Town Hall · Lancaster

Lancaster, SC town hall & government

Lancaster spent $37.3 million in the year to June 30, 2024, about $4,220 per resident.

Where the money goes, where it comes from, property taxes, and how to reach Lancaster's government.

Town budget · Census estimate

Where Lancaster's money goes

Spent
$37.3 million
fiscal year to June 30, 2024
Per resident
$4,220
typical South Carolina cities: $2,655
Long-term debt
$5.7 million
$643 per resident
Sewer & trash
$20.9 million56%
Police
$3.8 million10%
Water & other utilities
$3 million8%
Fire
$2.4 million6%
Administration & buildings
$2.3 million6%
Parks & libraries
$1.4 million4%
Roads & transportation
$991,0003%
Courts, inspections & corrections
$484,0001%
Housing & development
$441,0001%
Interest on debt
$75,000<1%
Other
$1.4 million4%

Where the money comes from

  • Fees & charges 25%
  • Interest, fines & other 22%
  • Sales taxes 16%
  • Other taxes & licenses 13%
  • Property taxes 12%
  • Utility sales 9%
  • From the state 2%
  • From other local governments <1%

Lancaster didn't report all of its 2024 figures to the Census Bureau, so most of these numbers are the Bureau's estimates.

Town workforce

Who works for Lancaster

Full-time staff
175
7 part-time too
Average full-time pay
$57,600
a year, before benefits
Sworn police officers
46
and 31 full-time firefighters
Police
58 full-time
Fire
32 full-time
Sewer & trash
30 full-time
Administration & buildings
13 full-time
Water & other utilities
12 full-time
Courts, inspections & corrections
4 full-time6 part
Roads & transportation
4 full-time
Other
22 full-time1 part

Staff on the town's payroll in March 2025. Pay is March payroll times twelve, so it's approximate.

Schools · school year 2023–24

Lancaster County School District

Lancaster's K–12 school district, shared with Heath Springs, Kershaw and Van Wyck. It is its own government, with a budget separate from the town's.

Spending per pupil
$13,299
South Carolina: $15,090
Students
15,298
in the whole district
Long-term debt
$197.7 million
at year end

Where the district's money comes from South Carolina districts overall: 45% local, 43% state, 13% federal

  • Local 40%
  • State 48%
  • Federal 11%

Of the $13,299 per pupil, $7,320 goes to classroom instruction (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to support services such as buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren't in the per-pupil figure.

Property tax

What homeowners in Lancaster pay

Typical tax bill
$1,320
a year · South Carolina typical $1,251
Effective rate
0.55%
of home value · South Carolina 0.48%
Typical home value
$239,100
owner-occupied

The median yearly bill homeowners report, covering every local property tax on the home (town, schools, county). The effective rate is that bill divided by the median home value, so it's a rough guide, not the official tax rate.

Local

Contact Lancaster's government

🏛️ Official websitelancastercitysc.com ↗

Town hall & decisions in Lancaster →

Beyond town hall

Who represents Lancaster

Lancaster is represented in Congress by Senators Tim Scott and Darline Graham and Representative Ralph Norman. Henry McMaster is governor.

All of Lancaster's representatives, with contacts →

Budget: U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Finance (every city and town government's revenue, spending and debt, grouped into plain categories). Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 5-year estimates.

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Lancaster

South Carolina · SC
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