Department of Numbers

York Pennsylvania Residential Rent and Rental Statistics

The median monthly gross residential rent in York, PA (the York-Hanover metro area) was $950 in 2019 according to the Census ACS survey.1 Average gross rent in York was $944 in 2019. The median rent more accurately depicts rental rates in the middle of the distribution of rents and is thus preferred in the analysis below. 2020 York median and average rent data will be released in September of 2021.

Data is also available below for York rental vacancy rates, York rent as a percent of median income and the fraction of renters in York.

Show dollars as: Nominal Real

Real Gross Rent in York Pennsylvania (2019 dollars)2

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US Median Gross Rent $1,097 +1.86% +6.82%
Pennsylvania Median Gross Rent $951 +0.74% +3.03%
York, PA Median Gross Rent $950 +0.32% +2.59%

York, PA Real Gross Rent Trends

Median gross rent for York peaked in real terms in 2017 at $984 and is now $34 (3.46%) lower. Average gross rent for York peaked in real terms in 2017 at $959 and is now $15 (1.56%) lower.

Real Gross Rent in York: York PA Median, York PA Average, Pennsylvania Median, US Median

Lower quartile, median and upper quartile real gross rent

Real Gross Rent History for York

Date US
Median
Pennsylvania
Median
York, PA
Median
York, PA
Average
2019 $1,097 $951 $950 $944
2018 $1,077 $944 $947 $957
2017 $1,043 $921 $984 $959
2016 $1,027 $923 $926 $903
2015 $1,017 $921 $944 $894
2014 $986 $895 $904 $896
2013 $953 $872 $878 $855
2012 $940 $849 $846 $851
2011 $941 $849 $854 $840
2010 $955 $853 $889 $884
2009 $960 $841 $849 $847

more history ...

York Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate is the fraction of homes for rent that are not occupied.3 In 2019 the rental vacancy rate for York Pennsylvania was 3.11% according to Census ACS data.

Rental Vacancy Rate in York Pennsylvania

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 5.97% -0.18% +0.08%
Pennsylvania 4.87% -0.42% -0.90%
York, PA 3.11% -0.96% -2.02%

Trends in York, PA Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate in York peaked in 2006 at 6.69%. Since then it has fallen by 3.58% to 3.11%. Data records for this series originated in 2005. From a 2014 post peak low of 3.05%, the rental vacancy rate has increased by 0.06%.

Rental Vacancy Rate: York PA, Pennsylvania, US

Rental vacancy rate in Pennsylvania

Historical Rental Vacancy Rate data for York

Date US Pennsylvania York, PA
2019 5.97% 4.87% 3.11%
2018 6.15% 5.29% 4.07%
2017 6.18% 5.84% 4.82%
2016 5.89% 5.77% 5.13%
2015 5.85% 5.77% 6.69%
2014 6.32% 6.40% 3.05%
2013 6.49% 5.78% 5.53%
2012 6.77% 5.88% 4.40%
2011 7.40% 6.13% 3.93%
2010 8.17% 6.47% 4.45%
2009 8.43% 6.80% 6.50%

more history ...

Rent as a Fraction of Income

Using median household income data for York, we can calculate the fraction of income the median household would use to pay rent at the median monthly gross rent rate. For York, median monthly gross rent as a fraction of median household income was 16.48% in 2019 according to the ACS.

York Pennsylvania Median Annual Rent as a Fraction of Median Household Income

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 20.03% -0.47% -0.40%
Pennsylvania 17.98% -0.28% -0.60%
York, PA 16.48% -0.63% -0.50%

Trends in York, PA Rent as a Fraction of Income

The fraction of median York household income required to pay median monthly gross rent peaked in 2015 (relative to the 2005 series origin) at 18.28%. Since then it has fallen by 1.80% to 16.48%.

Fraction of Income towards Rent: York PA, Pennsylvania, US

Percent of median household income going towards median monthly gross rent in York Pennsylvania

Historical Data for Annual Rent as a Fraction of Income in York Pennsylvania

Date US Pennsylvania York, PA
2019 20.03% 17.98% 16.48%
2018 20.50% 18.26% 17.11%
2017 20.13% 18.10% 18.02%
2016 20.43% 18.58% 16.98%
2015 20.63% 18.70% 18.28%
2014 20.89% 19.12% 17.53%
2013 20.78% 19.11% 17.54%
2012 20.65% 18.69% 17.14%
2011 20.70% 18.78% 17.09%
2010 20.50% 18.58% 16.95%
2009 20.12% 17.88% 15.68%

more history ...

Renter Fraction in York Pennsylvania

You can calculate the renter fraction in York in at least two ways: by housing units or by population. I've gone with the housing units measure here. This measure looks at the number of renting households in York as a fraction of total York households. In 2019 24.95% of households were renters according to Census ACS data.

York Fraction of Renters by Household Units

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 35.89% -0.16% -0.99%
Pennsylvania 31.59% +0.19% +0.09%
York, PA 24.95% +0.10% +0.82%

Trends in the York, PA Renter Fraction

The York household renter fraction peaked in in 2013 at 26.87% and is now 1.92% below that level. The origin year for the series is 2005.

Fraction of Renting Households: York PA, Pennsylvania, US

Fraction of renters in York

History of York Renter Fraction

Date US Pennsylvania York, PA
2019 35.89% 31.59% 24.95%
2018 36.05% 31.40% 24.85%
2017 36.13% 31.70% 26.29%
2016 36.88% 31.50% 24.13%
2015 36.97% 31.28% 26.22%
2014 36.90% 31.17% 25.00%
2013 36.50% 31.05% 26.87%
2012 36.09% 31.09% 25.64%
2011 35.42% 30.51% 25.77%
2010 34.65% 29.87% 23.12%
2009 34.13% 29.48% 23.68%

more history ...

1. Gross rent is defined as contract rent plus the estimated average monthly cost of utilities (electricity, gas, water, and sewer) and fuel (oil, coal, kerosene, wood, etc.). Because some rentals include utilities and others don't, gross rent is a way of normalizing the variability.

2. Real dollars are calculated using the CPI-U less shelter series.

3. The rental vacancy rate is computed by dividing the number of vacant units for rent by the sum of the renter-occupied units, vacant units that are for rent, and vacant units that have been rented but not yet occupied.