librarysystems

Library systems serving 250,000 to 499,999 residents

Size class 250k–500k122 profiled systems1,248 buildingsFY 2024

There are 122 profiled public library systems serving 250,000 to 499,999 residents. The median system logged 2.22 visits and 3.54 physical checkouts per resident and spent $35.93 per resident in FY 2024. The middle half of the class runs from 1.54 to 3.18 visits per resident and from $23.55 to $58.58 in spending per resident.

California has the most systems in this class (11), followed by Florida (11) and Georgia (8). Across the class, 62% of systems charged no overdue fines on print items.

Visits per resident by type of community

Each dot is one system in this size class, grouped by where its headquarters sits; the gold tick marks each group's median.

0.250.512481632City (75)Suburb (39)Town (3)Rural (5)visits per resident (log scale)
0.512481632City (75)Suburb (39)Town (3)Rural (5)visits per resident (log scale)

Most visits per resident

SystemStateResidentsVisits per residentCheckouts per residentSpending per resident
San Mateo County LibrariesCalifornia273,3706.208.78$159.85
Plano Public Library SystemTexas290,1905.968.58$53.97
Santa Clara County LibraryCalifornia456,3555.4017.73$147.69
Kent District LibraryMichigan439,1945.1811.80$70.65
Arapahoe Library DistrictColorado277,3825.029.28$155.44
Toledo-Lucas County Public LibraryOhio428,5054.737.25$104.07
Howard County Library SystemMaryland334,5294.7012.51$89.12
Madison Public LibraryWisconsin304,8814.507.12$73.59
Allen County Public LibraryIndiana385,4104.448.37$95.43
Dayton Metro LibraryOhio452,2384.406.51$83.51

Fewest visits per resident

SystemStateResidentsVisits per residentCheckouts per residentSpending per resident
Pinal County Library DistrictArizona483,9440.110.44$5.69
Montgomery County-Norristown Public LibraryPennsylvania336,7160.241.58$16.62
Santa Ana Public LibraryCalifornia310,7970.360.52$25.96
Yavapai County Free Library DistrictArizona251,7680.460.73$13.82
Tulare County Free LibraryCalifornia345,1850.500.72$19.01
Chula Vista Public LibraryCalifornia278,2470.541.58$11.04
Henry County Library SystemGeorgia257,6690.761.28$13.93
Newark Public LibraryNew Jersey311,5490.860.21$45.03
North Las Vegas Library DistrictNevada282,4960.941.24$12.66
Onondaga County Public LibraryNew York476,5161.040.68$27.95

Highest spending per resident

SystemStateResidentsVisits per residentCheckouts per residentSpending per resident
Cleveland Public LibraryOhio374,5574.007.46$173.93
San Mateo County LibrariesCalifornia273,3706.208.78$159.85
Arapahoe Library DistrictColorado277,3825.029.28$155.44
Santa Clara County LibraryCalifornia456,3555.4017.73$147.69
Johnson County LibraryKansas474,7763.9410.93$114.39
Carnegie Library of PittsburghPennsylvania392,2734.296.23$106.74
Oakland Public LibraryCalifornia449,1893.024.75$105.99
City of St. Louis Municipal Library DistrictMissouri301,5783.485.01$104.81
Toledo-Lucas County Public LibraryOhio428,5054.737.25$104.07
East Baton Rouge Parish LibraryLouisiana453,0223.883.16$100.46

Other profiled systems in this class