Side-by-side comparison of Pittsburgh, PA and Lancaster, PA — cap rates, rent, prices, and investment metrics.
Cash flow: Pittsburgh has the edge with an estimated cap rate of 5.27% compared to Lancaster's 2.42%. Neither city passes the 1% rule outright, so deal sourcing and value-add strategies become more important. Median home prices are $220,000 in Pittsburgh vs $375,000 in Lancaster, while rents come in at $1,450/mo and $1,510/mo respectively. For context, the national average cap rate is 3.81% and average price is $333K.
Growth & appreciation: Lancaster is growing faster at 0.4% annually vs Pittsburgh's 0.2%. Lancaster leads on home value appreciation at 2.6% per year.
Costs & risk: Property taxes are 1.36% in Pittsburgh vs 1.35% in Lancaster. Vacancy rates of 6% and 5.5% are mixed — Lancaster has the tighter rental market.
Entry point: Pittsburgh offers a lower entry at $220K vs Lancaster's $375K — a difference of $155K. With a 20% down payment, that's $44K vs $75K. Pittsburgh combines the lower price with a higher cap rate — a compelling combination.
Bottom line: Lancaster edges out Pittsburgh on most key metrics. While cap rates are moderate at 2.42%, Lancaster's overall profile is stronger. Use our free calculators to model specific deals in Pittsburgh or Lancaster.