Financial Security

Increasing


Students Eligible for Free/Reduced Price Lunch

What does this measure?

The number of students eligible for free or reduced price lunch as a percentage of total K-12 enrollment. Students are eligible for free lunch if their family's income is at or below 130% of the federal poverty threshold and for reduced price lunch if income is 130-185% of that threshold.

Why is this important?

This measure not only shows the proportion of low-income students and families in an area, but is also an indication of the potential challenges facing schools as they work to educate children who have fewer resources.

How does our county compare?

In 2023, 52% of students in Lancaster County were eligible for a free or reduced-price lunch, below the statewide rate of 60%. Among comparison counties, Lancaster was below Berks, Dauphin and Lebanon, but above Chester, Cumberland and York. All areas have experienced an increase since 2006. Lancaster's rate increased by 25 percentage points, slightly lower than the increases in Dauphin and Lebanon (both up 27 percentage points), similar to Berks (26 percentage points), and higher than York (23 points), Cumberland (22 points) and Chester (20 points).

Notes about the data

Due to administrative changes during the pandemic aimed at easing access to food, data is not available for some counties for 2022.

Students Eligible for Free/Reduced Price Lunch
200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023
Pennsylvania35%35%35%36%39%39%41%43%43%48%50%51%53%54%54%66%22%60%
Lancaster County27%28%29%32%34%36%37%40%41%44%47%46%47%48%48%49%52%
Berks County32%32%34%37%39%40%41%43%44%48%47%52%51%52%53%84%80%58%
Chester County14%15%15%16%17%17%18%20%20%23%24%25%26%26%28%28%34%
Cumberland County16%17%18%19%22%22%23%25%25%27%28%29%30%31%31%26%38%
Dauphin County37%38%38%41%41%41%43%45%46%52%52%53%58%59%59%47%24%64%
Lebanon County27%27%28%30%34%35%37%39%41%41%48%47%51%50%51%100%54%
York County25%26%27%29%32%32%35%37%38%41%43%44%44%44%45%99%48%

Source: Pennsylvania Department of Education




Number of Students Eligible for Free/Reduced Price Lunch
200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023
Pennsylvania1,278,6831,290,4611,287,6741,326,9881,398,2711,419,9161,466,4341,554,503776,334850,937897,429899,670923,060937,790946,77098,6161,5691,006,531
Lancaster County19,35920,70321,18522,61224,28625,62126,21927,75728,82929,89730,62132,39832,78733,45233,0932,72033,468
Berks County22,31022,39724,48825,99627,53328,43629,20930,47631,30633,41834,34135,10335,75536,27336,87131621539,720
Chester County10,30710,69611,00812,29513,01513,54714,36215,93916,18017,83617,72017,81818,56118,67420,4201,61923,533
Cumberland County4,5594,9365,2385,7506,4956,5617,0867,6617,8088,2388,5439,0009,3949,78810,12249612,288
Dauphin County15,33015,52415,49316,40616,58916,33216,87417,42317,71219,24819,43719,15922,09122,39922,7539,83217624,532
Lebanon County5,2565,1885,4115,7376,5966,8387,1327,6628,1298,4509,5539,5989,26410,50810,4355,08110,948
York County16,82317,99718,88519,90021,68521,70324,18425,50426,28528,54930,03330,14830,06931,02331,2226,00332,876

Source: Pennsylvania Department of Education




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