Lancaster, PA vs Philadelphia, PA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Philadelphia, PA and Lancaster, PA spend within 9.6% of each other per resident — $56,272 versus $51,351 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
Lancaster, PA edges Philadelphia, PA on the Fiscal Health Score by 6 points — 51/100 (grade C) to 45/100 (grade D). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
Lancaster, PA reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Philadelphia, PA carries $1,069 per resident. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Lancaster, PA leads with police at $5,263 per resident, while Philadelphia, PA leads with fire protection at $7,082.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 100% of total revenue in Lancaster, PA and 16% in Philadelphia, PA.
Summary
Philadelphia spends 8.7% more per capita than Lancaster ($4,921/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 | $72 | $107 |
| Income Tax | $0 | $8 |
| Intergovernmental | $24,786 | $6,288 |
| Charges & Fees | $0 | $2,790 |
| Other | $4,613 | $4,029 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $5,263 | $1,505 |
| Fire Protection | $4,067 | $7,082 |
| Highways & Roads | $500 | $1,215 |
| Public Welfare | $24 | $1,456 |
| Health | $417 | $229 |
| Hospitals | $6,387 | $4,048 |
| Parks & Recreation | $278 | $593 |
| Housing | $2,619 | $4,902 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $325 |
| Utilities | $7,457 | $4,222 |
| Interest on Debt | $76 | $3 |
| Other | $24,262 | $30,692 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.