Lancaster County, PA

County

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2024 Population

557,931

US Senator

John Fetterman

Democratic Party

US Senator

Dave McCormick

Republican Party

2024 Median Age

39.4

0.767% 1-year increase

2024 Poverty Rate

8.19%

5.84% 1-year decrease

2024 Median Household Income

$86,959

3.89% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$301,100

7.77% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

281,193

0.4% 1-year growth

About

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 (1,613 degrees awarded in 2023), Franklin and Marshall College (636 degrees), and Elizabethtown College (603 degrees).

In 2024, the median property value in Lancaster County, PA was $301,100, and the homeownership rate was 69.8%.

Most people in Lancaster County, PA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 23.8 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 558k people, from which 97.8% are citizens. As of 2024, 5.55% of Lancaster County, PA residents were born outside of the country (31k people).

In 2024, there were 21.6 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (441k people) in Lancaster County, PA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 20.4k Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) and 19.9k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

97.8%

2024 Citizenship

97.9%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 97.8% of Lancaster County, PA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, 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)
441k ± 949
Two Races Including Other (Hispanic)
20.4k ± 1.8k
Other (Hispanic)
19.9k ± 1.82k

11.5%

Hispanic Population

64.3k people

11.5% of the people in Lancaster County, PA are hispanic (64.3k people).

The following chart shows the 8 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
99,504 ± 7,715 people
Dominican Republic
93,569 ± 7,483 people
China
70,789 ± 6,514 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Pennsylvania was India, the natal country of 99,504 Pennsylvania residents, followed by Dominican Republic with 93,569 and China with 70,789.

Foreign-Born Population

5.55%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

31k people

5.4%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

30k people

As of 2024, 5.55% of Lancaster County, PA residents (31k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Lancaster County, PA was 5.4%, 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
8,460 ± 592
Gulf War (2001-)
4,743 ± 530
Gulf War (1990s)
3,570 ± 503

Lancaster County, PA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.78 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Lancaster County, PA.

Economy

The economy of Lancaster County, PA employs 281k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Lancaster County, PA were Health Care & Social Assistance (43,416 people), Manufacturing (40,347 people), and Retail Trade (33,192 people), and the highest paying industries were Management of Companies & Enterprises ($121,776), Utilities ($85,676), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($75,152).

Employment

Occupations

281k

2024 Value

± 4,310

0.4%

1 Year growth

± 2.15%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Lancaster County, PA grew at a rate of 0.4%, from 280k employees to 281k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Lancaster County, PA, are Management Occupations (30,611 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (29,593 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (24,711 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 Pennsylvania.

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.

Industries

Employment by Industries

281k

2024 Value

± 4,310

0.4%

1 Year growth

± 2.15%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Lancaster County, PA grew at a rate of 0.4%, from 280k employees to 281k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Lancaster County, PA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (43,416 people), Manufacturing (40,347 people), and Retail Trade (33,192 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

$60,168

Median earning men ± $822

$37,988

Median earning women ± $1,001

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($84,952), Public Administration ($77,323), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($72,547).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Public Administration ($58,624), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($53,866), and Construction ($51,798).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

2.78%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 6.03M people employed in Pennsylvania. This represents a 2.78% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 18.1%.

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

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

1,139
Construction
1,034
Other Services (except Public Administration)
708
Retail Trade

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

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$2.55M
Manufacturing
$2.32M
Health Care and Social Assistance
$1.53M
Construction

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

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Pennsylvania went to Donald J. Trump with 50.4% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (48.7%), followed by Jill Stein (0.491%).

John Fetterman and Dave McCormick 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

Voting results are not available for Lancaster County, PA. Showing the available data for Pennsylvania.

2024 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (50.4%)
Republican Party
Kamala Harris (48.7%)
Democratic Party
Jill Stein (0.491%)
Green Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Pennsylvania went to Donald J. Trump with 50.4% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (48.7%), followed by Jill Stein (0.491%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Pennsylvania for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Pennsylvania

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

John Fetterman

Senator from Pennsylvania

Assumed office on January 3, 2023

Dave McCormick

Senator from Pennsylvania

Assumed office on January 3, 2025

John Fetterman and Dave McCormick 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.

Education

In 2023, universities in Lancaster County, PA awarded 4,806 degrees. The student population of Lancaster County, PA in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 7,366 male students and 10,294 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Lancaster County, PA are White (3,360 and 72.7%), Hispanic or Latino (466 and 10.1%), Black or African American (426 and 9.22%), and Unknown (124 and 2.68%).

The largest universities in Lancaster County, PA by number of degrees awarded are Millersville University of Pennsylvania (1,613 and 33.6%), Franklin and Marshall College (636 and 13.2%), and Elizabethtown College (603 and 12.5%).

The most popular majors in Lancaster County, PA are Registered Nursing (345 and 7.18%), General Business Administration & Management (247 and 5.14%), and General Biological Sciences (144 and 3%).

The median tuition costs in Lancaster County, PA are $31,438 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 2023 in Lancaster County, PA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 59.5%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 24.1%. The number of students enrolled in 2023 was 17,660 (41.7% men and 58.3% 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 2023 there were 17,660 students enrolled in Lancaster County, PA, 41.7% men and 58.3% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 11,893 records, of which 58.7% were women and 41.3% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Business Administration & Management
204 degrees awarded
General Biological Sciences
144 degrees awarded
Nursing School
113 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Lancaster County, PA was General Business Administration & Management with 204 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
1,613 degrees awarded
Franklin and Marshall College
636 degrees awarded
Elizabethtown College
603 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Millersville University of Pennsylvania with 1,613 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2023, 1,886 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Lancaster County, PA, which is 0.646 times less than the 2,920 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 3,360 degrees mean that there were 7.21 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 466 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 ($31,438) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Public, 4-year or above ($2,692) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

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.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Lancaster County, PA was $301,100 in 2024, which is 0.905 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $279,400 to $301,100, a 7.77% increase. The homeownership rate in Lancaster County, PA is 69.8%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Lancaster County, PA have an average commute time of 23.8 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.

In 2025, 13.8% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Lancaster County, PA. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 0.364%.

Housing

Property

$301,100

Median Property Value 2024

±$4,176

$148,550

Median Property Taxes

±$2,800

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

69.8%

Homeownership

2024

64.4%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 69.8% of the housing units in Lancaster County, PA were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 69.9%.

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

Equity

Household Income

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

$86,959

Median Household Income

± $1,323

213k

Number of Households

± 3,693

In 2024, the median household income of the 213k households in Lancaster County, PA grew to $86,959 from the previous year's value of $83,703.

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.

0.463

2023 Wage GINI in Pennsylvania

0.466

2022 Wage GINI in Pennsylvania

In 2023, the income inequality in Pennsylvania was 0.463 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.564% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Pennsylvania was lower than than the national average of 0.476. 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 2024

Drove Alone (71.8%)
Worked At Home (11.6%)
Carpooled (10%)

In 2024, 71.8% of workers in Lancaster County, PA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (11.6%) and those who carpooled to work (10%).

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

23.8 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Lancaster County, PA have a shorter commute time (23.8 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 2.22% 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 2025, 13.8% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Lancaster County, PA. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 0.364%.

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

Poverty & Diversity

8.19% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Lancaster County, PA (44.4k out of 542k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 35 - 44 and then Females 75+.

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

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 2025, 11.5% of the children was living in poverty in Lancaster County, PA. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 5.7%.

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.

Health

88.8% of the population of Lancaster County, PA has health coverage, with 48.5% on employee plans, 12.8% on Medicaid, 14.8% on Medicare, 12% on non-group plans, and 0.832% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Lancaster County, PA see 1,384 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,384 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1692 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 486 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.3% were men and 50.7% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,384 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Lancaster County, PA

Primary care physicians in Lancaster County, PA see an average of 1,384 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,384 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 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 24.6% under 18 years, 20.5% between 18 and 34 years, 35.9% between 35 and 64 years, and 19% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.3% were men and 50.7% were women.

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

Uninsured People

11.2%

Uninsured

48.5%

Employer Coverage

12.8%

Medicaid

14.8%

Medicare

12%

Non-Group

0.832%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Lancaster County, PA grew by 1.37% from 11% to 11.2%.

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 2025, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 51.3 in Lancaster County, PA.

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

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2025, 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 35.7% in Lancaster County, PA.

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