What does this measure?
The net growth or decline in jobs by sector, shown as a percentage gain or loss.
Why is this important?
Job growth by sector is a key indicator of economic vitality, and reveals how the structure of industry and the composition of employment in the county are changing.
How does our county compare?
From 2010 to 2024, total jobs in Lancaster County increased 16%. This was below the U.S. rate (21%) but above Pennsylvania's overall rate (10%). Among the county's larger sectors, jobs were up 47% in Natural Resources, 40% in Construction, 31% in Health Care and Social Assistance, and 29% in Professional and Business Services. Trade, Transportation, and Utilities had the largest absolute number increase in jobs during this period, gaining over 58,000 jobs, followed by Health Care and Social Assistance, which gained over 43,600 jobs.
All neighboring counties had increases in total jobs, ranging from 7% in Chester to 15% in Cumberland. Every county also saw large declines in Information jobs during this period, except for Chester, which saw a 34% increase.
Notes about the data
Data is from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employment is reported by place of work, not place of residence. This dataset does not include sole proprietors/self-employed individuals, including farmers.
| Construction | Educational Services | Financial Activities | Government | Health Care and Social Assistance | Information | Leisure and Hospitality | Manufacturing | Natural Resources and Mining | Other Services | Professional and Business Services | Trade, Transportation, and Utilities | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | 20% | -4% | 9% | -6% | 23% | -2% | 13% | 0% | -0% | 12% | 21% | 5% | 10% |
| Lancaster County | 40% | 26% | 6% | 5% | 31% | -39% | 18% | 3% | 47% | 33% | 29% | 12% | 16% |
| Berks County | 14% | -84% | -14% | -17% | 23% | -27% | 11% | 14% | 1% | 9% | 10% | 9% | 8% |
| Chester County | 38% | 6% | 20% | -1% | 21% | 34% | 26% | -12% | -21% | 4% | 8% | -11% | 7% |
| Cumberland County | 20% | 138% | -24% | -3% | 52% | -57% | 15% | 12% | 39% | 16% | 24% | 23% | 15% |
| Dauphin County | 15% | 9% | -37% | -9% | 56% | -49% | -3% | 7% | -69% | 6% | 11% | 18% | 8% |
| Lebanon County | 44% | 476% | 3% | 9% | 15% | -22% | 27% | 10% | 77% | 15% | 8% | 21% | 14% |
| York County | 23% | -20% | 7% | -5% | 22% | -57% | 8% | 1% | 30% | 11% | 18% | 17% | 9% |
Notes: N/A - Data not disclosed or not reported.
| Construction | Educational Services | Financial Activities | Government | Health Care and Social Assistance | Information | Leisure and Hospitality | Manufacturing | Natural Resources and Mining | Other Services | Professional and Business Services | Trade, Transportation, and Utilities | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | 269,523 | 492,452 | 339,963 | 237,313 | 1,154,512 | 94,395 | 571,292 | 563,767 | 48,897 | 207,742 | 843,723 | 1,195,066 | 6,019,836 |
| Lancaster County | 18,895 | 4,197 | 9,165 | 4,486 | 43,677 | 2,072 | 25,482 | 37,215 | 3,779 | 8,342 | 23,770 | 58,177 | 252,045 |
| Berks County | 7,460 | 2,218 | 5,576 | 4,453 | 29,428 | 874 | 14,965 | 31,477 | 2,688 | 5,488 | 19,833 | 36,438 | 173,692 |
| Chester County | 12,590 | 18,480 | 27,115 | 4,754 | 36,327 | 6,414 | 22,671 | 17,891 | 4,861 | 9,380 | 46,390 | 41,663 | 251,284 |
| Cumberland County | 5,110 | 8,260 | 7,483 | 7,577 | 21,566 | 1,078 | 11,799 | 8,906 | 473 | 4,879 | 20,048 | 39,348 | 137,668 |
| Dauphin County | 6,052 | 11,496 | 7,366 | 23,793 | 39,478 | 1,466 | 18,825 | 12,447 | 245 | 6,138 | 21,799 | 36,955 | 190,296 |
| Lebanon County | 2,181 | 3,800 | 1,259 | 2,943 | 9,147 | 306 | 4,571 | 9,529 | 469 | 1,533 | 3,599 | 13,988 | 53,500 |
| York County | 11,740 | 1,759 | 5,388 | 7,693 | 27,482 | 851 | 15,898 | 32,814 | 1,048 | 6,712 | 18,817 | 42,053 | 182,614 |
Notes: N/A - Data not disclosed or not reported.
| INDICATORS | TREND |
|---|---|
| Change in Total Jobs | Increasing |
| Change in Employment by Sector | Not Applicable |
| Sector Share of Total Jobs | Increasing |
| Workers by Occupation | Not Applicable |
| Change in Labor Force | Decreasing |
| People Entering/Leaving County/Region for Work | Not Applicable |
| Average Salary by Sector | Not Applicable |
| Change in Average Salary Since 2010 | Increasing |
| Female to Male Earnings Ratio | Maintaining |
| Employer Size | Not Applicable |
| Change in Number of Businesses by Sector | Increasing |
| Change in Total Agricultural Sales | Increasing |
| Spending for Local Government | Maintaining |
| Spending for School Districts | Maintaining |
