Mercer County, Pennsylvania

Mercer County, Pennsylvania
Mercer County Courthouse (1909)
Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Mercer County
Location in the state of Pennsylvania
Map of the United States highlighting Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania's location in the U.S.
Founded November 7, 1803
Seat Mercer
Largest city Hermitage
Area
 • Total 683 sq mi (1,769 km2)
 • Land 673 sq mi (1,743 km2)
 • Water 10 sq mi (26 km2), 1.5%
Population
 • (2010) 116,638
 • Density 173/sq mi (67/km²)
Congressional district 3rd
Time zone Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Website www.mcc.co.mercer.pa.us

Mercer County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 116,638.[1] Its county seat is Mercer,[2] and its largest city is Hermitage. The county was created in 1800 and later organized in 1803.[3]

Mercer County is included in the Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 683 square miles (1,770 km2), of which 673 square miles (1,740 km2) is land and 10 square miles (26 km2) (1.5%) is water.[4]

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
18003,228—
18108,277156.4%
182011,68141.1%
183019,72968.9%
184032,87366.6%
185033,1720.9%
186036,85611.1%
187049,97735.6%
188056,16112.4%
189055,744−0.7%
190057,3872.9%
191077,69935.4%
192093,78820.7%
193099,2465.8%
1940101,0391.8%
1950111,95410.8%
1960127,51913.9%
1970127,175−0.3%
1980128,2990.9%
1990121,003−5.7%
2000120,307−0.6%
2010116,638−3.0%
Est. 2013115,195−1.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[5]
1790-1960[6] 1900-1990[7]
1990-2000[8] 2010-2013[1]

As of the census[9] of 2000, there were 120,293 people, 46,712 households, and 32,371 families residing in the county. The population density was 179 people per square mile (69/km²). There were 49,859 housing units at an average density of 74 per square mile (29/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 93.13% White, 5.25% Black or African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.17% from other races, and 0.91% from two or more races. 0.67% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 24.5% were of German, 12.0% Italian, 10.5% Irish, 9.3% English and 6.8% American ancestry according to Census 2000.

There were 46,712 households out of which 29.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.80% were married couples living together, 10.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.70% were non-families. 27.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.96.

In the county, the population was spread out with 23.40% under the age of 18, 8.90% from 18 to 24, 26.10% from 25 to 44, 23.50% from 45 to 64, and 18.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 94.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.80 males.

Government and politics

As of November 2008, there are 80,917 registered voters in Mercer County.[10]

Political bellwether

Mercer County was previously considered a political bellwether for the state of Pennsylvania since its demographics, urban/rural ratio, and party affiliation once closely mirrored the state as a whole. In 2000 Al Gore carried it against George W. Bush. This trend failed to hold true during 2004 Presidential election and 2008 Presidential election, in which Mercer County voted more conservatively than the rest of the state. In 2004 George W. Bush won Mercer County with 51% of the vote. That year John Kerry won the state as a whole with 51% of the popular vote. In 2008 John McCain won Mercer County by fewer than 200 votes, as he and Barack Obama each received roughly 49% of the popular vote. Barack Obama won the state of Pennsylvania as a whole with 55% of the popular vote. Each of the three state-wide office winners also carried Mercer in 2008.

County commissioners

Other county offices

State Representative

State Senator

US Representatives

Education

Higher education

Career-based education

Public school districts

Map of Mercer County, Pennsylvania Public School Districts

Charter schools

Recreation

There is one Pennsylvania state park in Mercer County. Maurice K. Goddard State Park, named for Maurice K. Goddard, former Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources, is just off exit 130 of Interstate 79 on Pennsylvania Route 358 near Stoneboro.

The Wendell August Forge, the last remaining working forge in the state, was open to the public for tours, but it burned down on March 6, 2010.[13] It has since reopened in new facilities.

Mercer County Court House built in 1909.

Communities

Map of Mercer County, Pennsylvania with Municipal Labels showing Cities and Boroughs (red) and Townships (white).

Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: cities, boroughs, townships, and, in one case, towns. The following cities, boroughs and townships are located in Mercer County:

Cities

Boroughs

Townships

Census-designated places

Former community

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 20, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. ↑ "Pennsylvania: Individual County Chronologies". Pennsylvania Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2008. Retrieved March 13, 2015.
  4. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
  5. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
  7. ↑ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 24, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
  9. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  10. ↑ Running for Office. Dos.state.pa.us. Retrieved on 2013-07-23.
  11. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education (2011). "Charter Schools".
  12. ↑
  13. ↑ "Landmark metal forge burns in Mercer County." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Online. March 06, 2010.
  14. ↑ http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~pamercer/PA/PL/ts/Hickory/hickory.htm

External links

Coordinates: 41°19′N 80°15′W / 41.31°N 80.25°W