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Lancaster is nice, but it does have it's dumpy rough parts. I don't think it compares to Asheville at all, but Lancaster is getting there. Another farmers market will open on the south end this year with a liquor license so vendors will have small stands and bars serving up both food and booze.
Asheville is much further along, and isn’t as cohesively urban, but I saw similarities between the hipper parts of town.
Asheville is much further along, and isn’t as cohesively urban, but I saw similarities between the hipper parts of town.
Yes, I think they are more similar than not.
Asheville has gained a lot of recognition over the past decade, and especially the past 5 years, with the likes who have found places like Austin and Portland to have already been "discovered".
Lancaster is still largely a hidden gem. I would say the biggest gem in the Mid Atlantic.
I say once COVID is resolved, and we start to return to regular socially programmed events and time out, I see Lancaster really taking off this decade to an Asheville type of level and some nationwide recognition.
Asheville has gained a lot of recognition over the past decade, and especially the past 5 years, with the likes who have found places like Austin and Portland to have already been "discovered".
Lancaster is still largely a hidden gem. I would say the biggest gem in the Mid Atlantic.
I say once COVID is resolved, and we start to return to regular socially programmed events and time out, I see Lancaster really taking off this decade to an Asheville type of level and some nationwide recognition.
Demographics are something your not accounting for. Lancaster is over 40% Hispanic and most of them low income earners in addition to almost 20% black population. Asheville is 80% white.
Also, there needs to be much more businesses that moves into the Lancaster area, as aside from Healthcare, there isn't much of an economy here. South Central PA in general doesn't have the greatest job opportunities.
Lancaster is a cute funky little city but Asheville it's not IMO. Maybe some similarities with the chill vibe but I'm not sure Lancaster will get there in 10 years. Plus Asheville is like double the population of Lancaster.
Also, there needs to be much more businesses that moves into the Lancaster area, as aside from Healthcare, there isn't much of an economy here. South Central PA in general doesn't have the greatest job opportunities.
Maybe not, but I'm floored that you appear unaware of the presence of Armstrong World Industries, headquartered in Lancaster.
Demographics are something your not accounting for. Lancaster is over 40% Hispanic and most of them low income earners in addition to almost 20% black population. Asheville is 80% white.
Also, there needs to be much more businesses that moves into the Lancaster area, as aside from Healthcare, there isn't much of an economy here. South Central PA in general doesn't have the greatest job opportunities.
Lancaster is a cute funky little city but Asheville it's not IMO. Maybe some similarities with the chill vibe but I'm not sure Lancaster will get there in 10 years. Plus Asheville is like double the population of Lancaster.
Lancaster is actually larger.
And Lancaster actually has a higher Wealth/Income Per Capita/Household Income.
Asheville metro is about 460,000.
Lancaster metro is about 510,000.
So they are within 50,000 of one another, with Lancaster being slightly larger.
Asheville Median Income is: $47,432
Lancaster Median Income is: $54,314
With Pennsylvania cities, it really is generally not a fair comparison to compare only city limits with another place.
Pennsylvania being very old and provincial generally has very small land area of its cities.
The south likes to annex municipalities.
That does not happen in Pennsylvania, and why you cannot just look at raw population numbers to compare cities but you need to dig a little deeper to look at the actual square miles and data for a more accurate side by side comparison.
Lancaster city is only 8 square miles with nearly 60,000 people with a population density of 8,000 people per square mile.
The City of Asheville is over 45 square miles with about 90,000 people with a population density of 2,000 people per square mile.
Lancaster is actually the bigger and overall more dense city/metro. You can most likely attest that to all the land conservation in the countryside.
I think you are selling Lancaster a little short.
Also the area has quite a strong music production scene. Tait Studios in Litiz is one of the world's most renowned, with the likes of Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, U2, etc all using the facility in Lancaster County for their studio work.
It has only incubated other music production companies as a result.
If you look at Asheville's largest employers. They are all actually very similar to the Lancaster metros when compared side by side.
Asheville has the live music scene beat by a great deal compared to Lancaster. But the two really are not that far off and are more alike than not.
The biggest assets Asheville has going for it, is the Biltmore Estate (huge tourist attraction) and its Mountain setting.
But Lancaster has its unique and quirky Amish/PA Dutch Culture which is very unique and its beautiful rolling farmland.
Also regarding your comments with race. The fact that Lancaster City is culturally diverse is actually an asset to the city. It adds to its culture, and the diversity of food and artistic events, etc. Most people from large metros value this, and find a blanket white culture to be sterile.
The NYT has done an article highlighting how Lancaster is immigrant friendly, and how it has driven really positive growth for the city in so many ways.
Again a leg down for Asheville in its lack of diversity. Here is the NYT article celebrating Lancaster's diversity.
Another thing that Lancaster has over Asheville: F&M is much more prestigious and better-endowed than UNC-Asheville—not that the latter is a bad school, and it has a lot to offer as a rare bona fide public liberal arts college.
With Pennsylvania cities, it really is generally not a fair comparison to compare only city limits with another place.
Pennsylvania being very old and provincial generally has very small land area of its cities.
The south likes to annex municipalities.
That does not happen in Pennsylvania, and why you cannot just look at raw population numbers to compare cities but you need to dig a little deeper to look at the actual square miles and data for a more accurate side by side comparison.
Lancaster city is only 8 square miles with nearly 60,000 people with a population density of 8,000 people per square mile.
The City of Asheville is over 45 square miles with about 90,000 people with a population density of 2,000 people per square mile.
Lancaster is actually the bigger and overall more dense city/metro. You can most likely attest that to all the land conservation in the countryside.
I think you are selling Lancaster a little short.
Also the area has quite a strong music production scene. Tait Studios in Litiz is one of the world's most renowned, with the likes of Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, U2, etc all using the facility in Lancaster County for their studio work.
It has only incubated other music production companies as a result.
If you look at Asheville's largest employers. They are all actually very similar to the Lancaster metros when compared side by side.
Asheville has the live music scene beat by a great deal compared to Lancaster. But the two really are not that far off and are more alike than not.
The biggest assets Asheville has going for it, is the Biltmore Estate (huge tourist attraction) and its Mountain setting.
But Lancaster has its unique and quirky Amish/PA Dutch Culture which is very unique and its beautiful rolling farmland.
Also regarding your comments with race. The fact that Lancaster City is culturally diverse is actually an asset to the city. It adds to its culture, and the diversity of food and artistic events, etc. Most people from large metros value this, and find a blanket white culture to be sterile.
The NYT has done an article highlighting how Lancaster is immigrant friendly, and how it has driven really positive growth for the city in so many ways.
Again a leg down for Asheville in its lack of diversity. Here is the NYT article celebrating Lancaster's diversity.
Both are different, but both offer something unique and interesting, and both have amenities and vibrancy not typically found in cities of its size.
Lancaster also is what I say, the best kept secret in the Mid Atlantic. Word really has not gotten out, just all that is has going on.
But it is only a matter of time before it becomes 'discovered' by people in the Mid Atlantic.
Especially because of the fact Lancaster has high frequency direct Rail service to both Philadelphia (60 minutes) and NYC (2.15 hours).
This will give it a leg up over Asheville long term and really drive its growth.
You're comparing apples to oranges. The discussion was on Lancaster city and Asheville city not the greater metro areas. Your including Manheim Township area (suburbs) and other suburbs along with other towns like Lititz. Also my comment was about city population not the actual geographical size of the two cities nor their metro areas. Asheville city is much larger than Lancaster city.
Yes, I agree with you on location. Lancaster is a short train or car ride to a number of large cities, ie Philly, NY, Baltmore, DC which makes it more attractive than Asheville in that regard.
Compare the two cities and not the entire metro areas and you will get a very different picture from your above statement.
I love Lancaster, I live here and find it to be great, but I also don't want people to come here and be disappointed as I don't think it's that near to becoming the next Asheville. The center city of Lancaster is excellent as are a couple of other neighborhoods nearby, but we also have some rough parts where very low income people live in. There are also not many wealthy people that live in the city, as most live in the surrounding suburbs. Asheville has a number of high income and wealthy people that live in downtown or have second homes in Asheville.
Also for Demographics, yes diversity is awesome, but Lancaster city has a HUGE low income Puerto Rican community among other low income groups. Yes, it might be immigrant friendly but there are also MANY challenges that come with low income diversity as well as poor public schools in Lancaster. Reading PA has tremendous diversity and is super immigrant friendly with cheap housing, yet I don't find that area to be a nice place to live. A city being super immigrant friendly I wouldn't really equate with being a good place to live.
I'm on your side that Lancaster is great, but it isn't Asheville, but maybe in 10 years it will grow some more but I'm not sure at the levels of growth Asheville has seen. Reason being is there isn't much of an economy in South Central PA aside from Harrisburg gov't jobs and the Amish tourism (plus maybe healthcare jobs which are plenty).
Asheville is hands down the better city to visit. I think the matter of the better place to live is more of a tossup, especially when you include the cities' respective metropolitan areas.
Asheville and particularly the surrounding areas are in significant part resort towns. There are lots of part-year residents that you just wouldn't find in a place like Lancaster. Lancaster's tourism economy is more day-trip/long weekend-based, which makes sense given its location. Asheville is far enough out of the way that most people would want to stay for a long weekend at least. 5-7 days seems like the right amount of time, depending on how outdoorsy you are. Even a long weekend is pushing it for Lancaster.
rowhomecity: This would be a good City vs. City thread. While we know the clear winner, it would make for some interesting discussion.
Maybe not, but I'm floored that you appear unaware of the presence of Armstrong World Industries, headquartered in Lancaster.
I'm aware of it. It's a good size company but only has a couple thousand employees in this region. It's not as large or as influential as you might think in this area. A billion dollar company isn't much when you compare it to other cities on the east coast.
I'd love to see more companies heading this way. Perhaps with direct train access to Philly and NY and other cities, it will help attract them.
We get some big snows here in NJ, but nothing like that. (Yes, I hate snow. Snow lovers would have a different opinion.)
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