What does this measure?
The annual per-capita spending for cities, towns, villages, and county within a county, adjusted for inflation.
Why is this important?
Government provides critical services to communities, but the cost to taxpayers can be burdensome and can hinder efforts to attract and retain business.
How does our county compare?
Local governments in Lancaster County spent $1,100 per resident in 2023, down 47% from a high of $2,100 in 2010.
Local government spending across Pennsylvania was higher than Lancaster, at $2,000 per resident in 2023, an decrease of 11% from 2010. In 2023, Lancaster had higher per capita government spending than all neighboring counties; Chester was similar ($1,100), while Cumberland, Dauphin, and Berks (all around $1,000), York ($900), and Lebanon ($800) were all below.
Notes about the data
Data are presented in constant 2023 dollars.
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | $2,243 | $2,069 | $2,057 | $2,019 | $2,004 | $1,926 | $1,931 | $1,921 | $1,968 | $2,010 | $2,037 | $1,920 | $1,918 | $1,987 |
| Lancaster County | $2,160 | $1,524 | $2,007 | $876 | $2,142 | $1,141 | $1,471 | $1,180 | $1,558 | $1,463 | $1,288 | $1,284 | $1,268 | $1,138 |
| Berks County | $1,445 | $1,427 | $1,504 | $1,370 | $1,472 | $1,574 | $1,381 | $1,381 | $1,349 | $1,770 | $1,413 | $1,343 | $1,323 | $1,056 |
| Chester County | $1,106 | $1,052 | $1,257 | $1,144 | $1,179 | $1,209 | $1,277 | $1,259 | $1,234 | $1,357 | $1,318 | $1,284 | $1,154 | $1,106 |
| Cumberland County | $951 | $1,418 | $1,187 | $1,188 | $1,111 | $1,048 | $1,299 | $1,109 | $1,026 | $1,385 | $1,123 | $968 | $977 | $1,035 |
| Dauphin County | $999 | $2,010 | $1,613 | $1,604 | $1,646 | $1,327 | $1,472 | $1,303 | $1,340 | $1,462 | $1,316 | $1,313 | $942 | $985 |
| Lebanon County | $593 | $722 | $1,126 | $1,177 | $703 | $823 | $832 | $766 | $832 | $820 | $789 | $821 | $731 | $817 |
| York County | $1,146 | $1,166 | $964 | $1,111 | $1,052 | $1,065 | $1,108 | $1,040 | $877 | $948 | $927 | $897 | $930 | $937 |
Notes: Figures are in constant 2023 dollars.
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | $19,189,923,940 | $18,997,488,277 | $20,266,898,859 | $21,026,850,787 | $21,762,883,297 | $24,164,264,666 | $24,215,831,859 | $24,050,105,523 | $24,397,936,978 | $25,111,126,740 | $25,480,486,112 | $24,395,026,640 | $23,569,563,484 | $23,944,991,923 |
| Lancaster County | $71,594,318 | $74,528,667 | $191,395,047 | $74,560,151 | $329,831,800 | $592,618,669 | $762,152,296 | $611,438,108 | $807,141,224 | $758,135,235 | $657,932,215 | $698,620,962 | $615,177,460 | $619,077,488 |
| Berks County | $584,289,471 | $572,201,911 | $618,669,942 | $559,474,943 | $605,798,913 | $644,680,288 | $568,234,049 | $568,086,123 | $555,116,676 | $728,285,181 | $581,446,954 | $575,783,782 | $549,036,242 | $335,505,141 |
| Chester County | $521,195,550 | $287,659,997 | $609,833,279 | $569,830,567 | $588,076,142 | $601,452,986 | $635,352,621 | $627,970,864 | $592,910,185 | $677,028,627 | $657,714,182 | $685,998,585 | $596,999,382 | $572,881,936 |
| Cumberland County | $63,749,963 | $177,022,347 | $118,521,769 | $103,383,765 | $152,570,060 | $246,533,832 | $305,502,907 | $260,891,566 | $241,172,311 | $325,652,851 | $264,000,156 | $249,904,087 | $252,261,713 | $229,542,268 |
| Dauphin County | $98,053,963 | $222,723,514 | $259,983,364 | $297,413,495 | $317,797,124 | $355,793,253 | $394,718,126 | $348,226,687 | $358,230,477 | $390,918,058 | $347,930,397 | $375,057,976 | $219,413,933 | $229,427,378 |
| Lebanon County | $7,969,351 | $8,425,962 | $46,896,670 | $42,250,083 | $40,902,008 | $109,875,283 | $111,058,150 | $102,294,356 | $111,067,567 | $109,457,905 | $105,433,810 | $117,497,675 | $104,623,178 | $117,040,617 |
| York County | $380,480,883 | $504,505,810 | $374,416,590 | $482,833,700 | $453,735,423 | $458,778,854 | $477,495,064 | $447,636,804 | $339,196,210 | $366,826,330 | $362,486,666 | $368,907,864 | $378,197,239 | $349,821,573 |
Notes: Figures are in constant 2023 dollars.
