Workforce & Economic Mobility
The original EAP envisioned a York County that excels in preparing a pipeline of skilled workers and connecting them to quality employment opportunities in large and growing industries. The metrics in this category capture a sense of York County’s relative positioning in terms of workforce strength and economic opportunity.
AVERAGE ANNUAL INDIVIDUAL EARNINGS
Average annual individual earnings for a York County resident are $62,232 across all industry sectors. This is about $7,000 lower than the state average (indicated in yellow in the chart below) and nearly $10,000 lower than the U.S. average of $72,744 (indicated in blue).
EARNINGS BY INDUSTRY AND RACE/ETHNICITY
Average annual earnings broken out by both key industry (Transportation and Warehousing, Manufacturing, and Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services) and by race and ethnicity offers a sense of the earning potential for workers and the ability to meet living expenses in the county, especially among different racial and ethnic groups.
Use the chart below to explore differences in wages across various industry sectors by race and ethnicity.
MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME
Median household income, broken out by race and ethnicity reflects the midpoint of household incomes and serves as a key indicator of the financial well-being of an area’s residents. The overall spread of dots (distance between highest and lowest) shows the racial wealth gap. Dots that are closer together show a smaller racial wealth gap.
ALICE Households
ALICE is an acronym for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, and represents the growing number of families who are unable to afford the basics. It is a more inclusive measure of household wealth than Federal Poverty Level as it reflects the minimum costs of household necessities (housing, child care, food, transportation, health care, and technology) plus taxes, adjusted for all U.S. counties and various household compositions.
The charts below show the percent of ALICE households by location.
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York Co.
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Berks Co.
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Lancaster Co.
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Lehigh Co.
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Guilford Co.
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Summit Co.
%
Pennsylvania
%
U.S.
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
Educational attainment in terms of both Associate’s degree attainment and those with a Bachelor’s degree or higher shows the highest level of education achieved by residents, which correlates with the ability of the workforce to occupy higher-paying jobs and adapt to a knowledge-driven economy.
How We’re Working Towards Our Goals
Local York Partners Collaborate to Build Childcare Assets & Capacity
Organizations such as Community Connections for Children, York County’s Early Learning Resource Center, and the Every Child Has Opportunities (ECHO) program are helping to stem the childcare gap, and provide critically needed services. ECHO is an early childhood education initiative launched in York County by Community Connections for Children and York County Economic Alliance. In partnership with local foundations, the United Way of York County, and health system partners, ECHO has a mission of doubling the number of children from low-income families in York County who are enrolled in high-quality early childhood education by 2027.
United Way of York County Leads Countywide Transportation Study to Address Transportation Barriers
United Way of York County (UWYC), led an effort, in partnership with rabbitransit, York County Planning Commission, and other local organizations to release a Transportation Equity Study in 2025 exploring the transportation-related challenges that ALICE families across the county face. As a core convener and capacity builder in the region, UWYC led the study to further advance its mission of ensuring that everyone, especially working families with limited access to wealth, can participate in York’s local economy and take advantage of all that the county has to offer. The Transportation Equity Study provides critical data and local perspectives that describe and contextualize the characteristics of York County’s transportation ecosystem. The transportation study captured and detailed the unique experiences of ALICE residents, and outlined forward facing strategic steps the County can take to invest in transportation solutions.
Local York Partners Offer Free Tax Preparation Services To Boost Economic Mobility
United Way of York County’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program helps to provide access to free tax preparation and assistance to families making less than $67,000 a year. United Way of York County collaborates with a diverse network of local education, faith based, and human service partners to increase access for local residents. In March 2025, York College of PA’s Graham Center for Collaborative Innovation (GCCI) and Spartan Volunteer Network partnered with UWYC to bring VITA back to York College for the first time since 2015 to expand the program’s reach and impact. Crispus Attucks York also partnered with United Way of York County to provide free tax preparation services for families in need. To date, VITA has helped to return $2 million in tax revenue to ALICE families.
