Berks Vital Signs

Economy

Spending of School Districts

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Spending of School Districts

What does this measure?

The annual per capita spending for public education in a county, adjusted for inflation.

Why is this important?

Free public education was long ago embraced as a cornerstone of a fair society. Schools must prepare the next generation to become productive members of society and compete in the global economy. Yet the cost of public education has been rising more rapidly than many other goods and services and can become a burden to taxpayers, particularly those on fixed incomes or whose incomes are not keeping pace with tax increases

How is our region doing?

Schools in Berks County spent $2,870 per resident in 2018, up 40% from $2,046 in 2001. Berk's spent more per resident than Pennsylvania in 2018, and has spent more than the state each year since 2001.

Compared to neighboring counties, Berks spent more per resident than Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, and Schuylkill in 2018, but less than Chester and Montgomery. At $3,168, Chester County had the highest school spending per resident, while Lancaster County (at $2,218) spent the least.

Notes about the data

For additional detail as to how the Berks County regions are defined and which boroughs and townships are included in each, see the About Us page.

There may be additional research available on this topic. Click on Reports and Resources to learn more.

Figures are in constant 2018 dollars.

Spending of School Districts

	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018
Pennsylvania	$1,872	$1,941	$1,992	$2,077	$2,118	$2,173	$2,209	$2,235	$2,297	$2,340	$2,346	$2,282	$2,330	$2,342	$2,460	$2,507	$2,641	$2,559
Berks County	$2,046	$2,074	$2,129	$2,196	$2,287	$2,355	$2,484	$2,471	$2,591	$2,680	$2,635	$2,643	$2,707	$2,617	$2,873	$2,782	$2,924	$2,870
Berks County Regions
Central
Northeast
South
Southeast
West
Reading city
Berks County Peers
Chester County	$2,175	$2,260	$2,366	$2,506	$2,577	$2,678	$2,768	$2,818	$2,954	$3,013	$2,999	$3,011	$3,113	$3,072	$3,313	$3,289	$3,113	$3,168
Lancaster County	$1,705	$1,727	$1,777	$1,815	$1,819	$1,845	$1,943	$1,977	$2,049	$2,042	$2,009	$1,964	$2,003	$2,025	$2,117	$2,132	$2,212	$2,218
Lebanon County	$1,683	$1,758	$1,736	$1,777	$1,821	$1,849	$1,950	$2,041	$2,059	$2,131	$1,990	$1,972	$2,075	$2,075	$2,070	$2,150	$2,213	$2,272
Lehigh County	$1,774	$1,825	$1,862	$1,945	$2,006	$2,050	$2,118	$2,130	$2,235	$2,278	$2,311	$2,281	$2,294	$2,361	$2,436	$2,550	$2,633	$2,667
Montgomery County	$2,052	$2,138	$2,229	$2,353	$2,408	$2,527	$2,562	$2,589	$2,645	$2,656	$2,626	$2,600	$2,629	$2,668	$2,781	$2,822	$3,065	$3,019
Schuylkill County	$1,604	$1,673	$1,868	$1,715	$1,929	$1,820	$1,748	$1,775	$1,898	$2,040	$1,883	$2,082	$1,895	$2,055	$2,351	$2,283	$2,147	$2,233

Source: Pennsylvania Department of Education
Notes: Figures are in constant 2016 dollars.

Total Spending of School Districts

	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018
Pennsylvania	$23,019,961,721	$23,928,904,534	$24,653,168,010	$25,781,987,218	$26,373,600,148	$27,187,927,034	$27,759,114,307	$28,193,044,168	$29,096,170,113	$29,718,755,616	$29,901,308,707	$29,133,099,765	$29,771,263,442	$29,957,448,581	$31,451,806,933	$32,051,153,189	$33,784,422,486	$32,770,632,958
Berks County	$772,344,027	$791,008,210	$821,499,360	$858,132,092	$905,516,264	$946,126,847	$1,006,510,196	$1,007,593,384	$1,062,105,116	$1,103,049,528	$1,088,118,398	$1,092,731,765	$1,120,663,476	$1,085,107,822	$1,192,850,462	$1,156,691,266	$1,221,013,958	$1,205,641,066
Berks County Regions
Central
Northeast
South
Southeast
West
Reading city
Berks County Peers
Chester County	$959,384,114	$1,012,242,313	$1,076,853,060	$1,160,143,934	$1,212,470,616	$1,283,150,022	$1,345,636,444	$1,384,885,869	$1,465,956,752	$1,503,848,571	$1,509,756,226	$1,524,006,442	$1,585,210,337	$1,575,424,681	$1,706,516,152	$1,699,630,532	$1,615,341,918	$1,653,872,795
Lancaster County	$810,787,286	$829,230,625	$862,263,232	$889,271,898	$899,767,207	$924,352,161	$984,413,224	$1,012,210,251	$1,058,417,158	$1,060,908,790	$1,052,552,664	$1,034,589,210	$1,061,790,539	$1,080,183,440	$1,133,903,536	$1,147,276,467	$1,196,879,008	$1,205,781,834
Lebanon County	$203,581,577	$213,989,737	$213,806,262	$221,434,636	$229,777,066	$237,197,446	$253,821,521	$268,575,619	$273,739,712	$284,628,376	$267,613,253	$267,267,517	$281,721,030	$283,290,147	$284,655,033	$297,748,959	$308,882,744	$321,089,362
Lehigh County	$558,410,812	$579,132,490	$598,807,071	$634,366,956	$664,797,401	$690,351,125	$721,770,305	$734,232,695	$776,005,287	$796,520,501	$816,793,379	$809,066,465	$815,306,410	$844,416,529	$876,238,052	$923,708,573	$961,868,120	$981,665,385
Montgomery County	$1,558,180,786	$1,637,853,296	$1,721,924,998	$1,827,296,904	$1,877,185,733	$1,975,149,970	$2,011,586,222	$2,043,320,926	$2,104,160,541	$2,124,362,191	$2,114,445,870	$2,103,001,417	$2,136,216,160	$2,176,385,303	$2,272,868,253	$2,313,919,134	$2,527,534,189	$2,501,360,826
Schuylkill County	$239,299,067	$248,802,366	$276,095,076	$252,252,346	$283,483,938	$269,364,376	$259,406,817	$263,453,111	$281,514,613	$302,550,150	$277,784,543	$306,250,545	$277,865,557	$298,706,868	$338,895,211	$327,632,963	$306,325,628	$317,236,395

Source: Pennsylvania Department of Education
Notes: Figures are in constant 2016 dollars.

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