Considering I was born in Lancaster, (raised in Sugar Grove, Ohio) the area chose me, I did not choose the area. But even if that was not the case, I’d like to think I’d end up here either way, as my love for our region and community make it a privilege to work here, and I am always impressed and amazed at the things that make this area unique. 

When considering options for your car insurance, Home Owners policies, or other valuables you may want to insure, consider these factors. 

• Crime Rate: The Violent crime rate in Lancaster is 166 assaults per 100,000 residents, 46 robberies per 100,000 residents, and ZERO murders. For Property crimes, the figures land around 261 burglaries per 100,000 residents, 1,751 thefts per 100,000 residents, and 139 motor vehicle thefts. www.neighborhoodscout.com summarizes our area with the following: “The crime rate in Lancaster is considerably higher than the national average, although at 24 crimes per one thousand residents, it is not among the communities with the very highest crime rate.” There’s a bit of conflicting information regarding crime rates in Lancaster, but based on the aggregate, our numbers are just slightly below Ohio as a whole (2.65 out of 1,000, versus Ohio’s 2.94.)
• Cost of Living: The total cost of housing, food, child care, transportation, health care, taxes, and other necessities for a single adult in Lancaster is $33k a year — greater than the annual cost of living for Ohio of $31k, yet less than the national figure of $38k. Renting a two-bedroom unit in Lancaster costs $980 per month, which is 31.5% cheaper than the national average of $1,430 and matches the state average of $980. The cost of living in Lancaster is estimated to be 90.9% of the national average making it an average US city. Lancaster, Ohio is known for being a very walkable city. It has many amenities and facilities within easy reach, including restaurants and the Central Market.
• Traffic: The main highways in Lancaster are Route 33 and Route 22, intersecting just outside the city limits on the bypass built in 2005. Traffic congestion can of course be an issue, especially around normal “rush hours” (weekdays 7-9 am, 5-7pm) but is not nearly as bad as most US major cities, and way better than Columbus just 30 miles north. The bypass of course alleviates much of the pressure that used to be put on Business Route 33, mostly from travelers heading to or from Columbus to Southeast Ohio and destinations beyond, but the condensed business district of downtown can create delays with customers using multiple left turn lanes to reach their destinations.

• Home Prices: According to Redfin, the Lancaster housing market is very competitive. Homes in Lancaster have sold for 14.1% more than they did a year ago. The median listing price for a home in Lancaster is $279,900, with the price per square foot for a home in July 2024 lingers around $164. There are only about 200 homes for sale online in our area at any given time, making it a sellers market, at least during this economic time span.
• Flooding: According to FirstStreet.org, the city of Lancaster has moderate risk from flooding. There are 4,279 properties in Lancaster at risk of flooding over the next 30 years. This represents 24.2% of all properties in Lancaster. This website has a very handy tool that allows you to type in your specific street address, and it will kick out a report that includes scores and risk factors in the following areas: – Flood, – Fire, – Air Quality, – Wind, – Heat, and – Carbon Footprint. Very nifty, check it out! The many farms of Fairfield County are also prone to flooding, so consider a call to Bill Palmer to talk about various options for Flood Insurance.

Overall, these stats and quick views paint a picture of a typical American city, with nothing to be too concerned about concerning risk. No Volcano’s, coastal erosion, or meteor impact prone areas jump out at insurers, making it a great place to live and raise a family.

I hope this overview is helpful and I invite you to contact me (Bill Palmer of Bill Palmer Insurance) if you have any questions, concerns, or with to begin the process of protecting your valuables.

Featured image by: https://www.britannica.com, inset image by Tim Kiser, https://commons.wikimedia.org