Lancaster County, PA

County

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2021 Population

550,480

1.37% 1-year growth

US Senator

Bob Casey Jr.

Democratic Party

US Senator

John Fetterman

Democratic Party

2021 Median Age

38.7

0% 1-year change

2021 Poverty Rate

8.6%

5.62% 1-year decrease

2021 Median Household Income

$73,688

5.89% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$229,300

4.85% 1-year growth

2021 Employed Population

278,774

1.84% 1-year growth

About

In 2021, Lancaster County, PA had a population of 550k people with a median age of 38.7 and a median household income of $73,688. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Lancaster County, PA grew from 543,050 to 550,480, a 1.37% increase and its median household income grew from $69,588 to $73,688, a 5.89% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Lancaster County, PA are White (Non-Hispanic) (80.7%), White (Hispanic) (5.21%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (3.31%), Other (Hispanic) (2.88%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (2.33%).

None of the households in Lancaster County, PA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

97.8% of the residents in Lancaster County, PA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Lancaster County, PA are Millersville University of Pennsylvania (1,672 degrees awarded in 2021), Franklin and Marshall College (699 degrees), and Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences (601 degrees).

In 2021, the median property value in Lancaster County, PA was $229,300, and the homeownership rate was 69.7%.

Most people in Lancaster County, PA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 23.3 minutes. The average car ownership in Lancaster County, PA was 2 cars per household.

Lancaster County, PA borders Cecil County, MD, Harford County, MD, Berks County, PA, Chester County, PA, Dauphin County, PA, Lebanon County, PA, and York County, PA.

Photo by Jerry and Pat Donaho

United States Pennsylvania Lancaster, PA

Population & Diversity

Lancaster County, PA is home to a population of 550k people, from which 97.8% are citizens. As of 2021, 5.54% of Lancaster County, PA residents were born outside of the country (30.5k people).

In 2021, there were 15.5 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (444k people) in Lancaster County, PA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 28.7k White (Hispanic) and 18.2k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

97.8%

2021 Citizenship

97.9%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 97.8% of Lancaster County, PA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Lancaster County, PA was 97.9%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Lancaster County, PA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Lancaster County, PA

White (Non-Hispanic)
444k ± 773
White (Hispanic)
28.7k ± 2.32k
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
18.2k ± 832

11.1%

Hispanic Population

60.9k people

11.1% of the people in Lancaster County, PA are hispanic (60.9k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Lancaster County, PA as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Pennsylvania.

Most Common Origin

India
98,153 ± 7,663 people
Dominican Republic
81,192 ± 6,974 people
China
66,978 ± 6,337 people

In 2021, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Pennsylvania was India, the natal country of 98,153 Pennsylvania residents, followed by Dominican Republic with 81,192 and China with 66,978.

Foreign-Born Population

5.54%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

30.5k people

5.24%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

28.5k people

As of 2021, 5.54% of Lancaster County, PA residents (30.5k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Lancaster County, PA was 5.24%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Lancaster County, PA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
8,963 ± 562
Gulf War (2001-)
3,656 ± 499
Gulf War (1990s)
3,426 ± 532

Lancaster County, PA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.45 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Lancaster County, PA employs 279k people. The largest industries in Lancaster County, PA are Manufacturing (42,285 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (41,933 people), and Retail Trade (33,471 people), and the highest paying industries are Management of Companies & Enterprises ($96,920), Utilities ($90,521), and Public Administration ($61,083).

Males in Pennsylvania have an average income that is 1.33 times higher than the average income of females, which is $57,734. The income inequality in Pennsylvania (measured using the Gini index) is 0.467, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

279k

2021 Value

± 4,194

1.84%

1 Year growth

± 2.09%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Lancaster County, PA grew at a rate of 1.84%, from 274k employees to 279k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Lancaster County, PA, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (29,944 people), Management Occupations (28,831 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (27,169 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Lancaster County, PA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Pennsylvania (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

279k

2021 Value

± 4,194

1.84%

1 Year growth

± 2.09%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Lancaster County, PA grew at a rate of 1.84%, from 274k employees to 279k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Lancaster County, PA, are Manufacturing (42,285 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (41,933 people), and Retail Trade (33,471 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Lancaster County, PA, though some of these residents may live in Lancaster County, PA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$50,975

Median earning men ± $860

$31,827

Median earning women ± $651

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($69,474), Public Administration ($65,419), and Information ($62,270).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Public Administration ($50,187), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($45,880), and Construction ($39,883).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in Pennsylvania. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Pennsylvania.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

4,616
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
3,861
Manufacturing
2,671
Other Services, Except Public Administration

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$7.05M
Manufacturing
$4.25M
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
$1.89M
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Pennsylvania to other states, or from other states to Pennsylvania.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound Pennsylvania product (by dollars) was Pharmaceuticals with $110B, followed by Mixed freight ($76.1B) and Electronics ($43.9B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Pennsylvania products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Pennsylvania.

$722B

2020 Value in Pennsylvania

$1.46T

Projected 2050 Value in Pennsylvania

103% growth

In 2020, total outbound Pennsylvania trade was $722B. This is expected to increase 103% to $1.46T by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Pennsylvania trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Pennsylvania to other states, or from other states to Pennsylvania.

Most Common Trade Partners

New Jersey
$73.7B
New York
$72.6B
Ohio
$36B

In 2020, the top outbound Pennsylvania domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was New Jersey with $73.7B, followed by New York with $72.6B and Ohio and $36B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Pennsylvania shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Lancaster County, PA went to Donald J. Trump with 57.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (41.3%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.49%).

Bob Casey Jr. and John Fetterman are the senators currently representing the state of Pennsylvania. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Pennsylvania is currently represented by 17 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (57.2%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (41.3%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.49%)
Libertarian Party

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Lancaster County, PA for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Pennsylvania

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Pennsylvania.

Bob Casey Jr.

Senator from Pennsylvania

Assumed office on January 3, 2007

John Fetterman

Senator from Pennsylvania

Assumed office on January 3, 2023

Bob Casey Jr. and John Fetterman are the senators currently representing Pennsylvania.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Pennsylvania over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania is currently represented by 17 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Pennsylvania have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2021, universities in Lancaster County, PA awarded 4,917 degrees. The student population of Lancaster County, PA in 2021 is skewed towards women, with 6,910 male students and 10,479 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Lancaster County, PA are White (3,455 and 72.1%), followed by Black or African American (431 and 8.99%), Hispanic or Latino (421 and 8.78%), and Two or More Races (205 and 4.28%).

The largest universities in Lancaster County, PA by number of degrees awarded are Millersville University of Pennsylvania (1,672 and 34%), Franklin and Marshall College (699 and 14.2%), and Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences (601 and 12.2%).

The most popular majors in Lancaster County, PA are Registered Nursing (447 and 9.09%), General Business Administration & Management (262 and 5.33%), and Biblical Studies (178 and 3.62%).

The median tuition costs in Lancaster County, PA are $29,386 for private four year colleges, and $9,570 and $19,290 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2021 in Lancaster County, PA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 67.5%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 23.4%. The number of students enrolled in 2021 was 17,389 (39.7% men and 60.3% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2021 there were 17,389 students enrolled in Lancaster County, PA, 39.7% men and 60.3% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 11,918 records, of which 60.3% were women and 39.7% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Business Administration & Management
238 degree-majors awarded
Registered Nursing
157 degree-majors awarded
General Biological Sciences
150 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Lancaster County, PA was General Business Administration & Management with 238 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Lancaster County, PA according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Millersville University of Pennsylvania
1,672 degrees awarded
Franklin and Marshall College
699 degrees awarded
Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences
601 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Millersville University of Pennsylvania with 1,672 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2021, 1,874 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Lancaster County, PA, which is 0.616 times less than the 3,043 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2021 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 3,455 degrees mean that there were 8.02 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 431 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($29,386) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2021.

Public, 4-year or above ($2,686) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2021.

Public, 2-year ($2,000) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Pennsylvania.

Measure

In 2021, 0.711% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.725% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Pennsylvania.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2021 were High School or Equivalent (3.52M), Bachelors Degree (1.95M), and Some college (1.84M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Lancaster County, PA was $229,300 in 2021, which is 0.936 times smaller than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $218,700 to $229,300, a 4.85% increase. The homeownership rate in Lancaster County, PA is 69.7%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Lancaster County, PA have an average commute time of 23.3 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Lancaster County, PA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Lancaster County, PA is $73,688. In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Lancaster County, PA was Census Tract 135.03 with a value of $130,000, followed by Census Tract 118.01 and Census Tract 119.01, with respective values of $124,167 and $121,932.

In 2022, 14.8% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Lancaster County, PA. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 0.621%.

Housing

Property

$229,300

Median Property Value 2021

±$2,365

$144,547

Median Property Taxes

±$2,722

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Lancaster County, PA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Lancaster County, PA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

69.7%

Homeownership

2021

65.8%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 69.7% of the housing units in Lancaster County, PA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 69.4%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Lancaster County, PA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 135.03
Census Tract 118.01
Census Tract 119.01

In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Lancaster County, PA was Census Tract 135.03 with a value of $130,000, followed by Census Tract 118.01 and Census Tract 119.01, with respective values of $124,167 and $121,932.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Lancaster County, PA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$73,688

Median Household Income

± $1,394

207k

Number of Households

± 3,562

In 2021, the median household income of the 207k households in Lancaster County, PA grew to $73,688 from the previous year's value of $69,588.

The following chart displays the households in Lancaster County, PA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Lancaster County, PA is from Pennsylvania.

0.467

2021 Wage GINI in Pennsylvania

0.466

2020 Wage GINI in Pennsylvania

In 2021, the income inequality in Pennsylvania was 0.467 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.147% growth from 2020 to 2021, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for Pennsylvania was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Pennsylvania in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Pennsylvania across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2021

Drove Alone (75.1%)
Carpooled (10.6%)
Worked At Home (7.98%)

In 2021, 75.1% of workers in Lancaster County, PA drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (10.6%) and those who worked at home (7.98%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

23.3 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Lancaster County, PA have a shorter commute time (23.3 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 2.05% of the workforce in Lancaster County, PA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Lancaster County, PA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Lancaster County, PA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Lancaster County, PA have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2022, 14.8% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Lancaster County, PA. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 0.621%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

8.6% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Lancaster County, PA (46.3k out of 539k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 35 - 44 and then Females 18 - 24.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Lancaster County, PA is White, followed by Hispanic and Other.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2022, 9.8% of the children was living in poverty in Lancaster County, PA. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 7.4%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 170 in Lancaster County, PA. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 5.96 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

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Health

88.3% of the population of Lancaster County, PA has health coverage, with 49.6% on employee plans, 12.7% on Medicaid, 13.6% on Medicare, 11.6% on non-group plans, and 0.8% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Lancaster County, PA see 1375 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.865% decrease from the previous year (1387 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1734 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 602 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.8% were men and 51.2% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,375 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Lancaster County, PA

Primary care physicians in Lancaster County, PA see an average of 1,375 patients per year. This represents a 0.865% decrease from the previous year (1,387 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Lancaster County, PA in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 25.2% under 18 years, 20.6% between 18 and 34 years, 36.8% between 35 and 64 years, and 17.4% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.8% were men and 51.2% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

11.7%

Uninsured

49.6%

Employer Coverage

12.7%

Medicaid

13.6%

Medicare

11.6%

Non-Group

0.8%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Lancaster County, PA grew by 0.06% from 11.7% to 11.7%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Lancaster County, PA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2022, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 46.3 in Lancaster County, PA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Lancaster County, PA.

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2022, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 31.3% in Lancaster County, PA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Lancaster County, PA.

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