSE · BOOK-FULL

  • GAP-GENEROUS 16.1% surplus
  • FMR-ABOVE #279/396 · P70
  • SPREAD-PLUS +$211
  • PHOTO-FINISH Longview
  • COUNTY-SPARSE 1 county
  • BOOK-FULL HUD+ACS pair

Nearest shortfall peer: Longview, TX Metro Area (+0.1pp)

HUD's reference overshoots the ACS median by $211/mo. Lease-up odds are usually better than in shortfall markets, though still compare Longview, TX Metro Area before assuming portability helps.

Instrument codes from this metro’s HUD FMR vs ACS shortfall band, national FMR quartile, dollar spread, gap peer, county footprint, and book completeness, not a moving recommendation.

Shortfall neighbourhood around Lancaster, PA

Metros nearest this CBSA on voucher-vs-market shortfall (HUD FMR vs ACS 2-BR median). Full ladder: /gap/.

% shortfall
Source HUD USER FMR + Census ACS median gross rent As of 2026-08-25

How does Lancaster, PA compare with nearby FMR areas?

These are the twelve metros closest to Lancaster, PA on the displayed voucher-vs-market margin. Their county lists are HUD FMR-area coverage, not a claim that the markets are interchangeable.

  1. Longview, TX Metro Area

    -16.0% shortfall · HUD $1,199 vs ACS $1,034 · $+$165/mo

    HUD FMR-area counties: Gregg County, Upshur County.

  2. Wildwood-The Villages, FL Metro Area

    -16.2% shortfall · HUD $1,328 vs ACS $1,143 · $+$185/mo

    HUD FMR-area counties: Sumter County.

  3. Colorado Springs, CO Metro Area

    -15.8% shortfall · HUD $1,735 vs ACS $1,498 · $+$237/mo

    HUD FMR-area counties: El Paso County.

  4. Mayagüez, PR Metro Area

    -15.8% shortfall · HUD $536 vs ACS $463 · $+$73/mo

  5. Binghamton, NY Metro Area

    -15.7% shortfall · HUD $1,103 vs ACS $953 · $+$150/mo

    HUD FMR-area counties: Broome County, Tioga County.

  6. Kingston, NY Metro Area

    -15.7% shortfall · HUD $1,818 vs ACS $1,571 · $+$247/mo

    HUD FMR-area counties: Ulster County.

  7. State College, PA Metro Area

    -15.7% shortfall · HUD $1,406 vs ACS $1,215 · $+$191/mo

    HUD FMR-area counties: Centre County.

  8. Green Bay, WI Metro Area

    -16.4% shortfall · HUD $1,164 vs ACS $1,000 · $+$164/mo

    HUD FMR-area counties: Brown County, Kewaunee County.

  9. Columbia, SC Metro Area

    -16.4% shortfall · HUD $1,276 vs ACS $1,096 · $+$180/mo

    HUD FMR-area counties: Calhoun County, Fairfield County, Lexington County, Richland County, Saluda County.

  10. Omaha, NE-IA Metro Area

    -16.4% shortfall · HUD $1,368 vs ACS $1,175 · $+$193/mo

    HUD FMR-area counties: Cass County, Douglas County, Harrison County, Mills County, Pottawattamie County, Sarpy County.

  11. Providence-Warwick, RI-MA Metro Area

    -15.6% shortfall · HUD $1,527 vs ACS $1,321 · $+$206/mo

    HUD FMR-area counties: Bristol County, Bristol County, Bristol County, Bristol County, Bristol County.

  12. Aguadilla, PR Metro Area

    -15.6% shortfall · HUD $564 vs ACS $488 · $+$76/mo

Source: HUD USER FY2026 Fair Market Rent area records and Census ACS 2019–2023 median gross rent.

PA FMR scale context

These are the closest FY2026 2-BR FMR values in PA; they help place this HUD reference on its state scale, but do not substitute for each metro’s ACS rent comparison.

  1. Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA MSA $1,493 (−$33)
  2. Reading, PA MSA $1,575 (+$49)
  3. Lebanon, PA MSA $1,411 (−$115)
  4. State College, PA MSA $1,406 (−$120)
  5. Chambersburg, PA MSA $1,379 (−$147)
  6. Gettysburg, PA MSA $1,374 (−$152)
  7. York-Hanover, PA MSA $1,335 (−$191)
  8. Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area $1,299 (−$227)
  9. Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA $1,252 (−$274)
  10. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA $1,810 (+$284)

Low-FMR contrast (scale only)

Las Cruces, NM MSA ($1,042 2-BR); Acadia Parish, LA HUD Metro FMR Area ($880 2-BR); Lawton, OK HUD Metro FMR Area ($1,001 2-BR); Kokomo, IN MSA ($1,123 2-BR) . Opposite-quartile FMR metros for scale, not gap substitutes for Lancaster, PA MSA.

Lancaster, PA MSA gap inputs

  • HUD 2-BR FMR (FY2026): $1,526/mo
  • ACS 2019–2023 2-BR median: $1,315/mo
  • Displayed gap: +16.1%
  • National FMR percentile: 70 (#279/396)

displayed % = (HUD 2-BR − ACS 2-BR median) / ACS median × 100

Issuing PHAs for Lancaster, PA MSA

PA HCV agencies (scale-keyed)

Full payment standards for Lancaster, PA MSA · Payment standards vs FMR

Source: HUD USER Fair Market Rent FY2026, Census ACS median gross rent. Gap is PlainVoucher-derived. Methodology.

Disclaimer. For informational purposes only, not a substitute for PHA counseling or legal advice. Median gross rent reflects rents paid by current tenants; asking rents for available units typically run higher. Actual PHA payment standards can differ from HUD FMR by ±10%. Always confirm the current payment standard with your PHA. PlainVoucher is not affiliated with HUD or any PHA.

Verify with HUD → · Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Source and method. PlainVoucher compiles public HUD and U.S. Census release data into a searchable reference. Release periods and source boundaries are identified on each data surface; PlainVoucher does not determine eligibility, waitlist status, payment standards, or local PHA rules. Read our editorial standards and corrections policy, methodology, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-08-25.