NAICS 72

Accommodation and Food Services in Lancaster, PA

Metro Market Score 43.4 (Moderate), ranked #70 of 298 metros. 1,096 establishments, 20,463 jobs.

Metro Market Score 43.4

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Moderate

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national accommodation and food services average.

🌱Emerging Market

Few accommodation and food services firms have established themselves in Lancaster yet. The concentration index of 23.5 is well below the metro median, while employment growth is positive (trend: 60.1). That combination points to a market still building out.

Industry Concentration

23.5

LQ: 0.89

Rank #70 of 298 metros

Wage Competitiveness

46.3

$24,175 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 60.1

Employment growth index

Rank #120 of 298 metros

Wage Pressure

70.0

YoY wage change index

1,096 Accommodation and Food Services Firms in Lancaster

1,096

Establishments

+1.5% YoY

20,463

Total Employment

+0.8% YoY

$24,175

Average Annual Wage

+3.1% YoY

0.89

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within Pennsylvania

#11 of 15

accommodation and food services metros in state

Pennsylvania state rank

#24 of 51

for accommodation and food services entry risk

vs State Median

+1.6

worse than median (41.8)

Lancaster vs Pennsylvania Statewide

How this metro's accommodation and food services market compares to Pennsylvania overall. The state ranks #24/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Lancaster	PA Statewide
Overall Score	43.4 Moderate	36.8 Moderate
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#70 of 298 metros	#24 of 51 states

Metro and state scores use different methodologies (metro has 4 QCEW-based metrics; state adds BDS survival and momentum data). Direct score comparisons are approximate.

Other Industries in Lancaster

Administrative and Support Services 29.3 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 35.8 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 43.1 Information 45.4 Healthcare and Social Assistance 50.7 Other Services 52.9 Finance and Insurance 54.3 Construction 59.0 Retail Trade 59.6

Accommodation and Food Services in Other Pennsylvania Metros

Lebanon 29.0 #13/298 Johnstown 30.1 #14/298 Williamsport 32.3 #20/298 Reading 34.0 #26/298 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre 38.8 #44/298 Chambersburg 39.8 #48/298 Pittsburgh 41.0 #54/298 State College 41.8 #59/298 Altoona 42.1 #61/298 Gettysburg 43.1 #66/298

+ 4 more metros. View all in Pennsylvania →

Accommodation and Food Services Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Lancaster's 43.4 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Twin Falls, ID 43.4 #69/298 Laredo, TX 43.7 #71/298 Grand Forks, ND 43.1 #67/298 Monroe, MI 43.1 #68/298 Gettysburg, PA 43.1 #66/298 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA 43.8 #72/298 Birmingham, AL 43.8 #73/298 Salem, OR 43.9 #74/298 Akron, OH 43.9 #75/298 Sioux City, IA 42.9 #65/298

Accommodation and Food Services in States Bordering Pennsylvania

State-level entry risk for accommodation and food services in adjacent states. Use this to weigh cross-border options.

Delaware 19.8 #1/51 Ohio 29.3 #11/51 Maryland 31.7 #15/51 West Virginia 33.7 #17/51 New Jersey 43.3 #34/51 New York 58.6 #48/51

Browse Accommodation and Food Services in Other States

State-level entry risk reports for accommodation and food services across all 51 markets, sorted by rank.

About Metro Market Score: A weighted composite of industry concentration (25%), wage competitiveness (25%), wage pressure (20%), and employment growth trend (30%). Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. For Lancaster's accommodation and food services sector, the wage pressure component (70.0) has the strongest pull on the composite. Metro scores use QCEW data only (no BDS survival data at metro level). Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), Bureau of Labor Statistics. MSA-level establishment counts, employment, wages, and location quotients for the Lancaster, PA MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment