Economy
Maintaining
Spending of Local Governments
What does this measure?
The annual per-capita spending for cities, towns, villages, and county within a county, adjusted for inflation.
Why is this important?
Government provides critical services to communities, but the cost to taxpayers can be burdensome and can hinder efforts to attract and retain business.
How does our county compare?
Local governments in Lancaster County spent $1,145 per resident in 2020, up 34% from 2000, but down from a high of $1,921 in 2010.
Local government spending across Pennsylvania was higher than Lancaster, at $1,812 per resident in 2020, an increase of 21% from 2000. Berks, one of Lancaster's neighboring counties, had higher spending of $1,257 per capita in 2020 as well as Chester at $1,172 and Dauphin at $1,171. Cumberland ($998), Lebanon ($702), and York ($824) were significantly below.
Notes about the data
Data are presented in constant 2021 dollars.
Spending of Local Governments
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | $1,611 | $1,588 | $1,719 | $1,717 | $1,722 | $1,744 | $2,458 | $1,771 | $3,034 | $1,900 | $2,154 | $1,987 | $1,976 | $1,939 | $1,925 | $1,850 | $1,855 | $1,845 | $1,891 | $1,930 | $1,956 | $1,844 | $1,842 |
| Lancaster County | $924 | $763 | $980 | $1,004 | $901 | $954 | $1,866 | $1,132 | $541 | $1,389 | $2,075 | $1,464 | $1,928 | $841 | $2,057 | $1,096 | $1,413 | $1,133 | $1,496 | $1,405 | $1,237 | $1,233 | $1,218 |
| Berks County | $1,132 | $1,126 | $1,245 | $1,281 | $1,289 | $1,366 | $1,627 | $1,512 | $1,829 | $1,575 | $1,388 | $1,371 | $1,444 | $1,316 | $1,414 | $1,511 | $1,327 | $1,326 | $1,296 | $1,700 | $1,357 | $1,290 | $1,271 |
| Chester County | $1,047 | $979 | $1,187 | $1,137 | $1,305 | $1,321 | $1,269 | $1,408 | $1,471 | $1,337 | $1,063 | $1,011 | $1,208 | $1,099 | $1,132 | $1,161 | $1,226 | $1,209 | $1,185 | $1,303 | $1,266 | $1,233 | $1,108 |
| Cumberland County | $837 | $778 | $828 | $896 | $883 | $998 | $1,054 | $989 | $877 | $970 | $913 | $1,362 | $1,140 | $1,141 | $1,067 | $1,007 | $1,248 | $1,066 | $985 | $1,330 | $1,078 | $930 | $939 |
| Dauphin County | $1,306 | $1,229 | $1,335 | $1,352 | $1,332 | $1,338 | $1,756 | $1,413 | $2,750 | $1,463 | $959 | $1,930 | $1,549 | $1,541 | $1,581 | $1,275 | $1,414 | $1,251 | $1,287 | $1,404 | $1,264 | $1,261 | $905 |
| Lebanon County | $717 | $516 | $536 | $629 | $617 | $649 | $1,013 | $739 | $825 | $850 | $570 | $694 | $1,081 | $1,130 | $676 | $790 | $799 | $736 | $799 | $787 | $758 | $788 | $702 |
| York County | $980 | $949 | $987 | $1,016 | $1,006 | $1,031 | $1,162 | $1,112 | $1,322 | $1,112 | $1,100 | $1,120 | $926 | $1,067 | $1,011 | $1,022 | $1,064 | $999 | $842 | $911 | $890 | $861 | $893 |
Source: Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development
Notes: Figures are in constant 2022 dollars.
Notes: Figures are in constant 2022 dollars.
Total Spending of Local Governments
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | $18,659,492,297 | $18,938,737,767 | $20,561,651,940 | $20,979,526,667 | $20,858,338,215 | $21,068,840,287 | $15,437,416,957 | $21,656,146,540 | $17,187,002,687 | $23,849,761,367 | $18,431,212,104 | $18,246,384,769 | $19,465,606,676 | $20,195,512,392 | $20,902,444,393 | $23,208,882,370 | $23,258,410,751 | $23,099,236,735 | $23,433,315,981 | $24,118,308,367 | $24,473,064,381 | $23,430,520,710 | $22,637,693,883 |
| Lancaster County | $390,811,664 | $311,242,410 | $450,846,628 | $472,327,673 | $424,031,382 | $449,101,512 | $228,874,020 | $532,660,888 | $15,162,870 | $653,806,278 | $68,763,694 | $71,582,028 | $183,827,863 | $71,612,267 | $316,791,243 | $569,188,311 | $732,019,088 | $587,263,686 | $775,229,289 | $728,160,849 | $631,919,555 | $670,999,591 | $590,855,195 |
| Berks County | $380,498,954 | $411,994,867 | $461,811,972 | $475,234,941 | $478,406,529 | $506,825,859 | $543,587,458 | $549,449,448 | $530,838,540 | $572,455,734 | $561,188,424 | $549,578,769 | $594,209,595 | $537,354,988 | $581,847,447 | $619,191,569 | $545,767,785 | $545,625,707 | $533,169,033 | $699,490,977 | $558,458,291 | $553,019,024 | $527,329,001 |
| Chester County | $392,808,786 | $390,820,362 | $514,718,282 | $492,837,239 | $556,007,369 | $572,813,614 | $314,604,672 | $610,337,953 | $125,970,124 | $572,829,349 | $500,589,047 | $276,286,787 | $585,722,306 | $547,301,181 | $564,825,381 | $577,673,345 | $610,232,691 | $603,142,787 | $569,468,300 | $650,260,953 | $631,710,143 | $658,876,265 | $573,395,823 |
| Cumberland County | $156,367,704 | $161,187,726 | $167,776,022 | $188,489,123 | $177,782,106 | $208,468,445 | $46,283,870 | $212,507,583 | $21,624,674 | $207,921,224 | $61,229,481 | $170,023,416 | $113,835,775 | $99,296,282 | $146,537,899 | $236,786,626 | $293,424,242 | $250,576,698 | $231,637,083 | $312,777,518 | $253,562,384 | $240,023,632 | $242,288,044 |
| Dauphin County | $303,708,596 | $309,397,325 | $328,954,376 | $340,430,596 | $326,639,648 | $336,846,167 | $196,499,814 | $354,876,506 | $174,367,050 | $368,499,044 | $94,177,205 | $213,917,697 | $249,704,405 | $285,654,660 | $305,232,382 | $341,726,259 | $379,112,160 | $334,458,852 | $344,067,123 | $375,462,334 | $334,174,276 | $360,229,313 | $210,738,966 |
| Lebanon County | $81,506,295 | $49,457,725 | $51,347,753 | $75,644,267 | $74,219,870 | $78,098,421 | $3,210,862 | $88,850,185 | $3,728,545 | $102,285,027 | $7,654,267 | $8,092,825 | $45,042,516 | $40,579,642 | $39,284,865 | $105,531,145 | $106,667,245 | $98,249,945 | $106,676,290 | $105,130,269 | $101,265,274 | $112,852,170 | $100,486,692 |
| York County | $327,839,753 | $358,715,891 | $363,256,215 | $385,998,432 | $382,499,901 | $391,939,087 | $230,959,479 | $422,836,899 | $286,567,410 | $422,572,428 | $365,437,814 | $484,559,169 | $359,613,285 | $463,743,909 | $435,796,090 | $440,640,119 | $458,616,346 | $429,938,593 | $325,785,413 | $352,323,121 | $348,155,034 | $354,322,357 | $363,244,458 |
Source: Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development
Notes: Figures are in constant 2022 dollars.
Notes: Figures are in constant 2022 dollars.
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