Lancaster is a town in Erie County, New York, home to about 45,148 people across 38 square miles. Its ZIP codes are 14026 and 14086, and parts of 14004, 14043, 14059 and 14221 are in Lancaster too.
Homes sold for a median of $191 per square foot across 2 ZIP codes in the three months ending August 2026, and all of them were seller’s markets.
All in Lancaster
Mostly Lancaster
Mostly Alden; part is in Lancaster
Mostly Cheektowaga; part is in Lancaster
Mostly Elma; part is in Lancaster
Mostly Amherst; part is in Lancaster
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Lancaster. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Lancaster’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
Are you a local agent who knows Lancaster well? Agents who advertise here will be able to write the guide. Advertise on OfferBacked
| Nearest major airport | Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF)4 miles away |
|---|---|
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Buffalo, NY10 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Philadelphia, PA271 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Lancaster; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Lancaster had 45,106 residents in the 2020 census, up 16% since 2000.
It’s the 47th largest of 1,007 towns in New York by population.
Erie County grew from 433,686 residents in 1900 to 954,236 in 2020.
Erie County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 80°F in summer, and winter lows average 19°F. About 40.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 95 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Buffalo, NY weather station (5 miles away).
418,202 jobs at 22,497 businesses in Erie County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
164 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Lancaster’s ZIP codes.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 5 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 5 |
| Dentists | 18 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 19 |
| Mental health providers | 52 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 46 |
| Optometrists | 2 |
| Chiropractors | 17 |
| Pharmacies | 1 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (28 nearby)
Grocery stores (8 nearby)
Pharmacies (5 nearby)
Libraries (2 nearby)
Museums (4 nearby)
Theaters and performance venues (2 nearby)
Counts are within about 4 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Established in 1833.
Notable people born here
Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.
Public schools here are run by Lancaster Central School District. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Como Park Elementary SchoolLancaster | K–3 | 352 | Public | 0.9 mi |
| Court Street Elementary SchoolLancaster | K–3 | 285 | Public | 0.4 mi |
| Hillview Elementary SchoolLancaster | K–3 | 451 | Public | 2.5 mi |
| William Street SchoolLancaster | 4–6 | 1,274 | Public | 1.9 mi |
| Lancaster Middle SchoolLancaster | 7–8 | 876 | Public | 0.7 mi |
| Lancaster High SchoolLancaster | 9–12 | 1,682 | Public | 1.8 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Marys Elementary SchoolLancaster | Pre-K–8 | 206 | Roman Catholic | 0.4 mi |
| Buffalo Suburban Christian AcademyLancaster | K–8 | 17 | Seventh-day Adventist | 2.9 mi |
| Chesterton Academy of BuffaloBowmansville | 9–12 | 29 | Roman Catholic | 2.7 mi |
| St Marys High SchoolLancaster | 9–12 | 406 | Roman Catholic | 0.7 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
Buying or selling around Lancaster? Tell us what you need and when. No agents advertise here yet, so we’ll keep your request for up to 30 days and send it to local agents who join. No obligation, and you choose who to work with.
Loading map…
Shares ZIP codes with Amherst, Cheektowaga, Alden, Elma, Clarence, Marilla, Bennington and Darien.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.