Financial Security
Stable Household Budget Cost

Not Available


Stable Household Budget Cost, 2023

What does this measure?

The level of income needed for households of different sizes and types in a region to have a stable budget. This is calculated by United for ALICE and includes costs for both necessities such as housing and food as well as 10% savings for emergencies or for longer-term goals like additional education or buying a home.

Why is this important?

The level of income needed to afford living expenses often exceeds the minimum wage, forcing some employed in lower wage jobs to have multiple jobs or seek public assistance to make ends meet. Understanding the true level of income required to cover housing, food, clothing, childcare, transportation and medical expenses provides a more accurate benchmark for assessing the jobs available in a region or local area.

How does our county compare?

In Lancaster County in 2023, a single adult would need to earn about $16.50/hour to have a stable household budget, but a single adult with a child in childcare would need $27/hour. Two adults with two children need to earn a combined $38/hour and 2 adults age 65 or older would need about $28.60. These costs are all a bit higher than the comparable costs for the state as a whole, and above regional counties except for Chester. Lancaster's stable household budget levels are very similar to Dauphin County's.

Notes about the data

Information on the ALICE definition and methodology is available on the United for ALICE website:https://www.unitedforalice.org/methodology.

Stable Household Budget Cost, 2023
1 Adult, 1 Child in Child Care2 Adults, 2 Children2 Adults, 65+Single Adult
Pennsylvania$24.71$35.21$26.69$14.98
Lancaster County$26.98$38.42$28.64$16.53
York County$25.38$36.35$27.67$15.40
Lebanon County$25.44$36.26$26.73$15.38
Dauphin County$26.76$37.71$28.78$15.94
Cumberland County$26.95$38.09$28.58$16.06
Chester County$33.08$44.50$31.75$18.80
Berks County$25.76$36.58$27.91$15.20

Source: United Way




Annual Income, 2023
1 Adult, 1 Child in Child Care2 Adults, 2 Children2 Adults, 65+Single Adult
Pennsylvania$49,428$70,416$53,376$29,964
Lancaster County$53,964$76,848$57,276$33,060
York County$50,760$72,696$55,332$30,792
Lebanon County$50,880$72,528$53,460$30,768
Dauphin County$53,520$75,420$57,564$31,872
Cumberland County$53,892$76,176$57,168$32,124
Chester County$66,156$89,004$63,492$37,608
Berks County$51,528$73,164$55,812$30,396

Source: United Way




INDICATORS TREND
Prekindergarten Participation Increasing
Student Performance on Grade 3 English Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math Not Applicable
High School Cohort Graduation Rate Increasing
Per-Student Spending Maintaining
Students Receiving Special Education Services Increasing
Rate of Foster Care Admissions Maintaining
Disengaged Youth Decreasing
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
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 Decreasing
Population Density Increasing
Air Quality Increasing
Water Use Maintaining
Waterways Impaired by Pollution Not Applicable
Change in Population Increasing
Change in Population by Age and Gender Not Applicable
Population by Age Not Applicable
Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People with Disabilities Increasing
Foreign-Born Population Increasing
Language Diversity Maintaining
Change in Total Jobs Maintaining
Change in Employment by Sector Not Applicable
Sector Share of Total Jobs Increasing
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 2010 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 Decreasing
Children in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty Decreasing
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Veterans Living in Poverty Increasing
Working Poor Maintaining
Median Household Income by Household Type Not Applicable
Median Household Income Maintaining
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Households Below ALICE Threshold Increasing
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Stable Household Budget Cost Not Applicable
Households Receiving SNAP by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Household Receiving Temporary Assistance Maintaining
Students Eligible for Free/Reduced Price Lunch Increasing
Median Home Value Maintaining
Occupied Housing Units Increasing
Homeownership Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Homeownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Rent Maintaining
Cost of Renting Decreasing
Households Without Vehicles Maintaining
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
Rate of Depression Diagnosis Maintaining
Adults Who are Overweight or Obese Not Applicable
Mortality Rates Decreasing
Mortality Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Increasing
Fatal Drug Overdoses Increasing
Cancer Incidence Decreasing
Households With Internet Access Increasing
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
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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