School District of Lancaster

The School District of Lancaster is a large, urban school district of 11,300 students educated in 19 schools in central Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. It serves both the City of Lancaster and Lancaster Township. Established in 1836, it is the second oldest school district in the state. The School District of Lancaster encompasses approximately 11 square miles (28 km2). According to 2000 federal census data, it serves a resident population of 70,348. By 2010, the district's population increased to 74,989 people. The School District of Lancaster serves a racially and economically diverse population of students: 60% Hispanic, 17% African American, 13% Caucasian, 10% Asian/other. According to the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center, 80.8% of the district's pupils lived at 185% or below the Federal Poverty level as shown by their eligibility for the federal free or reduced price school meal programs in 2012. In 2009, the district residents' per capita income was $16,273 a year, while the median family income was $38,429. In the Commonwealth, the median family income was $49,501 and the United States median family income was $49,445, in 2010. In Lancaster County, the median household income was $54,765. By 2013, the median household income in the United States rose to $52,100.