Today      

Lancaster City Council’s yearly strategic planning efforts, and the annual establishing and updating of our vision and Goals has had a positive impact on the successes in our city. We have established a track record of setting our vision and goals and taking action to achieve them, resulting in our council being recognized on a state level as “Council Of The Year.”

The City follows a long-range financial plan and prudent fiscal policies. Appropriate reserve levels and a competitive tax rate have been established to ensure that the City has funds available to address the needs of the community and responsibly manage its debt.

General Fund Expenditures

Economic Development

The City of Lancaster continues to be positioned for growth due to its ideal location in the transportation corridor of Interstate 20, Interstate 35, Loop 9, and Interstate 45.

Take a look at an overview of the current economic status in Lancaster to date.

Job Statistics & Growth

  • 1,010 jobs were created in 2024

  • 760 jobs were created in 2023

  • Lancaster is home to approximately 21,657 workers in 2024. This is up by 18% since 2008. The unemployment rate is 5.4% currently, down from a pandemic high of 15.3%.employed workers

  • Lancaster has added over over 5000 new jobs in the next last years. Development in adjacent communities is likely to increase the amount of available jobs by 2,000 to 3,000.  The Best Southwest Region has an estimated 50,000 – 60,000 jobs.

  • 2021 1.2 Million Sq. Ft. of new construction with estimated taxable value of $60.1 Million

  • 2021–2022 — New construction was 5.9 Million Sq. Ft. with estimated taxable real property value $296.9 Million plus additional Business Personal Property taxable value of $900 Million.

  • The jobs available to Lancaster residents labor force is estimated to be 22,000 jobs.

  • Current available employment open to our 18,900 work age residents in Lancaster is likely to exceed 23,000 available jobs in the next couple of years as new facilities open.

  • 20,775 workers commute into Lancaster daily for employment. As of 2024 there are 2,507 Lancaster residents employed in the city.  19,150 Lancaster residents currently leave our city to work at other locations.

  • Data Centers have found Lancaster to be a prime location.   This high tech business offers low impact on our roads but raises the income opportunities for our citizens considerably

  • There is currently 2M+ sq ft of industrial space under construction in Lancaster.  From January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2024, over 14M Sq. Ft. of industrial space will be completed, more than doubling total Industrial space in town.

Commercial Construction Permits

Retail & Entertainment

  • Sales tax that comes from dining and retail between  2022-2024 has increased on an upward trend approximately by $8,370.636 or (22.15%)

  • Recent businesses opening are Bojangles and Pier 7 Seafood..   Opening jn Historic Town Square were Hugs Barbeque, La Calle Doce, Just Juice, Gelii, Lancaster Trading Cards, Curios Kitchen Market, Saviana Winery, Boba Licious, Ella’s Event Center, several beauty related businesses, and The Local Exchange.  Other long time businesses are still open as John’s Trikes & Bikes,Town Square Realty, Cornerstone Credit Union, Square Barber shop, and Lovin Oven.

  • 2024 added Starbuck’s, Panda Express, Dutch Bros, Chee Chee Chopee Candy, and The Local Exchange as new niche retail spaces.  The Visitors Center / Museum now open with consistent hours for citizens to visit downtown. 

  • Historic Town Square for 2025 will add Kyoto Brew Coffee and Cocktails plus the Historic Lancaster Theater will open this spring to host a variety of live entertainment shows.  A second Starbucks is under construction on Houston School Rd. and I 20 area.

Residential Homes

  • 111  single family permits 2022

  • 109 single family permits 2023

  • 43   single family permits 2024

Infrastructure Projects

Infrastructure is a top priority. Lancaster is a very old city (1852) and due to past financial constraints caused by weather, prior dependency on sales tax, and outside economic forces, many of our infrastructure projects were delayed for years.

FIRE STATION #4 : a major Public Safety infrastructure is currently under architectural design.  The #4 Station will be located at the North east corner of E. Beltline and S. Lancaster Hutchins Rd.  Using a Fire Consulting firm it was determined, due to the continued Commercial and residential growth, the need for an additional Fire Station on the east side of Lancaster.  Completion is projected for 2027.

Water Main Replacement 2024 – 2022

Idlewild Ln to dead end – 2,608 ft  replaced in August 2024

Hammond St from Randlett to Hall

Hall – Maple Phase 2 sewer reroute

Bayport St from Rogers to Verona

Three additional water projects valued at over $3M are in progress.

Sewer improvements west  Byrum’s Funeral Home between 1st st & 4th st. 

12 inch water line W. Beltline to N. Houston School Rd.

12 inch water line W. Beltline from Rolling Hills Place to I 35 & Idelwild

2021

  • 4,335 feet of water main replacement on Poinsettia Dr. from Westridge Ave to Kiowa Cir., Sequoia Dr. from Westridge Ave to Kiowa Cir., Kiowa Cir from Sequoia Dr. to Poinsettia Dr.

2020

  • 1,600 feet of water main replacement on Edwards St. between Cedardale Rd and Taylor St.

  • 1552 feet of water main replacement on Redbud Ln between S. Stewart Ave. and behind 650 W. Main St.

  • 900 feet of water main replacement on N. Crest St. between Francis St. and W. Main St.

2019

  • 1,010 feet of water main replacement on Baskin Dr. between Henry Rd and Bruce Dr.

  • 513 feet of water main replacement on Martindale Dr. between Stewart St. and Trevino Trail.

  • 4,171 feet of water main replacement on Westridge Ave. between Rea Ave. and Main.

Additional Water Projects 2024-2025:

  • Sewer main Griffin St. from Veron to Westridge Ave. 

  • East Third St.

  • Northeast corner of Dallas Ave. to Pleasant Run

  • West Main St. from Diann and Beltline Rd

  1. W 6th st –Elm to 8th

Roadway Construction Projects

In the past twelve  years the City has spent approximately $71,329,472 Million on roadway construction projects. Some of the roads are::

  • Bear Creek Phase 3 ( 2022 complete last phase 3)

  • Wintergreen Road (Dallas Ave. to Telephone Rd.) 2022

  • Bear Creek Phase 2 (2021)

  • Fifth Street 2021 segment

  • Bear Creek Phase 1 (2020)

  • Main St. from Houston School Rd to Dallas Ave.

  • Ferris Rd from Beltline to southern city limits/Ellis County line

  • Reindeer Rd. from Houston School Rd. to Nokomis Dr.TBD 2025

  • Parkerville Rd from S. Houston School Rd. to I 35

  • Sequoia Dr. from Westridge Av. to Kiowa Cir.TBD 2025

  • Westridge Av. from Griffin to Pleasant Run Rd. 

  • Houston School Rd. from Danieldale to I 20 being evaluated for repair

  • Third Street Bridge

  • Red Oak Road Bridge

  • E. Beltline – Kellers Branch bridge total replacement is in design phase

    Segments were completed on the following:

    • Pleasant Run Rd.

    • W. Belt Line Rd.2025  (4 lane divided Bluegrove to W. Main TBD)

    • W. Main Rd. (W. Beltline Rd. to Dallas Ave.)

    • Bluegrove Rd.

    • Wintergreen Rd.(all phases complete)

    • Danieldale Rd.

    • Houston School Rd.(Engineering study I 20 to Danieldale)

    • Cedardale(Phase II and Phase III)

    • Ames Rd (Wintergreen to Houston School)

    • Hammond St. (Westridge to Elm)

    • 2022Westover Alley

    • 2022Trinity Alley

    • 2022Ash Alley

    • Stanford St.

    • Arcady alley

    • Rutgers alley

    • Hartford alley

    • 2023 Oakbluff Alley

GATEWAY MONUMENT PROJECT

The landscaping of the medians on Dallas Avenue was funded by a grant from Tx Dot and is completed.  The other gateway landscaping projects on Beltline to I 35, Pleasant Run Rd. to I 35, and Houston School Rd. and I 20 are nearing completion.  This project was funded by the last remaining funds from a voter approved 2007 Bond Election.

TRAFFIC SIGNALS

Dallas Ave and E. Beltline is in design phase for installation in 2025

Wintergreen and N. Houston School Rd. (east side) in upcoming 2025

In 2021 BNSF Railroad crossings at Pleasant Run and Bear Creek were replaced or rehabilitated.  This was championed by Carol over the last several years. The City was finally able to partner with the BNSF Railroad to complete the projects.

“As one of America’s largest and fastest growing metro areas, Dallas is attracting industrial users looking to leverage the region’s premium location advantage and expansive infrastructure network,” Tyler Jones, Robinson Weeks’ senior vice president, said in a statement. “Located near three key interstates, I-20 Dallas Crossing can reach all major continental U.S. markets within four hours via air or three days via truck or rail- very few markets can match those capabilities.”
— Dallas Morning News
 

Tomorrow

Carol’s Vision             

Lancaster is a thriving and diverse community where we value our historical assets and natural beauty. Residents and stakeholders are engaged and take pride in this City. Lancaster is the Shining Star of Texas with opportunities to live, learn, work and play. Lancaster City government is financially sustainable and provides efficient customer-friendly services. Our citizens have trust and confidence in city government and leaders. Lancaster is a place where we embrace public safety and compassionate enforcement of our neighborhoods to sustain vibrant residential and business communities. We are a community that celebrates unity and participates in citywide events, as well as recreational and cultural activities. Residents have opportunities for involvement in civic life through boards and commissions; youth and parent volunteer opportunities are available in recreation, sports teams, City elections, and Civic Academies, Schools and Citywide celebrations.

Carol Advocates

  • Focusing on improving infrastructure in all areas (streets, water, sewer)

  • Code enforcement

  • Looking for additional services for our citizens through programs that are available on the local, state, and federal level financial opportunities (for example: grants, creative funding sources)

  • Continuing Lancaster University, a training on how to deliver services to our citizens in a timely and customer friendly manner, for our employees

  • Keep funding the Pavement Management program to help maintain the life of our streets

  • Creating Tax Increment Financing districts (TIF) in prime areas for  development

  • Marketing our ever-changing positive economic statistics

  • Annually reviewing and updating our economic incentive policy

  • Enhancing and focusing on the accessibility of transportation desired by businesses

  • Attracting development with higher paying job opportunities for our citizens, which in turn will increase the average household income and result in potential disposable cash to attract retail development

  • Responding to all inquiries from the marketplace so that Lancaster can examine and recruit unexplored businesses that may not have considered our community as a location for their type of businesses (for example: data centers, artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, vehicle motor parts, and cold storage)

  • Looking for financial partners and grants to assist paying for infrastructure