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 $1,243 per resident in 2019, up 52% from 2000, but down from $1,819 in 2014.
Local government spending across Pennsylvania was higher than Lancaster, at $1,707 per resident in 2019, an increase of 20% from 2000. Berks, one of Lancaster's neighboring counties, had higher spending of $1,504 per capita in 2019. While Chester ($1,153), Cumberland ($1,176) and Dauphin ($1,242) were all relatively close, Lebanon ($696), and York ($806) were significantly below.
Notes about the data
Data are presented in constant 2020 dollars.
2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pennsylvania | $1,425 | $1,405 | $1,520 | $1,519 | $1,523 | $1,543 | $2,174 | $1,566 | $2,683 | $1,681 | $1,905 | $1,757 | $1,747 | $1,715 | $1,703 | $1,636 | $1,640 | $1,632 | $1,672 | $1,707 |
Lancaster County | $817 | $674 | $866 | $887 | $797 | $844 | $1,650 | $1,001 | $478 | $1,228 | $1,835 | $1,295 | $1,705 | $744 | $1,819 | $969 | $1,249 | $1,002 | $1,323 | $1,243 |
Berks County | $1,001 | $996 | $1,101 | $1,133 | $1,140 | $1,208 | $1,439 | $1,337 | $1,617 | $1,393 | $1,228 | $1,212 | $1,277 | $1,164 | $1,251 | $1,337 | $1,173 | $1,173 | $1,146 | $1,504 |
Chester County | $926 | $866 | $1,050 | $1,005 | $1,154 | $1,169 | $1,123 | $1,245 | $1,301 | $1,183 | $940 | $894 | $1,068 | $972 | $1,001 | $1,027 | $1,085 | $1,069 | $1,048 | $1,153 |
Cumberland County | $740 | $688 | $732 | $793 | $781 | $882 | $932 | $875 | $775 | $858 | $808 | $1,205 | $1,008 | $1,009 | $944 | $890 | $1,103 | $942 | $871 | $1,176 |
Dauphin County | $1,155 | $1,087 | $1,180 | $1,196 | $1,178 | $1,183 | $1,553 | $1,250 | $2,432 | $1,294 | $848 | $1,707 | $1,370 | $1,363 | $1,398 | $1,127 | $1,251 | $1,106 | $1,138 | $1,242 |
Lebanon County | $634 | $456 | $474 | $556 | $546 | $574 | $895 | $653 | $730 | $752 | $504 | $614 | $956 | $1,000 | $597 | $699 | $707 | $651 | $707 | $696 |
York County | $866 | $839 | $873 | $899 | $890 | $912 | $1,028 | $984 | $1,169 | $983 | $973 | $990 | $819 | $943 | $894 | $904 | $941 | $883 | $745 | $806 |
Notes: Figures are in constant 2020 dollars.
2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pennsylvania | $16,501,620,888 | $16,748,573,099 | $18,183,805,847 | $18,553,355,577 | $18,446,181,927 | $18,632,340,550 | $13,652,161,487 | $19,151,727,946 | $15,199,416,899 | $21,091,662,843 | $16,299,740,090 | $16,136,287,056 | $17,214,512,411 | $17,860,008,398 | $18,485,187,459 | $20,524,898,106 | $20,568,698,792 | $20,427,932,407 | $20,723,377,159 | $21,329,153,805 |
Lancaster County | $345,616,366 | $275,248,874 | $398,708,604 | $417,705,480 | $374,994,400 | $397,165,302 | $202,405,953 | $471,061,479 | $13,409,364 | $578,197,046 | $60,811,537 | $63,303,946 | $162,569,145 | $63,330,687 | $280,156,015 | $503,364,699 | $647,364,959 | $519,349,752 | $685,578,130 | $643,952,905 |
Berks County | $336,496,266 | $364,349,844 | $408,405,864 | $420,276,538 | $423,081,349 | $448,214,134 | $480,724,449 | $485,908,530 | $469,449,876 | $506,254,262 | $496,289,956 | $486,022,897 | $525,492,404 | $475,212,731 | $514,559,873 | $547,585,345 | $482,652,633 | $482,526,986 | $471,510,859 | $618,598,552 |
Chester County | $347,382,531 | $345,624,058 | $455,193,840 | $435,843,224 | $491,708,063 | $506,570,754 | $278,222,309 | $539,755,603 | $111,402,347 | $506,584,670 | $442,698,576 | $244,335,684 | $517,986,625 | $484,008,700 | $499,506,319 | $510,868,484 | $539,662,514 | $533,392,519 | $503,612,309 | $575,061,719 |
Cumberland County | $138,284,608 | $142,547,220 | $148,373,614 | $166,691,354 | $157,222,547 | $184,360,174 | $40,931,386 | $187,932,207 | $19,123,895 | $183,876,236 | $54,148,616 | $150,361,109 | $100,671,271 | $87,813,193 | $129,591,567 | $209,403,508 | $259,491,283 | $221,598,831 | $204,849,482 | $276,606,455 |
Dauphin County | $268,586,306 | $273,617,164 | $290,912,545 | $301,061,602 | $288,865,503 | $297,891,693 | $173,775,652 | $313,836,918 | $154,202,424 | $325,884,082 | $83,286,110 | $189,179,249 | $220,827,413 | $252,620,212 | $269,933,874 | $302,207,428 | $335,269,847 | $295,780,458 | $304,277,583 | $332,042,105 |
Lebanon County | $72,080,524 | $43,738,201 | $45,409,657 | $66,896,408 | $65,636,736 | $69,066,753 | $2,839,543 | $78,575,132 | $3,297,359 | $90,456,305 | $6,769,092 | $7,156,933 | $39,833,588 | $35,886,821 | $34,741,779 | $93,327,027 | $94,331,743 | $86,887,860 | $94,339,742 | $92,972,510 |
York County | $289,926,823 | $317,232,299 | $321,247,558 | $341,359,759 | $338,265,814 | $346,613,408 | $204,250,239 | $373,938,052 | $253,427,407 | $373,704,166 | $323,176,867 | $428,522,469 | $318,025,914 | $410,114,383 | $385,398,582 | $389,682,424 | $405,579,796 | $380,218,472 | $288,110,056 | $311,578,819 |
Notes: Figures are in constant 2020 dollars.
INDICATORS | TREND |
---|---|
Change in Employment by Sector | Not Applicable |
Sector Share of Total Jobs | Not Applicable |
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 2000 | 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 |