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Living in Lebanon, PA

Small city in Pennsylvania

Lebanon is a small city in Pennsylvania, home to about 27,000 people, with 883,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, much of daily life is walkable. Life moves at a fast pace, and homes are mostly apartments.

Is Lebanon a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Strong healthcare: 11 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
  • Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $283k and rents for $1,800 a month
  • Mild summers: highs around 82°F
  • Low natural disaster risk: 6 federally declared disasters since 2000

👎 Cons

  • Weaker public schools: test results well below the US average
  • Fewer graduates: 15% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
  • Cloudier than most places
  • Few dog parks: 1 within 9 mi

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Lebanon ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
27,000
883,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
40°F / 82°F
Average daily highs · 24″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$283k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$1,800/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
93
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$1,376
State income tax per resident · 1.66% property tax
Safety
0.7× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
6 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding
Top-rated hospitals
11
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Public schools
Poor
Tests well below US average · 18 students per teacher
Adults with a degree
15%
No research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
PHL
70 mi away

Living in Lebanon: common questions

What is the cost of living in Lebanon?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $283k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,800 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 93, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Lebanon?

Pennsylvania collects about $1,376 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 1.66% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Lebanon safe?

Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.7× in FBI 2019 data).

How are the schools in Lebanon?

Public schools in Lebanon test well below the US average in math and reading (2018–19 state tests, put on one national scale with NAEP), with about 18 students per teacher.

What is the weather like in Lebanon?

Lebanon has cold winters: winter days average around 40°F and summer days around 82°F, with roughly 24″ of snow a year.

Does Lebanon get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding: 6 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.42 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Lebanon?

The nearest major airport is PHL, about 70 mi away.

How Lebanon scores

Each bar compares Lebanon with the other 1,990 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City sizeSmall city Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quietUrban Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting aroundMostly walkable Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or natureNature nearby Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️ClimateCold winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of livingAffordable Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️PaceFast-paced Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝CommunityPrivate AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡HousingApartments ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housingExcellent
💸Low taxesAverage
💼Job marketBelow average
🏥HealthcareExcellent
🏫SchoolsPoor
🎓EducationPoor
🧸Kids & familyBelow average
🐕Dog-friendlyPoor
⛰️OutdoorsAverage
🎭CultureBelow average
👮SafetyVery safe
🌪️Few natural disastersExcellent
☀️SunnyPoor
🌤️Mild summersExcellent
✈️AirportGood

Places like Lebanon

These places have the most similar overall profile across all 24 aspects.

The circle is each place's all-round score out of 100: the average of its 15 quality scores, from red (poor) to green (excellent).

York, PASmall city51 $272k$1,800/moNo crime data Reading, PASmall city50 $268k$1,940/moNo crime data Lancaster, PASmall city54 $237k$1,980/moNo crime data Hazleton, PASmall city49 $236k$1,630/moNo crime data Wilkes-Barre, PASmall city41 $183k$1,630/moModerate crime Poughkeepsie, NYSmall city49 $301k$2,510/moVery safe

Nearby

East Hempfield, PASmall city · 18 mi away64 $390k$1,980/moNo crime data Manheim, PASmall city · 18 mi away63 $392k$1,980/moSafe Lower Paxton, PASmall city · 20 mi away60 $311k$1,920/moNo crime data Spring, PASmall city · 21 mi away60 $309k$1,940/moNo crime data Swatara, PASmall city · 21 mi away55 $235k$1,920/moSafe Lancaster, PASmall city · 22 mi away54 $237k$1,980/moNo crime data

See all the best places to live in Pennsylvania.

Is Lebanon right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

Take the free quiz →

Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.