Median household income is a gauge of the overall economic health of the region and the financial resources of residents. Incomes for particular household types also may indicate needs for social supports.

In 2016-20, median incomes in Lancaster County were lowest for households headed by single women with children, at $30,660. Incomes for households headed by single men with children were significantly higher, at $48,596. Married couple households had a median income of $88,675 without children and $95,831 with children. Half of all households experienced slight declines in income since 2000 (after inflation).

In the City of Lancaster, incomes for all groups were lower than Lancaster County as a whole. Married couples with children had a slightly higher median income ($76,799) than married couples without children ($73,759). Since 2000, income increased for all types of households.

Lancaster County had lower incomes for married couples with children than surrounding counties (excepting Lebanon) but was near the middle of this group of neighboring counties for incomes for all other household types.

Figures are in constant 2020 dollars. The multiyear figures are from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey. The bureau combined 5 years of responses to the survey to provide estimates for smaller geographic areas and increase the precision of its estimates. However, because the information came from a survey, the samples responding to the survey were not always large enough to produce reliable results, especially in small geographic areas. CGR has noted on data tables the estimates with relatively large margins of error. Estimates with 3 asterisks have the largest margins, plus or minus 50% or more of the estimate. Two asterisks mean plus or minus 35%-50%, and one asterisk means plus or minus 20%-35%. For all estimates, the confidence level is 90%, meaning there is 90% probability the true value (if the whole population were surveyed) would be within the margin of error (or confidence interval). The survey provides data on characteristics of the population that used to be collected only during the decennial census. Data for this indicator are released annually in December.