Financial Security
Children Living in Poverty

Maintaining


Children Living in Poverty

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What does this measure?

The number of children under 18 who live below the federally defined poverty line, expressed as a percentage of all children under 18. Poverty thresholds vary by family composition and year. In 2021, the threshold for a four-person family with two children was $27,479.

Why is this important?

Children raised in impoverished environments are at higher risk for a wide variety of health and social problems, including poor performance in school. The challenges they face in childhood can diminish their chances for successful adult lives. Studies have found that the stress of living in poverty can cause biological changes in children that can lead to long-term health problems.

How does our county compare?

In 2017-21, 11% of children in Lancaster County lived below the poverty line. This was lower than the statewide and national rate (16% and 17% respectively). The county's rate is unchanged since 2000 - similar to Pennsylvania and the nation.

In the City of Lancaster, 24% of children lived below the poverty line in 2017-21. This was a decrease of 6 percentage points since 2000 and 19 percentage points from 2012-16.

The percentage of children living below the poverty line in Lancaster County in 2017-21 was higher than in Chester (7%) and Cumberland (10%) counties. Lancaster was similar to York (12%) and below Lebanon (17%), Berks (18%) and Dauphin (18%).

Notes about the data

The multiyear figures are from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey. The bureau combined 5 years of responses to the survey to provide estimates for smaller geographic areas and increase the precision of its estimates. However, because the information came from a survey, the samples responding to the survey were not always large enough to produce reliable results, especially in small geographic areas. CGR has noted on data tables the estimates with relatively large margins of error. Estimates with three asterisks have the largest margins, plus or minus 50% or more of the estimate. Two asterisks mean plus or minus 35%-50%, and one asterisk means plus or minus 20%-35%. For all estimates, the confidence level is 90%, meaning there is 90% probability the true value (if the whole population were surveyed) would be within the margin of error (or confidence interval). The survey provides data on characteristics of the population that used to be collected only during the decennial census. Poverty status is not reported for people in institutions, including college dormitories and military barracks, and people in living situations without conventional housing. Data for this indicator are released annually in December.

Children Living in Poverty
20002007-112012-162017-21
Pennsylvania15%18%19%16%
Lancaster County11%14%16%11%
Lancaster City30%42%43%24%
Lancaster County Boroughs
Adamstown borough3%4%***3%***15%***
Akron borough5%5%***8%***10%***
Christiana borough13%23%***18%***12%***
Columbia borough19%41%*34%*22%**
Denver township5%3%***8%***12%***
East Petersburg borough5%5%***4%***6%***
Elizabethtown borough7%7%***12%**13%***
Ephrata borough7%10%***13%*9%**
Lititz borough4%16%***7%***1%***
Manheim borough9%14%***13%***22%**
Marietta borough12%10%***31%**19%***
Millersville borough10%3%***9%***18%***
Mount Joy borough10%12%***15%***20%***
Mountville borough13%6%***42%***0%***
New Holland borough8%29%***21%***0%***
Quarryville borough11%12%***18%**26%**
Strasburg borough5%9%***4%***29%***
Terre Hill borough7%9%***7%***8%***
Lancaster County Townships
Bart township20%12%***17%**2%***
Brecknock township16%5%***7%***1%***
Caernarvon township12%23%*10%***10%***
Clay township8%10%***22%*1%***
Colerain township17%9%***10%**25%*
Conestoga township3%4%***4%***2%***
Conoy township6%2%***21%***13%***
Drumore township8%25%**22%**7%***
Earl township26%15%***14%***20%**
East Cocalico township5%7%***13%**4%***
East Donegal township1%5%***8%***2%***
East Drumore township23%6%***6%***6%***
East Earl township9%4%***19%**10%***
East Hempfield township4%9%***12%**2%***
East Lampeter township11%11%***15%*9%***
Eden township11%16%***19%*11%***
Elizabeth township6%13%***9%***0%***
Ephrata township9%12%***7%***17%**
Fulton township18%19%***17%**14%**
Lancaster township18%17%**21%*20%**
Leacock township20%13%***6%***13%***
Little Britain township20%10%***0%***5%***
Manheim township4%7%**8%**5%**
Manor township4%4%***10%**11%***
Martic township2%19%***10%***5%***
Mount Joy township4%16%**24%***5%***
Paradise township12%14%***20%**17%**
Penn township6%3%***9%***1%***
Pequea township6%11%***0%***29%***
Providence township9%9%***13%***10%***
Rapho township3%17%***1%***3%***
Sadsbury township21%10%***12%***15%*
Salisbury township12%10%***14%**4%***
Strasburg township5%17%***6%***4%***
Upper Leacock township11%13%**30%*13%**
Warwick township6%4%***8%**10%**
West Cocalico township2%5%***7%***14%***
West Donegal township1%3%***2%***4%***
West Earl township10%15%***19%**2%***
West Hempfield township7%7%***7%***5%***
West Lampeter township3%2%***6%***3%***
Berks County13%20%23%18%
Chester County5%6%9%7%
Cumberland County8%9%12%10%
Dauphin County14%19%20%18%
Lebanon County11%15%16%17%
York County9%13%16%12%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%.




Number of Children Living in Poverty
20002007-112012-162017-21
Pennsylvania421,745488,855507,013435,602
Lancaster County13,74018,08420,16813,586
Lancaster City4,4426,4256,1633,106
Lancaster County Boroughs
Adamstown borough822***17***113***
Akron borough4439***68***92***
Christiana borough3561***39***23***
Columbia borough460991*882*397**
Denver township4829***76***118***
East Petersburg borough6248***30***64***
Elizabethtown borough151145***248**250***
Ephrata borough222280***430*290**
Lititz borough82309***130***24***
Manheim borough100141***132***302**
Marietta borough7860***180**86***
Millersville borough8019***78***150***
Mount Joy borough149191***241***377***
Mountville borough5929***340***0***
New Holland borough84313***240***0***
Quarryville borough6069***134**203**
Strasburg borough3567***28***225***
Terre Hill borough2318***24***25***
Lancaster County Townships
Bart township237136***205**24***
Brecknock township346110***131***13***
Caernarvon township165341*144***150***
Clay township127154***386*22***
Colerain township200108***144**332*
Conestoga township2739***31***14***
Conoy township5115***142***91***
Drumore township55257**160**55***
Earl township503303***246***408**
East Cocalico township145190***308**113***
East Donegal township988***176***38***
East Drumore township22051***64***60***
East Earl township17391***388**140***
East Hempfield township208415***629**96***
East Lampeter township366415***629*460***
Eden township70116***118*88***
Elizabeth township70130***96***0***
Ephrata township231295***157***416**
Fulton township165165***144**163**
Lancaster township532530**788*828**
Leacock township348243***107***232***
Little Britain township235159***0***56***
Manheim township283657**667**413**
Manor township159165***438**557***
Martic township35250***114***77***
Mount Joy township97398**636***124***
Paradise township164224***341**290**
Penn township11269***168***23***
Pequea township70114***0***353***
Providence township157175***172***159***
Rapho township77413***31***57***
Sadsbury township201113***161***183*
Salisbury township403394***496**143***
Strasburg township62198***91***59***
Upper Leacock township286341**827*345**
Warwick township256171***354**429**
West Cocalico township46103***143***300***
West Donegal township955***27***60***
West Earl township197290***424**54***
West Hempfield township320284***242***212***
West Lampeter township10163***163***104***
Berks County12,00319,09121,00516,946
Chester County6,0827,92410,4668,864
Cumberland County3,6194,1075,9324,988
Dauphin County8,47111,84712,26511,572
Lebanon County3,1634,3674,8645,317
York County8,01013,28115,57311,618

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%.




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 Maintaining
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 Not Applicable
Population Density Increasing
Air Quality Decreasing
Water Use Decreasing
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 Decreasing
Foreign-Born Population Increasing
Language Diversity Increasing
Change in Total Jobs Increasing
Change in Employment by Sector Not Applicable
Sector Share of Total Jobs Not Applicable
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 2000 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 Maintaining
Children in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty Increasing
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Veterans Living in Poverty Maintaining
Working Poor Maintaining
Median Household Income by Household Type Not Applicable
Median Household Income Maintaining
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Living Wage Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Households Receiving SNAP by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Household Receiving Temporary Assistance Increasing
Students Eligible for Free/Reduced Price Lunch Increasing
Median Home Value Maintaining
Occupied Housing Units Maintaining
Homeownership Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Homeownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Rent Maintaining
Cost of Renting Increasing
Households Without Vehicles Decreasing
Means of Transportation to Work, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Without Health Insurance Increasing
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Health Status Decreasing
Prevalence of Mental Illness 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 Not Applicable
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
Incarceration Rate 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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