| Luzerne County, Pennsylvania | ||
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Location in the state of Pennsylvania |
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Pennsylvania's location in the U.S. |
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| Founded | September 25, 1786 | |
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| Seat | Wilkes-Barre | |
| Largest city | Wilkes-Barre | |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
907 sq mi (2,349 km²) 891 sq mi (2,308 km²) 16 sq mi (41 km²), 1.80% |
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| Population - (2010) - Density |
320,918 360/sq mi (139/km²) |
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| Website | www.luzernecounty.org | |
| Luzerne County Heads of State | |
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| Government | |
| • Head Commissioner | Maryanne Petrilla (D) |
| • Commissioner | Thomas Cooney (D) |
| • Commissioner | Stephen A. Urban (R) |
Luzerne County is a county in northeastern Pennsylvania, with a total population of 320,918 (as of the 2010 census). It is located in the northern Anthracite area called "The Coal Region". Its county seat is Wilkes-Barre. It is part of the Scranton–Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area. Luzerne County saw the largest increase in Hispanics of any county in the United States with 10,000 or more Hispanic as of the 2010 census. The county's Hispanic population grew by over 440% from 2000 to 2010[1].
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The Luzerne County Historical Society maintains the storehouse for the collective memory of Luzerne County and its environs. It records and interprets the history, traditions, events, people and cultures that have directed and molded life within the region.[1]
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 907 square miles (2,349 km²), of which 891 square miles (2,307 km²) is land and 16 square miles (42 km²) (1.80%) is water. The Wyoming Valley in the North and Mid part of the county is flat at the Susquehanna Basin and rises from 700 feet (210 m) to 2,000 feet (610 m) in some places. Bear Creek, on the eastern side of the valley, has a mean elevation of about 2,000 feet (610 m), while Pittston, on the Susquehanna Basin, is about 700 feet (210 m). The Valley goes as north as Exeter Township-Dallas Township to as on the west side from Plymouth Township-Bear Creek Township and as on the east side from Duryea to Bear Creek Township; South as Hanover Township to Bear Creek Township. The county is crossed by a series of east-to-west mountains. The Susquehanna River drains most of the county while the Lehigh River drains some eastern and southeastern portions and forms part of its southeast boundary.
| Sullivan County | Wyoming County | Lackawanna County | ||
| Columbia County | Monroe County | |||
| Luzerne County, Pennsylvania | ||||
| Schuylkill County | Carbon County |
| Historical populations | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1790 | 4,892 |
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| 1800 | 12,839 | 162.4% | |
| 1810 | 18,109 | 41.0% | |
| 1820 | 20,027 | 10.6% | |
| 1830 | 27,379 | 36.7% | |
| 1840 | 44,006 | 60.7% | |
| 1850 | 56,072 | 27.4% | |
| 1860 | 90,244 | 60.9% | |
| 1870 | 160,915 | 78.3% | |
| 1880 | 133,065 | −17.3% | |
| 1890 | 201,203 | 51.2% | |
| 1900 | 257,121 | 27.8% | |
| 1910 | 343,186 | 33.5% | |
| 1920 | 390,991 | 13.9% | |
| 1930 | 445,109 | 13.8% | |
| 1940 | 441,518 | −0.8% | |
| 1950 | 392,241 | −11.2% | |
| 1960 | 346,972 | −11.5% | |
| 1970 | 342,301 | −1.3% | |
| 1980 | 343,079 | 0.2% | |
| 1990 | 328,149 | −4.4% | |
| 2000 | 319,255 | −2.7% | |
| 2010 | 320,918 | 0.5% | |
| [7][8] | |||
As of the 2010 census, the county was 90.7% White, 3.4% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 3.3% were of some other race, and 1.5% were two or more races. 6.7% of the population was of Hispanic or Latino ancestry[2]. The Hispanic population was just 1.1% of the population in 2000.
As of the census[9] of 2000, there were 319,250 people, 130,687 households, and 84,293 families residing in the county. The population density was 358 people per square mile (138/km²). There were 144,686 housing units at an average density of 162 per square mile (63/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.63% White, 1.69% Black or African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.58% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.43% from other races, and 0.57% from two or more races. 1.16% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 22.2% were of Polish, 15.6% Italian, 13.8% Irish, 12.1% German and 5.3% Slovak ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 130,687 households out of which 26.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.80% were married couples living together, 11.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.50% were non-families. 31.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.95.
In the county, the population was spread out with 21.00% under the age of 18, 8.10% from 18 to 24, 27.20% from 25 to 44, 24.00% from 45 to 64, and 19.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 93.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.50 males.
Luzerne County is the only county in the United States with a plurality of citizens reporting Polish as their primary ancestry; the majority of Pennsylvanians report German or Pennsylvania Dutch.
As of November 2008, there are 187,849 registered voters in Luzerne County.[10]
While the Democratic Party has been historically dominant in county-level politics, on the statewide and national levels Luzerne County leans toward the Democratic Party but only slightly. In 2000 Democrat Al Gore won 52% of the vote and Republican George W. Bush won 43%. In 2004 it was much closer with Democrat John Kerry winning 51% to Republican George Bush's 47%. In 2006 both Democrats Governor Ed Rendell and now Senator Bob Casey Jr. won 67.5% and 60.6% of the vote in Luzerne County, respectively. In 2008 all four statewide winners carried it, with Barack Obama receiving 53.6% of the county vote to 45.2% for John McCain.
Luzerne County is represented by three County Commissioners[11]. All county row offices were held by Democrats after the 2007 election,[12] when Republican incumbents Recorder of Deeds Mary Dysleski and Sheriff Barry Stankus lost re-election. However, this changed in the 2009 election when Republicans Walter Griffith and Carolee Olenginski won election as County Controller and Prothonotary respectively. In 2011, Republicans won another county office when Stefanie Salavantis defeated Democratic Incumbent Jackie Musto Carroll in a close race for District Attorney.
Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: cities, boroughs, townships, and, in one case Bloomsburg, the only town, towns. The following cities, boroughs and townships are located in Luzerne County:
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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.
There are four Pennsylvania state parks in Luzerne County:
Data from EdNA - Education Names and Addresses report[13]
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