Allentown, PA vs Lancaster, PA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Lancaster, PA outspends Allentown, PA by a wide margin per resident — $51,351 versus $15,252, a 237% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Allentown, PA holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 68/100 (grade B) against 51/100 (grade C) for Lancaster, PA — a 17-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Neither city reports outstanding debt per resident in its current Census filing, which removes debt service as a point of difference between them. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Allentown, PA leads with parks and recreation at $620 per resident, while Lancaster, PA leads with police at $5,263.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Allentown, PA at 42% of total revenue, whereas Lancaster, PA relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 100%.
Summary
Lancaster spends 70.3% more per capita than Allentown ($36,098/person difference). Allentown, PA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 68/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $37 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $55 | $72 |
| Income Tax | $1,166 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $210 | $24,786 |
| Other | $3,410 | $4,613 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $5,263 |
| Fire Protection | $333 | $4,067 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $500 |
| Public Welfare | $1,275 | $24 |
| Health | $0 | $417 |
| Hospitals | $1,505 | $6,387 |
| Parks & Recreation | $620 | $278 |
| Housing | $3,312 | $2,619 |
| Utilities | $2,206 | $7,457 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $76 |
| Other | $6,001 | $24,262 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.