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Centre County, Pennsylvania
Centre County Courthouse
The Centre County Courthouse in Bellefonte
Seal of Centre County, Pennsylvania
Seal
Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Centre County
Location in the state of Pennsylvania
Map of the U.S
Pennsylvania's location in the U.S.
Founded February 13, 1800
Named for Centre Furnace, the first industrial facility in the area
Seat Bellefonte
Largest borough State College
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Water

1,113 sq mi (2,883 km²)
1,110 sq mi (2,875 km²)
3.0 sq mi (8 km²), 0.3
Population
 - (2020)
 - Density

158,172
147/sq mi (57/km²)
Congressional districts 12th, 15th
Time zone Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Website http://www.centrecountypa.gov/
Footnotes:
Invalid designation
Designated: May 10, 1982[1]

Centre County is a county in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 158,172.[2] Its county seat is Bellefonte.[3] Centre County comprises the State College, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History[]

The lands of the future Centre County were first recorded by James Potter in 1764. Potter, having reached the top of Nittany Mountain, and "....seeing the prairies and noble forest beneath him, cried out to his attendant, 'By heavens, Thompson, I have discovered an empire!'" [4] After the American Revolutionary War, Centre County was created on February 13, 1800, from parts of Huntingdon, Lycoming, Mifflin, and Northumberland counties; it was named for its central location in the state.

Geography[]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,113 square miles (2,880 km2), of which 1,110 square miles (2,900 km2) is land and 3.0 square miles (7.8 km2) (0.3%) is water.[5] It is the fifth-largest county in Pennsylvania by area and uses area code 814.

Centre has a humid continental climate which is warm-summer (Dfb) except near the Bald Eagle Creek from Wingate downstream where it is hot-summer (Dfa). Average temperatures in downtown State College range from 26.0 °F in January to 70.7 °F in July, while in Milesburg they range from 26.4 °F in January to 71.7 °F in July and in Snow Shoe they range from 23.8 °F in January to 68.0 °F in July. [2]

Features[]

  • Bald Eagle Valley
  • Bald Eagle Mountain
  • Nittany Valley
  • Mount Nittany
  • Penns Valley
  • Tussey Mountain

Adjacent counties[]

Demographics[]

Historical populations
Census Pop.
1810 10,681
1820 13,796 29.2%
1830 18,879 36.8%
1840 20,492 8.5%
1850 23,355 14.0%
1860 27,000 15.6%
1870 34,418 27.5%
1880 37,922 10.2%
1890 43,269 14.1%
1900 42,894 −0.9%
1910 43,424 1.2%
1920 44,304 2.0%
1930 46,294 4.5%
1940 52,608 13.6%
1950 65,922 25.3%
1960 78,580 19.2%
1970 99,267 26.3%
1980 112,760 13.6%
1990 123,786 9.8%
2000 135,760 9.7%
2010 153,990 13.4%
[6]

As of the census[7] of 2010, there were 153,990 people, 57,573 households, and 31,256 families residing in the county. The population density was 139 people per square mile (54/km2). There were 63,297 housing units at an average density of 57 per square mile (22/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 89.4% White, 3.0% Black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 5.2% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.7% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. 2.4% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 57,573 households, out of which 23.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.6% were married couples living together, 3.3% had a male householder with no wife present, 6.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.7% were non-families. 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.91.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 15.9% under the age of 18, 28.9% from 18 to 24, 22.6% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 107.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 108.1 males.

Metropolitan Statistical Area[]

SCDuBoisCSA

Map of the State College-DuBois, PA Combined Statistical Area (CSA), composed of the following parts:

  State College, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area
  DuBois, PA Micropolitan Statistical Area

The United States Office of Management and Budget[8] has designated Centre County as the State College, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). As of the 2010 U.S. Census[9] the metropolitan area ranked 13th most populous in the State of Pennsylvania and the 259th most populous in the United States with a population of 155,403. Centre County is also a part of the larger State College-DuBois, PA Combined Statistical Area (CSA), which combines the populations of Centre County as well as Clearfield County to the west. The Combined Statistical Area ranked 9th in the State of Pennsylvania and 123rd most populous in the United States with a population of 236,577.

Law and government[]

County Commissioners[]

  • Michael Pipe, Chairman (Democrat)
  • Mark Higgins, Vice-Chair (Democrat)
  • Steven G. Dershem, Commissioner (Republican) [10]

Other county offices[]

  • Clerk of Courts and Prothonotary, Jeremy Breon, Democrat
  • Controller, Jason Moser, Democrat
  • Coroner, Scott Sayers, Democrat
  • District Attorney, Bernie Cantorna, Democrat
  • Recorder of Deeds, Joe Davidson, Republican
  • Register of Wills, Christine Millinder, Republican
  • Sheriff, Bryan Sampsel, Republican
  • Treasurer, Colleen Kennedy, Democrat
  • Jury Commissioner, Laura Shadle, Democrat

State Senate[]

  • Jake Corman, Republican, Pennsylvania's 34th Senatorial District

[11]

State House of Representatives[]

  • Stephanie Borowicz, Republican, Pennsylvania's 76th Representative District
  • Scott Conklin, Democrat, Pennsylvania's 77th Representative District
  • Rich Irvin, Republican, Pennsylvania's 81st Representative District
  • Kerry Benninghoff, Republican, Pennsylvania's 171st Representative District

[11]

United States House of Representatives[]

  • Fred Keller, Republican, Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district
  • Glenn "G.T." Thompson, Republican, Pennsylvania's 15th congressional district

United States Senate[]

  • Pat Toomey, Republican
  • Bob Casey, Jr., Democrat

Politics[]

United States presidential election results for Centre County, Pennsylvania[12]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 36,372 46.70% 40,055 51.42% 1,464 1.88%
2016 35,274 45.63% 37,088 47.97% 4,945 6.40%
2012 34,001 48.65% 34,176 48.90% 1,709 2.45%
2008 32,992 43.35% 41,950 55.12% 1,169 1.54%
2004 33,133 51.47% 30,733 47.74% 508 0.79%
2000 26,172 52.79% 21,409 43.19% 1,994 4.02%
1996 20,935 44.71% 21,145 45.16% 4,746 10.14%
1992 20,478 39.98% 21,177 41.34% 9,570 18.68%
1988 23,875 56.14% 18,357 43.17% 295 0.69%
1984 27,802 62.85% 16,194 36.61% 240 0.54%
1980 20,605 48.33% 15,987 37.50% 6,039 14.17%
1976 21,177 52.37% 17,867 44.18% 1,393 3.44%
1972 20,683 60.48% 13,194 38.58% 320 0.94%
1968 15,865 55.61% 11,163 39.13% 1,499 5.25%
1964 9,481 36.19% 16,556 63.20% 158 0.60%
1960 18,357 67.98% 8,601 31.85% 46 0.17%
1956 15,412 67.18% 7,483 32.62% 45 0.20%
1952 14,700 66.31% 7,391 33.34% 77 0.35%
1948 10,416 61.52% 6,515 38.48% 0 0.00%
1944 10,048 55.08% 8,064 44.21% 130 0.71%
1940 10,665 51.75% 9,869 47.88% 76 0.37%
1936 9,869 45.24% 11,734 53.79% 211 0.97%
1932 8,264 52.55% 7,053 44.85% 409 2.60%
1928 12,005 77.17% 3,431 22.05% 121 0.78%
1924 7,723 59.13% 4,443 34.01% 896 6.86%
1920 7,615 57.82% 4,783 36.31% 773 5.87%
1916 4,392 50.02% 4,120 46.92% 269 3.06%
1912 1,507 19.01% 3,445 43.46% 2,974 37.52%
1908 4,927 53.12% 3,998 43.10% 351 3.78%
1904 5,291 55.18% 4,015 41.87% 283 2.95%
1900 4,684 50.64% 4,339 46.91% 226 2.44%
1896 4,880 49.93% 4,546 46.51% 348 3.56%
1892 3,698 42.72% 4,624 53.42% 334 3.86%
1888 4,574 48.29% 4,712 49.75% 185 1.95%
1884 4,057 46.66% 4,495 51.70% 143 1.64%
1880 3,602 43.30% 4,598 55.28% 118 1.42%



As of November 2014, there were 108,316 registered voters in Centre County.

  • Democratic: 44,051 (40.67%)
  • Republican: 41,771 (38.56%)
  • Libertarian: 685 (0.63%)
  • No party affiliation: 19,162 (17.69%)
  • Other: 2,647 (2.44%)

Centre County had for many years been a strongly Republican county, like most of rural Pennsylvania. In the early 21st century, however, it has been more competitive. In 2000 George W. Bush defeated Al Gore with 52% of the vote to Gore's 43%. In 2004 Bush won the county by a much smaller margin. Bush won 51% to Kerry's 47%, a margin of only 4%. In 2006, Governor Ed Rendell and Bob Casey Jr. both carried Centre, and Democrat Scott Conklin decisively won the State House seat left open by the retirement of Republican Lynn Herman in the 77th district. In 2008, the Democrats captured the countywide registration edge, Barack Obama carried the county with 55% of the vote to McCain's 44%, and Democratic statewide winners (Rob McCord for Treasurer and Jack Wagner for Auditor General also carried Centre).

Analysts believe that many of the students and faculty at the main campus of Penn State, in State College in the southern half of the county, have contributed to the Democratic victories. In 2012, Barack Obama won the county in his reelection campaign by a very narrow margin, 48.9% to 48.65%, a difference of just 175 votes.[13] In 2016, Democrat Hillary Clinton, beat eventual President-elect Republican Donald Trump 47.76% to 45.86%.[14] In that same election, incumbent Republican Senator Pat Toomey beat Democratic opponent Katie McGinty 47.91% to 46.2% in the county.[14]

Education[]

Penn state old main summer

Old Main, the main administrative building of Penn State, at University Park.

Colleges and universities[]

  • Pennsylvania State University

Community, junior, and technical colleges[]

  • South Hills School of Business & Technology
  • Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology, public Vo Tech in Pleasant Gap

Public school districts[]

Map of Centre County Pennsylvania School Districts

Map of Centre County, Pennsylvania Public School Districts

  • Bald Eagle Area School District
  • Bellefonte Area School District
  • Keystone Central School District (also in Clinton County)
  • Penns Valley Area School District
  • Philipsburg-Osceola Area School District (also in Clearfield County)
  • State College Area School District
  • Tyrone Area School District (also in Blair County and Huntingdon County)

Public charter schools[]

  • Young Scholars of Central PA Charter School
  • Centre Learning Community Charter School
  • Nittany Valley Charter School
  • There are 13 public cyber charter schools in Pennsylvania that are available for free statewide, to children K-12. See: Education in Pennsylvania.

Private schools[]

As reported by the Pennsylvania Department of Education 2010.

  • Bower Hollow Parochial School - Woodward
  • Centre County Christian Academy - Bellefonte
  • Elk Creek School - Rebersburg
  • Faith Christian Academy - Philipsburg
  • Grace Prep - State College
  • Hill Side School - Rebersburg
  • Hubler Ridge School - Bellefonte
  • Kramer Gap School - Spring Mills
  • Little Nittany Amish Parochial School - Howard
  • Mountain View School - Rebersburg
  • Nittany Christian School - State College
  • Our Lady of Victory School - State College
  • Peach Lane Amish School - Madisonburg
  • Penns Valley Amish Paroch School - Woodward
  • Rockville School - Rebersburg
  • Spring Bank School - Rebersburg
  • St John Evangelist School - Bellefonte
  • St. Joseph's Academy - Boalsburg
  • State College Friends School - State College
  • Sunny Meadow Parochial School - Howard
  • Sunset View School - Howard
  • Sunset View School - Rebersburg
  • Windy Poplars School - Centre Hall
  • Woodside Amish School - Spring Mills

Libraries[]

Pennsylvania State University libraries[]

Transportation[]

University Park Airport operates daily commercial and general aviation flights.

Major highways[]

  • I-80 I-80
  • I-99 I-99
  • US 322 US 322
  • No imageBusiness plateNo image
    US 322 US 322 Bus.
  • US 220 US 220
  • No imageAlt plateNo image
    US 220 US 220 Alt.
  • PA-26 [[Template:Infobox road/PA/link PA|PA 26]]
  • PA-45 [[Template:Infobox road/PA/link PA|PA 45]]
  • PA-64 [[Template:Infobox road/PA/link PA|PA 64]]
  • PA-144 [[Template:Infobox road/PA/link PA|PA 144]]
  • PA-150 [[Template:Infobox road/PA/link PA|PA 150]]
  • PA-192 [[Template:Infobox road/PA/link PA|PA 192]]

Recreation[]

Bald Eagle State Park Apple Tree

An apple tree and meadow at Bald Eagle State Park

Black Moshannon State Park (Revisited)

Black Moshannon State Park

There are six Pennsylvania state parks in Centre County.

  • Bald Eagle State Park is the largest state park in Centre County with 5,900-acres (2,388 ha). It is on Pennsylvania Route 150 between Milesburg and Lock Haven.
  • Black Moshannon State Park west of State College has a bog with three species of carnivorous plants and 17 orchid varieties.
  • McCalls Dam State Park is a small park on a dirt road in the extreme eastern tip of the county.
  • Penn-Roosevelt State Park is the site of a former segregated CCC camp for African American men.
  • Poe Paddy State Park is at the confluence of Big Poe Creek and Penns Creek.
  • Poe Valley State Park is in an isolated valley surrounding 25 acre Poe Lake.

Media[]

Centre County's main daily newspaper is the Centre Daily Times (part of the McClatchy Company chain). Alternative newspapers include the Centre County Gazette and State College City Guide. Newspapers of Pennsylvania State University's main campus include the student-run Daily Collegian.[15]

Numerous magazines are also published including Town & Gown,[16] State College Magazine, Good Life in Happy Valley, Blue White Illustrated, Pennsylvania Business Central, and Voices of Central Pennsylvania.[17]

The radio market of Centre County is ranked #257 in the nation. Some of the more popular stations include WPSU, WKPS, WMAJ, WQWK, WFGE, WBHV, WZWW, WRSC, WAPY, and WBUS.

Centre County is part of the Johnstown/Altoona/State College television market, which is currently ranked #99 in the nation. Television stations broadcasting out of State College include WPSU (PBS) and WHVL-LD (MyNetworkTV) as well as C-NET, Centre County's Government and Education Access Television Network, which broadcasts on two channels: CGTV (Government Access TV) and CETV (Educational Access TV). Johnstown-based WJAC-TV (NBC) and Altoona-based WTAJ-TV (CBS) also maintain satellite studios and offices here.

Communities[]

Map of Centre County Pennsylvania With Municipal and Township Labels

Map of Centre County, Pennsylvania with Municipal Labels showing Boroughs (red), Townships (white), and Census-designated places (blue).

Under Pennsylvania law, there are five types of incorporated municipalities: cities, home rule municipalities, boroughs, townships, and, in at most two cases, towns. The following municipalities, boroughs and townships are in Centre County:

Home rule municipalities[]

Boroughs[]

  • Bellefonte (county seat)
  • Centre Hall
  • Howard
  • Milesburg
  • Millheim
  • Philipsburg
  • Port Matilda
  • Snow Shoe
  • Unionville

Townships[]

  • Benner
  • Boggs
  • Burnside
  • College (Happy Valley)
  • Curtin
  • Ferguson (Happy Valley)
  • Gregg
  • Haines
  • Halfmoon
  • Harris (Happy Valley)
  • Howard
  • Huston
  • Liberty
  • Marion
  • Miles
  • Patton (Happy Valley)
  • Penn
  • Potter
  • Rush
  • Snow Shoe
  • Spring
  • Taylor
  • Union
  • Walker
  • Worth

Census-designated places[]

Census-designated places are geographical areas designated by the U.S. Census Bureau for the purposes of compiling demographic data. They are not actual jurisdictions under Pennsylvania law. Other unincorporated communities, such as villages, may be listed here as well.

  • Aaronsburg
  • Baileyville
  • Blanchard
  • Boalsburg
  • Casanova
  • Clarence
  • Coburn
  • Continental Courts
  • Eagle Creek
  • Eagleville
  • Holters Crossing
  • Houserville
  • Hublersburg
  • Jacksonville
  • Julian
  • Lemont
  • Madisonburg
  • Mingoville
  • Monument
  • Moose Run
  • Moshannon
  • Mount Eagle
  • Nittany
  • North Philipsburg
  • Orviston
  • Park Forest Village
  • Peru
  • Pine Glen
  • Pine Grove Mills
  • Pleasant Gap
  • Potters Mills
  • Ramblewood
  • Rebersburg
  • Runville
  • Sandy Ridge
  • Snydertown
  • South Philipsburg
  • Spring Mills
  • Stormstown
  • Toftrees
  • Woodward
  • Yarnell
  • Zion

Other communities[]

  • Axemann
  • Colyer
  • Graysdale
  • Gum Stump
  • Ingleby (ghost town)
  • Martha Furnace
  • Struble
  • Tusseyville
  • University Park
  • Waddle

Population ranking[]

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Centre County.[9]

county seat

Rank City/Town/etc. Municipal type Population (2010 Census)
1 State College Borough 42,034
2 Park Forest Village CDP 9,660
3 Bellefonte Borough 6,187
4 Boalsburg CDP 3,722
5 Pleasant Gap CDP 2,879
6 Philipsburg Borough 2,770
7 Stormstown CDP 2,366
8 Lemont CDP 2,270
9 Toftrees CDP 2,053
10 Zion CDP 2,030
11 Houserville CDP 1,814
12 Pine Grove Mills CDP 1,502
13 Centre Hall Borough 1,265
14 Milesburg Borough 1,123
15 Millheim Borough 904
16 Ramblewood CDP 849
17 Snow Shoe Borough 765
18 Blanchard CDP 740
19 Howard Borough 720
20 North Philipsburg CDP 660
21 Nittany CDP 658
22 Clarence CDP 626
23 Aaronsburg CDP 613
24 Port Matilda Borough 606
25 Mingoville CDP 503
26 Rebersburg CDP 494
27 Snydertown CDP 483
28 South Philipsburg CDP 410
29 Sandy Ridge CDP 407
30 Eagleville CDP 324
31 Unionville Borough 291
32 Moshannon CDP 281
33 Spring Mills CDP 268
34 Coburn CDP 236
35 Baileyville CDP 201
36 Pine Glen CDP 190
37 Madisonburg CDP 168
38 Julian CDP 152
39 Monument CDP 150
40 Woodward CDP 110
41 Hublersburg CDP 104
42 Mount Eagle CDP 103
T-43 Jacksonville CDP 95
T-43 Orviston CDP 95

See also[]

  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Centre County, Pennsylvania

References[]

  1. ^ "PHMC Historical Markers Search" (Searchable database). Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/pennsylvania_historical_marker_program/2539/search_for_historical_markers. 
  2. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/42/42027.html. 
  3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. 
  4. ^ "Centre County Pennsylvania: 15 Historical Sketches of Our 200 Years". http://www.co.centre.pa.us/sketches/sketches.asp. 
  5. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_42.txt. 
  6. ^ "Census 2020". https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/cambriacountypennsylvania/PST045219. 
  7. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov. 
  8. ^ "Office of Management and Budget". https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb. 
  9. ^ a b "2010 U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.2010.html. 
  10. ^ "Centre County Government - Welcome Page". Centre County Government. http://www.co.centre.pa.us/welcome.asp. 
  11. ^ a b Center, Legislativate Data Processing. "Find Your Legislator" (in en). http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/findyourlegislator/county_list.cfm?CNTYLIST=Centre. 
  12. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS. 
  13. ^ [1]
  14. ^ a b "Centre County, PA - Official Website - Election Results". http://centrecountypa.gov/index.aspx?NID=802. 
  15. ^ "Pennsylvania Newspapers". NewsLink. http://www.newslink.org/panews.html. 
  16. ^ Town & Gown Magazine Town & Gown Magazine
  17. ^ "Voices of Central Pa - Central Pennsylvania's Independent Community Newspaper". http://www.voicesweb.org. 

External links[]

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Template:State College, Pennsylvania

Coordinates: 40°55′N 77°49′W / 40.91, -77.82



This page uses content from the English language Wikipedia. The original content was at Centre County, Pennsylvania. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with this Familypedia wiki, the content of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons License.
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