What does this measure?
Contributions to charitable organizations, measured as an average per tax return with itemized contributions.
Why is this important?
Charitable giving supports a variety of organizations, including those that provide essential services to the community and people in need. The level of giving shows residents' willingness to invest in programs and organizations serving the community.
How does our county compare?
In 2020, the average charitable contribution in Lancaster County was $20,823, above the average for Pennsylvania ($14,586) and the U.S. ($15,934).
Although the average contribution per person appears to have doubled from prior years, this is primarily due to a change in tax law that altered the number and type of filers itemizing charitable contributions. This makes 2018, and any subsequent years, not directly comparable to prior years.
The average charitable contribution in 2020 was higher in Lancaster than in any surrounding county, including Berks ($12,619), Chester ($13,424), Cumberland ($12,063), Dauphin ($12,769), Lebanon ($17,249) and York ($14,413) counties.
Notes about the data
Figures are in constant 2021 dollars. These figures reflect contributions listed on tax returns with itemized deductions, which researchers estimate cover about 80% of all charitable giving nationally. High-income taxpayers are much more likely to file tax returns with itemized deductions than those with lower incomes. No county or state data are available on charitable contributions by taxpayers who take the standard deduction.
| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | $4,706 | $5,045 | $4,994 | $5,314 | $5,443 | $5,692 | $5,819 | $11,829 | $12,074 | $14,586 |
| Lancaster County | $5,967 | $6,461 | $6,478 | $6,999 | $7,485 | $7,537 | $7,712 | $16,834 | $19,087 | $20,823 |
| Chester County | $5,216 | $5,957 | $5,607 | $5,929 | $6,292 | $6,257 | $7,105 | $10,799 | $11,157 | $13,424 |
| Cumberland County | $4,521 | $4,840 | $4,851 | $5,046 | $4,993 | $5,166 | $5,290 | $10,611 | $10,643 | $12,063 |
| Dauphin County | $4,383 | $4,612 | $4,615 | $4,770 | $5,221 | $5,047 | $5,109 | $10,658 | $11,342 | $12,769 |
| Lebanon County | $4,866 | $5,107 | $5,352 | $5,575 | $6,000 | $5,820 | $5,897 | $13,504 | $13,897 | $17,249 |
| York County | $4,147 | $4,160 | $4,328 | $4,494 | $4,675 | $4,811 | $5,286 | $13,653 | $10,152 | $14,413 |
| Berks County | $3,677 | $3,937 | $3,989 | $4,730 | $4,255 | $4,323 | $4,633 | $11,260 | $11,401 | $12,619 |
Notes: Figures are in constant 2021 dollars.
| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | $7,255,353,387 | $7,651,629,177 | $7,377,412,608 | $7,709,784,181 | $7,886,973,088 | $8,278,526,564 | $8,472,341,564 | $5,465,442,034 | $5,244,219,220 | $5,506,217,695 |
| Lancaster County | $405,952,064 | $432,942,538 | $423,305,350 | $449,519,744 | $480,332,472 | $489,670,282 | $504,258,234 | $330,947,554 | $360,357,445 | $359,817,789 |
| Chester County | $532,384,814 | $607,528,020 | $565,380,323 | $591,575,941 | $632,310,588 | $635,758,368 | $723,972,543 | $462,862,346 | $452,538,777 | $474,947,923 |
| Cumberland County | $154,432,144 | $163,535,141 | $160,421,749 | $162,672,882 | $161,414,512 | $167,594,573 | $171,391,399 | $98,360,123 | $93,018,651 | $93,125,750 |
| Dauphin County | $149,494,334 | $153,019,436 | $146,764,900 | $147,013,495 | $159,077,706 | $152,631,820 | $153,310,519 | $88,780,937 | $87,784,881 | $85,806,312 |
| Lebanon County | $71,996,377 | $73,443,523 | $75,250,511 | $76,771,171 | $82,681,079 | $82,530,539 | $84,861,631 | $48,075,062 | $47,110,287 | $51,229,790 |
| York County | $242,311,669 | $237,352,791 | $238,923,337 | $244,286,890 | $252,056,050 | $261,341,813 | $286,830,014 | $199,886,331 | $136,846,437 | $170,071,468 |
| Berks County | $188,074,061 | $197,729,474 | $195,300,746 | $226,063,581 | $203,638,213 | $207,873,089 | $222,916,822 | $137,602,737 | $129,281,955 | $122,785,653 |
Notes: Figures are in constant 2021 dollars.
| INDICATORS | TREND |
|---|---|
| Average Charitable Giving | Maintaining |
| Voter Registration Rate | Not Applicable |
| Voter Participation Rate | Increasing |
| Age of Housing Stock | Not Applicable |
| Violent Crime Rate | Maintaining |
| Incarceration Rate | Decreasing |
| Incarceration Rate by Race/Ethnicity | Not Applicable |
| Population Density | Increasing |
| Air Quality | Decreasing |
| Water Use | Decreasing |
| Waterways Impaired by Pollution | Not Applicable |
