Economy
Spending for Local Government

Maintaining


Spending of Local Governments

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.

Spending of Local Governments
20002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019
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

Source: Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development
Notes: Figures are in constant 2020 dollars.




Total Spending of Local Governments
20002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019
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

Source: Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development
Notes: Figures are in constant 2020 dollars.




INDICATORS TREND
Prekindergarten Participation Increasing
Student Performance on Grade 3 English Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 3 Math Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 8 English Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math Not Applicable
Student Performance in Grade 11 Math Not Applicable
Student Performance in Grade 11 English Decreasing
Per-Student Spending Maintaining
Students Receiving Special Education Services Increasing
Rate of Foster Care Admissions Decreasing
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Disengaged Youth Maintaining
Plans of High School Graduates Not Applicable
Enrollment in Local Colleges Decreasing
College Graduation Rates Decreasing
Brain Drain/Gain Increasing
Education Levels of Adults by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
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 Increasing
Water Use Decreasing
Waterways Impaired by Pollution Not Applicable
Population by Age Not Applicable
Change in Population by Age and Gender Not Applicable
Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People with Disabilities Maintaining
Foreign-Born Population Increasing
Language Diversity Increasing
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
Children Living in Poverty Increasing
Children in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty Increasing
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Veterans Living in Poverty Decreasing
Working Poor Maintaining
Median Household Income by Household Type Not Applicable
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Living Wage Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Households Receiving SNAP by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Household Receiving Temporary Assistance Increasing
Students Eligible for Free/Reduced Price Lunch Increasing
Median Home Value Maintaining
Occupied Housing Units Maintaining
Homeownership Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Homeownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Rent Maintaining
Cost of Renting Increasing
Households Without Vehicles Decreasing
Means of Transportation to Work, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Without Health Insurance Decreasing
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Health Status Decreasing
Prevalence of Mental Illness Maintaining
Adults Who are Overweight or Obese Not Applicable
Mortality Rates Decreasing
Fatal Drug Overdoses Increasing
Cancer Incidence Decreasing
Households With Internet Access Not Applicable
High-Tech Jobs Increasing
STEM Graduates Increasing
Science and Engineering Research and Development Maintaining
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Incarceration Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Children in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Households Receiving SNAP by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homeownership Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Homeownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable


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