Centre County, Pennsylvania

Centre County, Pennsylvania

The Centre County Courthouse in Bellefonte

Seal
Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Centre County
Location in the state of Pennsylvania
Map of the United States highlighting Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania's location in the U.S.
Founded February 13, 1800
Seat Bellefonte
Largest borough State College
Area
 • Total 1,113 sq mi (2,883 km2)
 • Land 1,110 sq mi (2,875 km2)
 • Water 3.0 sq mi (8 km2), 0.3%
Population (est.)
 • (2014) 158,742
 • Density 139/sq mi (54/km²)
Congressional district 5th
Time zone Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Website co.centre.pa.us

Footnotes:

Designated May 10, 1982[1]

Centre County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 153,990.[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. 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] Centre County was created on February 13, 1800, from parts of Huntingdon, Lycoming, Mifflin, and Northumberland counties and 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.

Features

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
181010,681—
182013,79629.2%
183018,87936.8%
184020,4928.5%
185023,35514.0%
186027,00015.6%
187034,41827.5%
188037,92210.2%
189043,26914.1%
190042,894−0.9%
191043,4241.2%
192044,3042.0%
193046,2944.5%
194052,60813.6%
195065,92225.3%
196078,58019.2%
197099,26726.3%
1980112,76013.6%
1990123,7869.8%
2000135,7609.7%
2010153,99013.4%
Est. 2014158,742[6]3.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]
1790-1960[8] 1900-1990[9]
1990-2000[10] 2010-2013[2]

As of the census[11] 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

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

The United States Office of Management and Budget[12] has designated Centre County as the State College, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). As of the 2010 U.S. Census[13] 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

Other county offices

State Senate

State House of Representatives

United States House of Representatives

United States Senate

Politics

As of November 2014, there were 108,316 registered voters in Centre County.[15]

Centre County had for many years been a strongly Republican county like most of rural Pennsylvania. In recent years, however, it has been becoming 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 the other three statewide winners (Rob McCord for Treasurer, Jack Wagner for Auditor General, and Tom Corbett for Attorney General) also carried Centre. Perhaps the reason for the competitiveness of the Democrats is the fact that the main campus of Penn State is located in State College in the southern half of the county. In 2012, Barack Obama won the county in his reelection campaign by a very narrow margin, 48.90% to 48.65%.[16]

Education

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

Colleges and universities

Community, junior, and technical colleges

Public school districts

Map of Centre County, Pennsylvania Public School Districts

Public charter schools

Private schools

As reported by the Pennsylvania Department of Education 2010.

Libraries

Pennsylvania State University libraries

Transportation

Recreation

An apple tree and meadow at Bald Eagle State Park

There are six Pennsylvania state parks in Centre County.

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 Forum and the student-run Daily Collegian.[17]

Numerous magazines are also published including Town & Gown,[18] State College Magazine,[19] Good Life in Happy Valley,[20] Blue White Illustrated, Pennsylvania Business Central, and Voices of Central Pennsylvania.[21]

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

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 (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 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 located in Centre County:

Home rule municipalities

Boroughs

Townships

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.

Unincorporated communities

See also

References

  1. ↑ "PHMC Historical Markers Search" (Searchable database). Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Retrieved 2014-01-25.
  2. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 16, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  4. ↑ "Centre County Pennsylvania: 15 Historical Sketches of Our 200 Years". Retrieved 18 June 2012.
  5. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014". Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  7. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  9. ↑ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 24, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  11. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  12. ↑ http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb
  13. ↑ http://www.census.gov/2010census/
  14. ↑ "Centre County Government - Welcome Page". Centre County Government. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  15. ↑ Voter Registration Statistics. Dos.state.pa.us. Retrieved on 2014-11-04.
  16. ↑ http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?year=2012&fips=42&f=0&off=0&elect=0
  17. ↑ "Pennsylvania Newspapers". NewsLink. Retrieved March 20, 2011.
  18. ↑ Town & Gown Magazine Town & Gown Magazine
  19. ↑ State College Magazine, Pennsylvania. State College Magazine (2011-03-01). Retrieved on 2011-03-30.
  20. ↑ Good Life in Happy Valley | Centre Daily Times – State College, PA | Penn State, Nittany Lions, weather, news, jobs, homes, apartments, real estate. Centredaily.com (2009-06-19). Retrieved on 2011-03-30.
  21. ↑ Voices of Central Pennsylvania

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Centre County, Pennsylvania.

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

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