What does this measure?
The annual per capita spending for public education in a county, adjusted for inflation.
Why is this important?
Free public education was long ago embraced as a cornerstone of a fair society. Schools must prepare the next generation to become productive members of society and compete in the global economy. Yet, the cost of public education has been rising more rapidly than many other goods and services and can become a burden to taxpayers, particularly those on fixed incomes or whose incomes are not keeping pace with tax increases.
How does our county compare?
Schools in Lancaster County spent $2,600 per resident in 2023, up 4% from $2,500 in 2010. Lancaster's spending per resident has been below the Pennsylvania average for each year since 2010.
Compared to neighboring counties, Lancaster spent more per resident than Cumberland in 2023, but less than Berks, Chester, Dauphin, Lebanon, and York. At more than $3,100 each, Berks and Chester counties had the highest school spending per resident, while Cumberland (at $2,300) spent the least.
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 | $2,839 | $2,847 | $2,769 | $2,828 | $2,843 | $2,985 | $3,043 | $3,206 | $3,106 | $3,183 | $3,233 | $3,170 | $2,813 | $2,766 |
| Lancaster County | $2,478 | $2,438 | $2,383 | $2,431 | $2,458 | $2,568 | $2,587 | $2,683 | $2,690 | $2,729 | $2,672 | $2,657 | $2,516 | $2,575 |
| Berks County | $3,252 | $3,197 | $3,207 | $3,285 | $3,176 | $3,487 | $3,376 | $3,549 | $3,479 | $3,555 | $3,549 | $3,452 | $3,168 | $3,252 |
| Chester County | $3,656 | $3,639 | $3,654 | $3,778 | $3,728 | $4,020 | $3,991 | $3,777 | $3,844 | $3,958 | $3,860 | $3,795 | $3,067 | $3,107 |
| Cumberland County | $2,183 | $2,279 | $2,110 | $2,212 | $2,175 | $2,281 | $2,356 | $2,391 | $2,377 | $2,359 | $2,379 | $2,460 | $2,194 | $2,260 |
| Dauphin County | $3,076 | $3,088 | $2,927 | $3,078 | $3,292 | $3,325 | $3,833 | $3,532 | $3,678 | $3,854 | $3,949 | $4,485 | $2,741 | $2,793 |
| Lebanon County | $2,585 | $2,414 | $2,393 | $2,517 | $2,518 | $2,512 | $2,609 | $2,686 | $2,757 | $2,726 | $2,656 | $2,653 | $2,537 | $2,788 |
| York County | $3,082 | $3,091 | $3,016 | $3,122 | $3,048 | $3,308 | $3,324 | $3,382 | $3,286 | $3,396 | $3,526 | $3,452 | $3,008 | $2,999 |
Notes: Figures are in constant 2023 dollars.
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | $36,061,775,553 | $36,283,291,846 | $35,351,120,298 | $36,125,490,382 | $36,351,413,930 | $38,164,720,522 | $38,891,988,193 | $40,995,197,666 | $39,765,030,061 | $40,751,803,287 | $42,033,395,383 | $41,247,387,992 | $36,495,671,091 | $35,854,074,819 |
| Lancaster County | $1,287,343,763 | $1,277,204,147 | $1,255,406,666 | $1,288,413,707 | $1,310,732,295 | $1,375,918,136 | $1,392,145,317 | $1,452,334,771 | $1,463,137,772 | $1,489,491,430 | $1,477,795,556 | $1,478,015,107 | $1,400,662,790 | $1,438,356,067 |
| Berks County | $1,338,478,806 | $1,320,360,851 | $1,325,958,871 | $1,359,852,185 | $1,316,707,712 | $1,447,446,394 | $1,403,569,563 | $1,481,620,962 | $1,462,966,959 | $1,497,228,570 | $1,522,175,390 | $1,483,127,346 | $1,367,174,625 | $1,407,567,549 |
| Chester County | $1,824,822,356 | $1,831,990,910 | $1,849,282,620 | $1,923,549,563 | $1,911,675,306 | $2,070,746,274 | $2,062,391,021 | $1,960,112,275 | $2,006,866,986 | $2,078,065,646 | $2,062,763,725 | $2,052,598,455 | $1,676,679,047 | $1,708,133,237 |
| Cumberland County | $513,962,701 | $540,402,607 | $504,909,968 | $533,337,712 | $529,122,909 | $560,582,165 | $582,867,900 | $595,364,514 | $597,025,726 | $597,646,059 | $617,387,044 | $653,245,617 | $589,179,039 | $611,825,971 |
| Dauphin County | $824,794,264 | $831,449,577 | $790,365,355 | $835,574,634 | $896,183,154 | $907,959,317 | $1,051,114,513 | $973,849,339 | $1,018,290,480 | $1,072,465,122 | $1,131,028,827 | $1,292,849,096 | $791,284,926 | $807,818,102 |
| Lebanon County | $345,378,008 | $324,731,263 | $324,311,736 | $341,850,133 | $343,754,154 | $345,410,355 | $361,298,981 | $374,809,105 | $389,621,041 | $386,519,658 | $380,465,452 | $381,455,554 | $365,122,354 | $402,213,914 |
| York County | $1,340,683,015 | $1,350,006,433 | $1,319,282,061 | $1,370,136,969 | $1,342,434,949 | $1,461,095,281 | $1,474,773,422 | $1,506,556,749 | $1,471,733,232 | $1,524,982,416 | $1,609,633,822 | $1,585,007,696 | $1,386,606,663 | $1,393,543,409 |
Notes: Figures are in constant 2023 dollars.
