Reading, PA vs Lancaster, PA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Lancaster, PA outspends Reading, PA by a wide margin per resident — $51,351 versus $16,327, a 215% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Reading, PA holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 86/100 (grade A) against 51/100 (grade C) for Lancaster, PA — a 35-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Lancaster, PA reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Reading, PA carries $87 per resident. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Reading, PA leads with parks and recreation at $826 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 Reading, PA at 28% of total revenue, whereas Lancaster, PA relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 100%.
Summary
Lancaster spends 68.2% more per capita than Reading ($35,023/person difference). Reading, PA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 86/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $47 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $60 | $72 |
| Income Tax | $956 | $0 |
| Intergovernmental | $767 | $24,786 |
| Charges & Fees | $3,742 | $0 |
| Other | $6,157 | $4,613 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $0 | $5,263 |
| Fire Protection | $256 | $4,067 |
| Highways & Roads | $92 | $500 |
| Public Welfare | $1,502 | $24 |
| Health | $180 | $417 |
| Hospitals | $672 | $6,387 |
| Parks & Recreation | $826 | $278 |
| Housing | $4,415 | $2,619 |
| Utilities | $3,304 | $7,457 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $76 |
| Other | $5,080 | $24,262 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.