La Mesa, CA vs Lancaster, PA
Side-by-side comparison of housing, income, commute, safety, and quality of life.
Score Snapshot
No universal winner
Scores summarize the published model. Use the objective metric differences below and your own priorities to choose.
La Mesa
62.8
#1822 nationally
Lancaster
63.7
#413 nationally
Lancaster leads in cost of living index (93 vs 160). La Mesa leads in median household income ($83,649 vs $61,014). Lancaster leads in walk score (81 vs 60).
Metric-by-Metric Breakdown
| Metric | La Mesa, CA | Lancaster, PA |
|---|---|---|
| WhereAtHome Score | 62.8 (#1822) | 63.7 (#413) |
| Population | 60,537 | 57,153 |
| Typical Home Value (ZHVI) | $896,209 | $0 |
| Median Household Income | $83,649 | $61,014 |
| Average Commute | 25.6 min | 23 min |
| Walk Score | 60 | 81 |
| Crime Level | 11.4 | 9.5 |
| School Rating | N/A | N/A |
| Cost of Living Index | 160 | 93 |
| Political lean County 2024 presidential margin — context only, not scored | D+16.8 | R+15.9 |
D-
62.8 Score
La Mesa, CA
California community balancing growth and livability
Median Home
$896,209
Population
60,537
Crime
Moderate-High
Walk Score
60
Pacific
View La Mesa, CA →
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Score
Lancaster, PA
Pennsylvania community balancing growth and livability
Population
57,153
Crime
Moderate
Walk Score
81
Median Income
$61,014
Northeast
View Lancaster, PA →