Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania

Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
Westmoreland County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 364,663. The county seat is Greensburg and the most populous community is Hempfield Township. It is named after Westmorland, a historic county of England.
Formed from, successively, Lancaster, Northumberland, and later Bedford counties, Westmoreland County was founded on February 26, 1773, and was the first county in the colony of Pennsylvania whose entire territorial boundary was located west of the Allegheny Mountains. Westmoreland County originally included the present-day counties of Fayette, Washington, Greene, and parts of Beaver, Allegheny, Indiana, and Armstrong counties. Westmoreland County is included in the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Formed from Lancaster, Northumberland, and later Bedford counties, Westmoreland County was founded on February 26, 1773, and was the first county in the Pennsylvania colony whose entire territorial boundary was located west of the Allegheny Mountains. Westmoreland County originally included the present-day counties of Fayette, Washington, Greene, and parts of Beaver, Allegheny, Indiana, and Armstrong counties. It is named after Westmorland, a historic county of England.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.8%) is water.
Climate
Westmoreland has a humid continental climate (Dfa/Dfb). Average monthly temperatures in Greensburg range from 28.7 °F in January to 71.8 °F in July, while in Murrysville they range from 29.4 °F in January to 73.1 °F in July, in Latrobe they range from 28.9 °F in January to 72.0 °F in July, and in Ligonier they range from 28.1 °F in January to 71.1 °F in July.
Adjacent counties
Armstrong County (north)
Indiana County (northeast)
Cambria County (east)
Somerset County (southeast)
Fayette County (south)
Washington County (southwest)
Allegheny County (west)
Butler County (northwest)
Major highways
Demographics
At the 2010 census, there were 365,169 people, 153,650 households and 101,928 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 168,199 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 95.3% White, 2.3% Black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.2% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. 0.9% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 153,650 households, of which 24.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.2% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.7% were non-families. 29.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32, and the average family size was 2.86.
22.3% of the population were under 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 22.4% from 25 to 44, 31.3% from 45 to 64, and 18.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.3 males.
2020 census
Politics and government
Voter registration
As of September 25, 2023, there are 243,801 registered voters in Westmoreland County.
Republican: 122,176 (50.11%)
Democratic: 91,582 (37.56%)
Independent: 19,991 (8.20%)
Minor parties: 10,052 (4.12%)
Political history
The Democratic Party historically dominated county-level politics between the New Deal realignment and the turn of the century; however, Westmoreland has trended Republican at the national and statewide levels in the 21st century (in direct lockstep with most other Appalachian counties).
In 2000, Republican George W. Bush became the first Republican to carry the county since 1972, and Republicans have carried the county in every election since, increasing the margin of victory in every successive election until 2020. Democratic Governor Ed Rendell lost Westmoreland in both 2002 and 2006. In 2008, Republican Tim Krieger picked up the 57th House district left open by the retirement of Democratic state representative Tom Tangretti.
In 2010, both Pat Toomey and Tom Corbett won Westmoreland in their statewide bids. Also, the GOP gained control of two more State House districts, the 54th with Eli Evankovich and the 56th with George Dunbar. In 2011, the Republican Party swept all county row offices. A Democratic resurgence in 2015 gave that party a majority of the county commissioners. However, in the 2019 elections, Democratic elected officials lost that majority and carried only one row office.
As of 2020, the only majority-Democratic cities within the county are Arnold and Monessen. That being said, local Democrats running statewide sometimes win additional cities and boroughs. For example, in the 2022 Gubernatorial race, the cities of Greensburg, New Kensington, Latrobe, and Jeannette all voted for Democrat Josh Shapiro over Republican Doug Mastriano, despite voting Republican in the 2020 Presidential election.
|}
County commissioners
Westmoreland County is administered by a three-member publicly elected commission. Each commissioner serves in four-year terms. Elections occur in the odd-numbered years that precede U.S. presidential elections. All three Commissioners are chosen in the same election, and voters may vote for no more than two of the candidates. By state law, the commission must have a minority party guaranteeing a political split on the commission. The Commissioners are responsible for the management of the fiscal and administrative functions of the county.
County row offices
State House of Representatives
State Senate
United States House of Representatives
United States Senate
Education
Public school districts
School districts:
Belle Vernon Area School District (Also in Fayette County)
Blairsville-Saltsburg School District (Also in Indiana County)
Burrell School District
Derry Area School District
Franklin Regional School District
Greater Latrobe School District
Greensburg-Salem School District
Hempfield Area School District
Jeannette City School District
Kiski Area School District (Also in Armstrong County)
Leechburg Area School District (Also in Armstrong County)
Ligonier Valley School District
Monessen City School District
Mount Pleasant Area School District
New Kensington–Arnold School District
Norwin School District
Penn-Trafford School District (also in Allegheny County)
Southmoreland School District (also in Fayette County)
Yough School District
Public charter schools
Dr. Robert Ketterer Charter School grades 7th through 12th Latrobe (since 2008)
According to EdNA
Private high school
Greensburg Central Catholic High School
Colleges and universities
Penn State New Kensington
Seton Hill University
Saint Vincent College
Westmoreland County Community College
University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg
Carlow University at Youngwood
Triangle Tech
Additional
Northern Westmoreland Career and Technology Center
Economy
Coal mining became a major industry in the county after the Civil War, followed by expansion of manufacturing of iron, steel and glass. The 600-acre coke works for the Isabella Furnace were built in Cokeville (then Coketown) in Spring of 1872. At one point, company "coal patches" (towns built for miners) represented about one-third of the county's settlements. A major strike by coal miners represented by the United Mine Workers of America took place in 1910–1911. Sixteen people were killed in the strike.
In 2020 the top industries in the county were health care and social services (16.3% of jobs), manufacturing (13.8%) and retail trade (13.7%). Mining comprised less than 1% of the jobs in the county. Westmoreland County is now believed to be the site of over 100 abandoned mines.
Volkswagen's Westmoreland plant near New Stanton in Westmoreland County was the first foreign-owned factory mass-producing automobiles in the U.S. It operated from 1978 to 1988.
Recreation
There are four Pennsylvania state parks in Westmoreland County.
Keystone State Park
Laurel Ridge State Park
Laurel Summit State Park
Linn Run State Park
Communities
Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: cities, boroughs, townships, and, in at most two cases, towns. The following cities, boroughs and townships are located in Westmoreland County:
Cities
Arnold
Greensburg (county seat)
Jeannette
Latrobe
Lower Burrell
Monessen
New Kensington
Boroughs
Adamsburg
Arona
Avonmore
Bolivar
Delmont
Derry
Donegal
East Vandergrift
Export
Hunker
Hyde Park
Irwin
Laurel Mountain
Ligonier
Madison
Manor
Mount Pleasant
Murrysville
New Alexandria
New Florence
New Stanton
North Belle Vernon
North Irwin
Oklahoma
Penn
Scottdale
Seward
Smithton
South Greensburg
Southwest Greensburg
Sutersville
Trafford (partly in Allegheny County)
Vandergrift
West Leechburg
West Newton
Youngstown
Youngwood
Townships
Allegheny
Bell
Cook
Derry
Donegal
East Huntingdon
Fairfield
Hempfield
Ligonier
Loyalhanna
Mount Pleasant
North Huntingdon
Penn
Rostraver
St. Clair
Salem
Sewickley
South Huntingdon
Unity
Upper Burrell
Washington
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.
Bradenville
Calumet
Collinsburg
Crabtree
Fellsburg
Grapeville
Harrison City
Herminie
Hostetter
Lawson Heights
Level Green
Loyalhanna
Lynnwood Pricedale
Mammoth
Millwood
Norvelt
St. Vincent College
Slickville
Webster
Wyano
Yukon
Unincorporated communities
Acme
Alverton
Ardara
Armbrust
Baggaley
Bessemer
Blackstone
Boquet
Bovard
Brenizer
Carbon
Claridge
Forbes Road
Greenwald
Hannastown
Hopewell
Hutchinson
Jacobs Creek
Jones Mills
Kecksburg
Larimer
Laughlintown
Lloydsville
Lowber
Luxor
Marguerite
Morewood
Moween
New Derry
Pandora
Peanut
Pleasant Unity
Reagantown
Rector
Reduction
Ruffs Dale
Salina
Scab Hill
Seger
Southwest
Stahlstown
Standard Shaft
Tarrs
Torrance
Trauger
Turkeytown
United
Wendel
Westmoreland City
Whitney
Yohoghany
Former community
Franklin Township - now known as Murrysville, Pennsylvania
Population ranking
The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Westmoreland County.
† county seat
Notable people
David Alter, born in Westmoreland County, noted inventor
Pete Babando, former NHL Hockey player, played for 1950 Stanley Cup champions Detroit Red Wings, born in Braeburn neighborhood of the City of Lower Burrell.
George Blanda, Hall of Fame football player, born in Youngwood.
D.J. Coffman, comic book artist and writer, creator of Hero By Night. Born in Mt. Pleasant. Resides in Scottdale.
Johnny Costa, jazz pianist, was born and raised in Arnold.
Jesse Root Grant, (father of Ulysses S. Grant General and President) born in Greensburg.
Shirley Jones, Academy Award-winning actress and singer, grew up in Smithton.
Sheila Kelley, American actor, born and raised in Greensburg, Pa. Founder of Sheila Kelley S Factor exercise and lifestyle program.
Bill Mazeroski, Hall of Fame baseball player
Michael Moorer, boxer
Arnold Palmer, golfer, was born and raised in Latrobe.
Terrelle Pryor NFL quarterback, attended Jeannette high school.
Fred Rogers, television personality, was born, raised, and lived in Latrobe; buried in Unity Cemetery, Unity Township just outside Latrobe.
Arthur St. Clair, American Revolution Major General, Patriot, 9th President of the Continental Congress, buried in Greensburg, Pa.
Willie Thrower, football player, was born and raised in New Kensington.
Jim White, KMOX radio talk show host, born and raised in Greensburg, Pa.
Jacob Zimmerman (born 1831), newspaper editor, newspaper owner, Illinois politician, mine owner, real estate entrepreneur, and businessman.
See also
National Register of Historic Places listings in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
Westmoreland Choral Society
References
External links
1773 establishments in Pennsylvania
Counties of Appalachia
Laurel Highlands
Pittsburgh metropolitan area
Populated places established in 1773