Lancaster is a city in Lancaster County, South Carolina, home to about 8,921 people across 6.5 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 29720.
Homes sold for a median of $191 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a balanced market.
Part is in Lancaster, part in Elgin and Springdale
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.
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| Nearest major airport | Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)34 miles away |
|---|---|
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Charlotte, NC32 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Philadelphia, PA477 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 8,460 residents in the 2020 census, up 3% since 2000.
It’s the 70th largest of 474 towns in South Carolina by population.
Lancaster County grew from 24,311 residents in 1900 to 96,016 in 2020.
Lancaster County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 91°F in summer, and winter lows average 32°F. About 38 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Monroe Ap, NC weather station (20 miles away).
26,805 jobs at 1,769 businesses in Lancaster County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
286 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Lancaster.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 35 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 56 |
| Dentists | 21 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 72 |
| Mental health providers | 58 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 27 |
| Optometrists | 5 |
| Chiropractors | 12 |
| Pharmacies | 15 |
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 (1 nearby)
Grocery stores (2 nearby)
Pharmacies (2 nearby)
Libraries
Museums
Theaters and performance venues
Counts are within about 2 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 1830.
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 01. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brooklyn Springs ElementaryLancaster | Pre-K–5 | 398 | Public | 3.6 mi |
| Buford ElementaryLancaster | Pre-K–5 | 792 | Public | 7.6 mi |
| Clinton ElementaryLancaster | Pre-K–5 | 412 | Public | 1.6 mi |
| Erwin ElementaryLancaster | Pre-K–5 | 418 | Public | 4.3 mi |
| McDonald Green ElementaryLancaster | Pre-K–5 | 337 | Public | 6.5 mi |
| North ElementaryLancaster | Pre-K–5 | 645 | Public | 1.6 mi |
| Van Wyck ElementaryLancaster | Pre-K–4 | 820 | Public | 7.8 mi |
| Discovery Charter of LancasterLancaster | K–5 | 146 | Charter | 2.2 mi |
| A. R. Rucker MiddleLancaster | 6–8 | 477 | Public | 2.5 mi |
| Buford MiddleLancaster | 6–8 | 374 | Public | 7.6 mi |
| South MiddleLancaster | 6–8 | 439 | Public | 3.5 mi |
| Buford HighLancaster | 9–12 | 532 | Public | 7.8 mi |
| Indian Land HighLancaster | 9–12 | 1,905 | Public | 10.2 mi |
| Lancaster County School District Career CenterLancaster | 9–12 | — | Career and Technical | 1.9 mi |
| Lancaster HighLancaster | 9–12 | 1,390 | Public | 1.8 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carolina Christian AcademyLancaster | Pre-K–12 | 236 | Christian (no specific denomination) | 4.1 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.
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Shares ZIP codes with Elgin, Springdale, Irwin, Van Wyck, Buford, Unity and Tradesville.
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.