Lorain spent more per resident in 2022 than 95% of similar cities
Lorain’s borough government spent $1 million on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, about $1,479 per resident.
What stands out about how Lorain is run
Read from the borough’s budget and official records.
$1,479 per resident in 2022: more than 95% of them
Lorain’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($1,479 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 574 Pennsylvania cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $483, and the middle half spent $300–$724. Lorain spent more than 95% of them.
Includes sewer and trash ($763,000), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →
Pennsylvania cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Lorain itself left out).
About $1,479 per resident a year, or $4.05 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: sewer & trash, at 76%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Lorain reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $993 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.61% of the home’s value, vs 1.30% across Pennsylvania.
Typical yearly bill next door and statewide
The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Lorain’s rate.
Can I afford it? →The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate. In a town this small the estimate has a wide margin.
Tax bills are one input to Lorain’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Lorain →
Who’s in charge in Lorain
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Ferndale Area School District
Lorain’s K–12 school district, shared with Brownstown, Dale, Ferndale, Middle Taylor Township. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $20,890 per pupil, $12,155 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.
Pennsylvania districts overall: 55% local, 37% state, 8% federal.
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
Lorain’s votes are counted by county
Pennsylvania reports official results by county and precinct, not by borough, so there are no official results for Lorain alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Cambria County’s results.
Donald J TrumpRepublican69.5%49,408 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat29.8%21,177 votesOthers: 0.8% (551 votes).
Most votes in Cambria County: Donald J Trump
Pennsylvania: Trump 50.4%, Harris 48.7%
100% of Lorain lies in Cambria County. Every 2024 race in Cambria County is on the county’s page.
Cambria County’s 2024 results →Official 2024 general election returns, as certified (MIT Election Data + Science Lab). Percentages are of votes for candidates; blank and spoiled ballots aren’t counted. Candidates are listed by votes, and party colors are neutral on purpose.
Portraits: Kamala D Harris: official vice-presidential portrait, Lawrence Jackson, The White House, 2021; Donald J Trump: official portrait, Shealah Craighead, The White House, 2017. All are U.S. government works in the public domain. A race shows photos only when every candidate has an official portrait; otherwise every candidate in it gets initials.
From town hall to Washington
Every level of government that speaks for Lorain.
- 1Your cityMayor & councilLocal officials aren’t on record yet.
- 2Pennsylvania HouseState representatives
- 3Pennsylvania SenateState senator
- 4GovernorStatewide
- 5U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
- 6U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Pennsylvania
Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.
How Lorain compares with the towns next door
Lorain spent $1,479 per resident in 2022; the 2 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $611 to $1,399. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Stonycreek Township | $611 | $1,331 |
| Johnstown | $1,399 | $1,199 |
| Lorain | $1,479 | $993 |
Day-to-day spending in 2022, the last year every government was counted, for governments that reported it; hospital and utilities left out. Tax bill: the typical homeowner’s bill (Census ACS, 2020–24).
Reach Lorain’s government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about Lorain’s government
How much does Lorain spend per resident?
About $1,479 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $1,479 was more than 95% of 574 Pennsylvania cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Lorain?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $993 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 1.61% of the typical home’s value, vs 1.30% across Pennsylvania. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see the borough’s assessor.
Who runs Lorain’s government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Lorain yet.
How did Lorain vote in 2024?
Pennsylvania counts votes by county and precinct, not by borough, so there are no official results for Lorain alone. Cambria County, where 100% of Lorain lies, voted Trump 69.5%, Harris 29.8% for president; its page has every race.
How many people work for Lorain?
0 full-time and 5 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $2,250 (about $27,000 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Lorain in the state legislature?
State Senate District 35 (Wayne Langerholc) and State House District 72 (Frank Burns). The House district also covers 23 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Lorain’s government
Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.
Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments (2022, every government) and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023–24, a sample) and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll; day-to-day spending is current operations, with hospitals, utilities and airports apart. School district: Census school finance survey, 2023–24. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 2020–24. Elections: official 2024 returns via the MIT Election Data + Science Lab; turnout uses Census citizen voting-age population (CVAP, 2020–24). Officials: Open States, names shown only with a current term (checked October 9, 2026). Districts: Census Bureau (119th Congress, 2024 state districts); legislators: Open States and congress-legislators. How Town Hall works →