Pennsylvania

Lancaster

552,984
2020 population
1790
first census record
24
census records

About Lancaster

Lancaster, Pennsylvania, first appears in the United States federal census in 1790, when it recorded a population of 36,147. At the most recent census, in 2020, its population stood at 552,984.

The county's recorded population has risen across the decades to its highest level in 2020.

On the ground today, 12 documented military engagements have been recorded within the county, among them Susquehannock Fortified Village Conflict, Lenape-Susquehannock Conflicts, Conestoga Workhouse Massacre – Paxton Boys 1763, and 215 places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Population by decade

Census YearPopulationChart
2020552,984
2010519,445
2000470,658
1990422,822
1980362,346
1970319,693
1960278,359
1950234,717
1940212,504
1930196,882
1920173,797
1910167,029
1900159,241
1890149,095
1880139,447
1870121,340
1860116,314
185098,944
184084,203
183076,631
182068,336
181053,927
180043,403
179036,147
Source

Population data from the United States decennial census, U.S. Census Bureau (public domain).

Battles & engagements in Lancaster

Military engagements that took place in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Susquehannock Fortified Village Conflict
1350
Lenape-Susquehannock Conflicts
1600
Conestoga Workhouse Massacre – Paxton Boys 1763
1763
Conestoga Workhouse Massacre December 27 1763
1763
Paxton Boys — Conestoga Massacre 1763
1763
Paxton Boys Massacre of Conestoga Indians
1763
Conestoga Massacre (Paxton Boys) 1763
1763
Conestoga Massacre – Paxton Boys December 14 1763
1763
Paxton Boys Massacre of Conestoga (1763)
1763
Paxton Boys Massacre of Conestoga
1763
Lancaster County Tory Uprising (1781)
1781
Christiana Riot
1851

Historic places in Lancaster

National Register of Historic Places listings in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

White Rock Forge Covered Bridge
Kirkwood
Butcher's Mill Covered Bridge
Denver
Mount Hope Estate
Manheim
Buchanan, James, House
Lancaster
Donegal Presbyterian Church Complex
East Donegal Township
Oregon Mill Complex
Oregon
Frey-Haverstick Site (36LA6)
Washington Boro
Pinetown Covered Bridge
Lancaster
Kagerise Store and House
Adamstown
Stiegel-Coleman House
Brickerville
Stoever, John Casper, Log House
New Holland
Schnader, R. K. & Sons, Tobacco Warehouse
Lancaster
North Charlotte Street Historic District
Lancaster
Pool Forge Covered Bridge
Churchtown
West Lawn
Lancaster
B.F. Good & Company Leaf Tobacco Warehouse
Lancaster
Passenger Locomotive No. 1223
Strasburg
Passenger Locomotive No. 7002
Strasburg
Manor Street Elementary School
Columbia
Farmer's Southern Market
Lancaster
Germania Turnverein Building
Lancaster
Douglass, John, House
Kirkwood
Bangor Episcopal Church
Blue Ball
N. Shippen-Tobacco Avenue Historic District
Lancaster
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Other counties in Pennsylvania

Explore census history and historic records for more Pennsylvania counties.

FayetteForestFranklinFultonGreeneHuntingdonIndianaJeffersonJuniataLackawannaLawrenceLebanonLehighLuzerneLycomingMcKeanMercerMifflinMonroeMontgomery
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Everything a full report reveals about Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

This page charts the census history of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. A full Aubrey report for an address here pulls together everything the historical record holds about the ground, from the earliest settlement to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Frequently asked about Lancaster

When does Lancaster first appear in the US census?
Lancaster, Pennsylvania first appears in the federal census in 1790, with a recorded population of 36,147.
What is the population of Lancaster?
At the most recent federal census (2020), Lancaster had a recorded population of 552,984.
Were any battles fought in Lancaster?
12 documented military engagements took place in Lancaster, including Susquehannock Fortified Village Conflict, Lenape-Susquehannock Conflicts, Conestoga Workhouse Massacre – Paxton Boys 1763.
How many historic places are in Lancaster?
215 sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
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