Lancaster, Pennsylvania is a unique place. In a matter of 10 minutes, you can drive from the middle of downtown Lancaster and end up on a remote back road cutting through fields of corn. A lot of factors go into your auto insurance premium, things such as your driving record, credit score, the type of vehicle you have, how many miles you drive a year, but one of the biggest rating factors is where you live.
If you live in Philadelphia for example, you’re going to pay a lot more than you would if you lived in a more remote area like Wellsboro in Potter County PA. That all makes sense with the population differences but what about Lancaster Pennsylvania? Which towns in Lancaster pay the most for their auto insurance? I was curious so I did some research…
I rated myself using a 2021 Toyota RAV4 XLE Sport in 10 different towns in Lancaster. My credit score is good, I don’t have any accidents or tickets in the past 5 years. I quoted the premiums with Erie Insurance, and rated the RAV4 as my commuter vehicle, driving about 12,000 miles a year. Here is what I found: (*Please note that the below premiums are for this exercise only and rated on many factors. Your auto premium could be drastically different from the below findings)
5) Mount Joy: Mount Joy is in the Northwestern corner of Lancaster. Mount Joy is not a big town with a population of around 7,500, but they do have some tourist attractions such as Spooky Nook sports. My auto premium in Mt Joy was $773 for the year, or $64.41 a month.
4) Millersville: Millersville came in at $777 for the year or $64.75 a month. Millersville has a population of 8,359 and turns into a college town for half of the year. It is just outside the southwest part of Lancaster City. Although the college students are not counted in the population numbers, they most likely do play a part in Millersville ranking at number four.
3) Landisville: Landisville is located on the western side of Lancaster directly off of I-283. Landisville has a population of 1,893, but does have a lot of industry and trucking since it is conveniently located right off of the highway. The increase in truck traffic, and commuter traffic is what ranked Landisville so high on this list. The premium for Salunga-Landisville is $779 annually or $64.91 a month.
2) Lancaster City: I was shocked to find that Lancaster City only came in at number two. The city has a population of 59,000 which makes it the most populous place in the Lancaster County by a long shot. Cities are generally the most expensive areas to live due to the high traffic volume, pedestrian incidents, theft/vandalism claims, and 24/7 activity. The only upside to the city is that most of the accidents happen at slower speeds and are only minor fender benders. The car insurance in Lancaster City came in at $781 for the year or $65 a month for me in my Toyota RAV4.
1) Willow Street: This was a huge surprise to me. Willow Street is just south of Lancaster city and has a population of 7,578. Willow Street splits 222 which is a major thoroughfare to the southern end of Lancaster County. Willow Street is a draw for tourists due to Willow Valley, now the DoubleTree Resort, and its proximity to the Outlets and other tourist attractions. There is also a good bit of truck traffic as 222 is the primary route to eastern Maryland, Delaware, and the Chesapeake Bay. The car insurance in Willow Street came in at a whopping $833 for the year or $69.41 a month.
Based off of my driving record and a 2021 RAV4, those are the top five most expensive places in Lancaster, Pennsylvania for auto insurance. If you live in one of those five towns, and you’ve wondered why your auto insurance might be a little more expensive than your family or friends, now you know.
If you have any questions or like to get a quote from ERIE insurance who I used today, feel free to reach out. Our number is (717) 290-7780. Or we have a whole brand-new website www.susquehannains.com
At Susquehanna Insurance, we’re bringing clarity and simplicity to your insurance needs, and hopefully you don’t live in the top five most expensive places in Lancaster Pennsylvania for auto insurance.