Erie, PA vs Lancaster, PA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Lancaster, PA spends 18% more per resident than Erie, PA: $51,351 against $43,394. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Lancaster, PA holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 51/100 (grade C) against 42/100 (grade D) for Erie, PA — a 9-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. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: police leads in Erie, PA at $3,410 per resident and in Lancaster, PA at $5,263.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Erie, PA at 200% of total revenue, whereas Lancaster, PA relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 100%.
Summary
Lancaster spends 15.5% more per capita than Erie ($7,957/person difference). Lancaster, PA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 51/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Sales Tax | $0 | $72 |
| Intergovernmental | $3,241 | $24,786 |
| Other | $6,483 | $4,613 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $3,410 | $5,263 |
| Fire Protection | $534 | $4,067 |
| Highways & Roads | $1,399 | $500 |
| Public Welfare | $61 | $24 |
| Health | $788 | $417 |
| Hospitals | $403 | $6,387 |
| Parks & Recreation | $0 | $278 |
| Housing | $0 | $2,619 |
| Sewerage | $76 | $0 |
| Utilities | $21,061 | $7,457 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $76 |
| Other | $15,662 | $24,262 |
Compare More Cities
Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.