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 $2,374 per resident in 2021, up 29% from $1,840 in 2001. Lancaster's spending per resident has been below the Pennsylvania average for each year since 2001.
Compared to neighboring counties, Lancaster spent more per resident than Cumberland and Lebanon in 2021, but less than Berks, Chester, Dauphin and York. At $4,000 and $3,389 Dauphin and Chester counties had the highest school spending per resident, while Cumberland (at $2,210) spent the least.
Notes about the data
Data are presented in constant 2021 dollars.
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | $2,727 | $2,734 | $2,659 | $2,716 | $2,730 | $2,867 | $2,922 | $3,079 | $2,984 | $3,057 | $3,105 | $3,045 | $2,702 |
| Lancaster County | $2,380 | $2,341 | $2,289 | $2,335 | $2,361 | $2,466 | $2,485 | $2,577 | $2,583 | $2,621 | $2,567 | $2,553 | $2,417 |
| Berks County | $3,124 | $3,071 | $3,080 | $3,155 | $3,051 | $3,349 | $3,242 | $3,408 | $3,341 | $3,414 | $3,409 | $3,316 | $3,051 |
| Chester County | $3,511 | $3,495 | $3,510 | $3,629 | $3,581 | $3,861 | $3,833 | $3,628 | $3,692 | $3,802 | $3,707 | $3,645 | $2,950 |
| Cumberland County | $2,097 | $2,189 | $2,027 | $2,125 | $2,089 | $2,191 | $2,263 | $2,296 | $2,283 | $2,266 | $2,285 | $2,362 | $2,107 |
| Dauphin County | $2,955 | $2,966 | $2,811 | $2,957 | $3,162 | $3,193 | $3,682 | $3,392 | $3,533 | $3,701 | $3,793 | $4,309 | $2,632 |
| Lebanon County | $2,483 | $2,318 | $2,298 | $2,418 | $2,418 | $2,413 | $2,506 | $2,580 | $2,648 | $2,618 | $2,551 | $2,548 | $2,435 |
| York County | $2,960 | $2,969 | $2,897 | $2,998 | $2,927 | $3,177 | $3,192 | $3,248 | $3,156 | $3,262 | $3,387 | $3,316 | $2,889 |
Notes: Figures are in constant 2022 dollars.
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | $34,636,001,485 | $34,848,759,690 | $33,953,443,400 | $34,697,197,221 | $34,914,188,432 | $36,655,802,339 | $37,354,316,035 | $39,374,370,936 | $38,192,840,456 | $39,140,599,638 | $40,371,521,440 | $39,616,590,416 | $35,052,742,099 |
| Lancaster County | $1,236,446,065 | $1,226,707,339 | $1,205,771,664 | $1,237,473,707 | $1,258,909,885 | $1,321,518,474 | $1,337,104,081 | $1,394,913,825 | $1,405,289,708 | $1,430,601,422 | $1,419,367,967 | $1,419,578,838 | $1,345,284,799 |
| Berks County | $1,285,559,382 | $1,268,157,757 | $1,273,534,448 | $1,306,087,722 | $1,264,649,052 | $1,390,218,720 | $1,348,076,647 | $1,423,042,129 | $1,405,125,648 | $1,438,032,659 | $1,461,993,156 | $1,424,488,955 | $1,313,120,656 |
| Chester County | $1,752,674,372 | $1,759,559,504 | $1,776,167,551 | $1,847,498,203 | $1,836,093,418 | $1,988,875,199 | $1,980,850,288 | $1,882,615,335 | $1,927,521,506 | $1,995,905,184 | $1,981,208,256 | $1,971,444,890 | $1,610,388,204 |
| Cumberland County | $493,642,163 | $519,036,714 | $484,947,348 | $512,251,144 | $508,202,982 | $538,418,434 | $559,823,058 | $571,825,593 | $573,421,126 | $574,016,932 | $592,977,419 | $627,418,251 | $565,884,673 |
| Dauphin County | $792,184,381 | $798,576,563 | $759,116,688 | $802,538,528 | $860,750,769 | $872,061,339 | $1,009,556,609 | $935,346,267 | $978,030,339 | $1,030,063,079 | $1,086,311,351 | $1,241,733,734 | $759,999,901 |
| Lebanon County | $331,722,801 | $311,892,367 | $311,489,426 | $328,334,407 | $330,163,149 | $331,753,869 | $347,014,307 | $359,990,281 | $374,216,598 | $371,237,834 | $365,422,993 | $366,373,950 | $350,686,515 |
| York County | $1,287,676,444 | $1,296,631,242 | $1,267,121,619 | $1,315,965,877 | $1,289,359,112 | $1,403,327,971 | $1,416,465,319 | $1,446,992,030 | $1,413,545,330 | $1,464,689,201 | $1,545,993,746 | $1,522,341,262 | $1,331,784,409 |
Notes: Figures are in constant 2022 dollars.
| INDICATORS | TREND |
|---|---|
| Change in Total Jobs | Increasing |
| Change in Employment by Sector | Not Applicable |
| Sector Share of Total Jobs | Not Applicable |
| Workers by Occupation | Not Applicable |
| Change in Labor Force | Maintaining |
| 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 |
