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.
| 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | 35% | 35% | 35% | 36% | 39% | 39% | 41% | 43% | 43% | 48% | 50% | 51% | 53% | 54% | 54% | 66% | 22% | 60% |
| Lancaster County | 27% | 28% | 29% | 32% | 34% | 36% | 37% | 40% | 41% | 44% | 47% | 46% | 47% | 48% | 48% | 49% | 52% | |
| Berks County | 32% | 32% | 34% | 37% | 39% | 40% | 41% | 43% | 44% | 48% | 47% | 52% | 51% | 52% | 53% | 84% | 80% | 58% |
| Chester County | 14% | 15% | 15% | 16% | 17% | 17% | 18% | 20% | 20% | 23% | 24% | 25% | 26% | 26% | 28% | 28% | 34% | |
| Cumberland County | 16% | 17% | 18% | 19% | 22% | 22% | 23% | 25% | 25% | 27% | 28% | 29% | 30% | 31% | 31% | 26% | 38% | |
| Dauphin County | 37% | 38% | 38% | 41% | 41% | 41% | 43% | 45% | 46% | 52% | 52% | 53% | 58% | 59% | 59% | 47% | 24% | 64% |
| Lebanon County | 27% | 27% | 28% | 30% | 34% | 35% | 37% | 39% | 41% | 41% | 48% | 47% | 51% | 50% | 51% | 100% | 54% | |
| York County | 25% | 26% | 27% | 29% | 32% | 32% | 35% | 37% | 38% | 41% | 43% | 44% | 44% | 44% | 45% | 99% | 48% |
| 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | 1,278,683 | 1,290,461 | 1,287,674 | 1,326,988 | 1,398,271 | 1,419,916 | 1,466,434 | 1,554,503 | 776,334 | 850,937 | 897,429 | 899,670 | 923,060 | 937,790 | 946,770 | 98,616 | 1,569 | 1,006,531 |
| Lancaster County | 19,359 | 20,703 | 21,185 | 22,612 | 24,286 | 25,621 | 26,219 | 27,757 | 28,829 | 29,897 | 30,621 | 32,398 | 32,787 | 33,452 | 33,093 | 2,720 | 33,468 | |
| Berks County | 22,310 | 22,397 | 24,488 | 25,996 | 27,533 | 28,436 | 29,209 | 30,476 | 31,306 | 33,418 | 34,341 | 35,103 | 35,755 | 36,273 | 36,871 | 316 | 215 | 39,720 |
| Chester County | 10,307 | 10,696 | 11,008 | 12,295 | 13,015 | 13,547 | 14,362 | 15,939 | 16,180 | 17,836 | 17,720 | 17,818 | 18,561 | 18,674 | 20,420 | 1,619 | 23,533 | |
| Cumberland County | 4,559 | 4,936 | 5,238 | 5,750 | 6,495 | 6,561 | 7,086 | 7,661 | 7,808 | 8,238 | 8,543 | 9,000 | 9,394 | 9,788 | 10,122 | 496 | 12,288 | |
| Dauphin County | 15,330 | 15,524 | 15,493 | 16,406 | 16,589 | 16,332 | 16,874 | 17,423 | 17,712 | 19,248 | 19,437 | 19,159 | 22,091 | 22,399 | 22,753 | 9,832 | 176 | 24,532 |
| Lebanon County | 5,256 | 5,188 | 5,411 | 5,737 | 6,596 | 6,838 | 7,132 | 7,662 | 8,129 | 8,450 | 9,553 | 9,598 | 9,264 | 10,508 | 10,435 | 5,081 | 10,948 | |
| York County | 16,823 | 17,997 | 18,885 | 19,900 | 21,685 | 21,703 | 24,184 | 25,504 | 26,285 | 28,549 | 30,033 | 30,148 | 30,069 | 31,023 | 31,222 | 6,003 | 32,876 |
| INDICATORS | TREND |
|---|---|
| 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 | Maintaining |
| Working Poor | Decreasing |
| 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 | Maintaining |
| 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 | Maintaining |
| Means of Transportation to Work, by Race/Ethnicity | Not Applicable |
