From the beginning, Lancaster County has been a solid industrial community. In the early 18th century iron ore was discovered. This brought many newcomers to the county, leading to many new forms of industry. The area became known for grain production, flour and gristmills, saddle making, iron making, leather trades, handicrafts, and domestic textiles. Due to the extensive array of products produced in the county, Lancaster Countians found they could fulfill almost all of their necessities instead of funneling their money to eastern manufacturers. This in turn allowed the industrial base to grow further and flourish.

The industrial community of Lancaster has grown steadily since World War I. In 1939 there were 27,700 industrial workers on local payroll. In of 1999, there were approximately 70,500 employed in goods producing industries. Lancaster's long history of industrialization has other benefits as well. The county has a large pool of skilled craftsmen who have trained in the community's highly diversified plants. Many of these plants have been operating for over 50 years, some for over a century: A fact which has contributed greatly to the stability of the local labor market.

Lancaster has a broad diversification of industrial employment operations, a large number of small plants that prevent economic domination by select companies, and a carefully planned and controlled program to attract new industry. These factors, combined with a thriving tourist industry and a booming service industry, have helped to develop Lancaster into a diverse economy, which serves to buffer the area from extreme swings of the national economy during periods of inflation and recession.

LABOR MARKET – 1999
Civilian Labor Force:	248,148
Employed:	241,448
Unemployed:	6,700
Unemployment Rate:	2.7%