Lancaster was founded in 1852, making it one of Dallas County's earliest settlements. Today, the city of over 40,000 people is still on the south side of Dallas's outer loop. Three major interstates run through the city, making it an appealing option for Dallas-Fort Worth commuters. While many locals work in Dallas, hundreds of jobs come from Lancaster-based manufacturing companies like Brasscraft. In addition to its job opportunities and convenient location, Lancaster has grown thanks to its investment in local parks and a housing price point consistently lower than Dallas. "We embrace road improvement, structure improvements, campaigns to promote healthy lifestyles," says Vershurn Ford, a Lancaster resident and the city's public relations director. "We are not a community stuck in believing we have to look the same as we always have. We embrace the future."
Lancaster offers a range of housing options to potential buyers.
Lancaster's largest employer is the BrassCraft Manufacturing Company.
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New houses in Pleasant Run and Bear Creek Ranch
The median home price in Lancaster is $293,490, lower than the Dallas and Texas medians. Some of the most in-demand neighborhoods focus on new construction. Pleasant Run is a well-established community with a mix of midcentury homes and contemporary builds. Bear Creek Ranch has brand-new properties and neighborhood amenities like hiking trails and a community pool.
Popular mid-20th century homes in Lancaster are characterized by their low, sprawling profiles.
Newer contemporary homes in Lancaster feature modern amenities and energy-efficient features.
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STEM education at Lancaster Independent School District
The Lancaster Independent School District has a B-minus rating from Niche and was Texas' first kindergarten through 12th grade STEM district. The B-minus-rated Lancaster STEM High School, which has a 99% graduation rate, hosts the Early College High School program. The program lets students earn up to 60 credits at the local Dallas College Cedar Valley Campus.
Elsie Robertson Middle School is a public school and part of Lancaster ISD.
Students at Lancaster High School can earn college credits from Dallas College Cedar Valley Campus.
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An All-America City Award winner
In 2019, the National Civic League awarded Lancaster the All-America City Award for its investment in local parks and wellness programs. Lancaster Community Park is the centerpiece of this award-winning parks program. It has a 6-acre pond, outdoor amphitheater, public library and recreation center with an indoor water park. Pleasant Run Trail, the city’s first trail system, covers nearly 3 miles. Bear Creek Nature Park features equestrian trails and a butterfly garden and connects to the Country View Golf Club.
Bear Creek Nature Park in Lancaster features a picnic area, pond fishing, and a butterfly sanctuary.
The Country View Golf Course is an 18 hole course in Lancaster open to the public.
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Celebrations at Helen Giddings Amphitheater
The Helen Giddings Amphitheater at Lancaster Community Park is the centerpiece of annual events like Salsa in the Park, Fourth of July and the Best Southwest Juneteenth Celebration, which is held in collaboration with neighboring DeSoto. While the summer brings shows at the amphitheater, winter is the time for one of Lancaster’s largest-scale events — the annual Christmas festival. “To put into perspective how big it is, it’s a two-mile route, but it lasts for almost two hours," Ford says. "We bring in Santa, we make it snow, we have performers, silt walkers, and a bounce house. We really do all we can to bring Christmas to Texas.”
The Helen Giddings Amphitheater is an outdoor concert venue in Lancaster that hosts several concerts and events.
Some events, like the annual DeSoto Christmas are shared events with Lancaster.
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Board games and baked goods sold on Main Street
Lancaster's historic Main Street Square has gotten some 21st-century updates. New shops sell everything from bicycles to board games, and restaurants serve classic Texas barbecue, Italian ice and freshly made pastries. The Town Square is the backdrop to the 2nd Saturday on the Square series, which invites residents to check out local vendors while enjoying live music. Main Street’s modern-day storefronts have replaced past businesses like the Lancaster Texas Bank, which Clyde Champion Barrow — one-half of the infamous outlaw couple Bonnie and Clyde — robbed in 1934.
Lancaster's Historic Town Square is populated by unique shops and restaurants.
Locals to Lancaster are just a stone's throw from barbeque, Italian food, and shaved ice shops.
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Three major interstates connect to Dallas
The city is right along Interstate 20, and I-35 East and I-45 also run through the area. All three interstates connect to Dallas, and downtown is an 18-mile drive away. Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) has a daily Lancaster-Romana bus route between the southern suburbs and downtown. The closest commercial airport, Dallas Love Field, is 23 miles north of Lancaster, and the larger Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport is 34 miles away.
Lancaster has a history of tornadoes
Lancaster is humid and hot most of the year, with temperatures peaking in summer. The winters are mild, with above-freezing temperatures. Lancaster can be prone to tornadoes in spring. An EF-2 tornado hit the city in 2012 and damaged many local roads.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, Lancaster had a rate of 3,712 crimes for every 100,000 people in 2022. This crime rate was 58% higher than neighboring Cedar Hill but 21% less than Dallas.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
