Financial Security
Students Eligible for Free/Reduced Price Lunch

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 2026, 53% of students in Lancaster County were eligible for a free or reduced-price lunch, below the statewide rate of 63%.

Among comparison counties, Lancaster's rate was similar to Lebanon at 54%, below Berks and Dauphin, and above Chester, Cumberland and York.

All counties experienced an increase since 2017. Lancaster's rate increased by 7 percentage points similar to Lebanon. Dauphin County increased the most by 19 percentage points since 2017 while York had the smallest increase at 4 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
200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023202420252026
Pennsylvania35%35%35%36%39%39%41%43%43%48%50%51%53%54%54%66%22%60%63%64%63%
Lancaster County27%28%29%32%34%36%37%40%41%44%47%46%47%48%48%49%52%55%54%53%
Berks County32%32%34%37%39%40%41%43%44%48%47%52%51%52%53%84%80%58%62%61%60%
Chester County14%15%15%16%17%17%18%20%20%23%24%25%26%26%28%28%34%36%35%34%
Cumberland County16%17%18%19%22%22%23%25%25%27%28%29%30%31%31%26%38%41%39%38%
Dauphin County37%38%38%41%41%41%43%45%46%52%52%53%58%59%59%47%24%64%68%72%72%
Lebanon County27%27%28%30%34%35%37%39%41%41%48%47%51%50%51%100%54%56%56%54%
York County25%26%27%29%32%32%35%37%38%41%43%44%44%44%45%99%48%52%52%48%

Source: Pennsylvania Department of Education




Number of Students Eligible for Free/Reduced Price Lunch
200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023202420252026
Pennsylvania1,278,6831,290,4611,287,6741,326,9881,398,2711,419,9161,466,4341,554,503776,334850,937897,429899,670923,060937,790946,77098,6161,5691,006,5311,049,9801,052,8221,028,534
Lancaster County19,35920,70321,18522,61224,28625,62126,21927,75728,82929,89730,62132,39832,78733,45233,0932,72033,46835,64035,44133,959
Berks County22,31022,39724,48825,99627,53328,43629,20930,47631,30633,41834,34135,10335,75536,27336,87131621539,72041,26541,31039,482
Chester County10,30710,69611,00812,29513,01513,54714,36215,93916,18017,83617,72017,81818,56118,67420,4201,61923,53324,76823,87222,550
Cumberland County4,5594,9365,2385,7506,4956,5617,0867,6617,8088,2388,5439,0009,3949,78810,12249612,28813,64613,48013,028
Dauphin County15,33015,52415,49316,40616,58916,33216,87417,42317,71219,24819,43719,15922,09122,39922,7539,83217624,53225,72027,43427,238
Lebanon County5,2565,1885,4115,7376,5966,8387,1327,6628,1298,4509,5539,5989,26410,50810,4355,08110,94811,23610,97610,471
York County16,82317,99718,88519,90021,68521,70324,18425,50426,28528,54930,03330,14830,06931,02331,2226,00332,87635,44335,51332,212

Source: Pennsylvania Department of Education
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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 Decreasing
Waterways Impaired by Pollution Decreasing
Change in Population Increasing
Change in Population by Age and Sex Not Applicable
Population by Age Not Applicable
Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People with Disabilities Increasing
Foreign-Born Population Increasing
Language Diversity Increasing
Change in Total Jobs Increasing
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 Decreasing
Working Poor Decreasing
Median Household Income by Household Type Not Applicable
Median Household Income Maintaining
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Households Below ALICE Threshold Decreasing
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Stable Household Budget Cost Maintaining
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 Maintaining
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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