Bradford County, Pennsylvania

Bradford County, Pennsylvania
Bradford County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is part of Northeastern Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, its population was 59,967. Its county seat is Towanda. The county was created on February 21, 1810, from parts of Lycoming and Luzerne Counties. Originally called Ontario County, it was reorganized and separated from Lycoming County on October 13, 1812, and renamed Bradford County for William Bradford, who had been a chief justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and United States Attorney General.
Bradford County comprises the Sayre, Pennsylvania micropolitan statistical area.
The county is not to be confused with the city of Bradford, which is in McKean County, 141 miles to the west via U.S. Route 6.
History
As noted above, Bradford County was originally named Ontario County. The county was reorganized and renamed in 1812, but a section of north Philadelphia in which major east–west streets are named after Pennsylvania counties retains an Ontario Street, between Westmoreland and Tioga Streets. Two short Bradford Streets are in northeast Philadelphia, about 4 miles from Ontario Street.
Bradford County is the ancestral home of the Tehotitachsae indigenous people of North America. Their principal village, Gohontoto, was on the site of the present Borough of Wyalusing.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which are land and (1.2%) are covered by water. It is the second-largest county in Pennsylvania by land area and third-largest by total area.
Climate
Bradford has a warm-summer humid continental climate (Dfb) and average monthly temperatures in Towanda range from 24.5 °F in January to 70.6 °F in July.
Adjacent counties
Chemung County, New York (northwest)
Tioga County, New York (northeast)
Susquehanna County (east)
Wyoming County (southeast)
Sullivan County (south)
Lycoming County (southwest)
Tioga County (west)
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 62,761 people, 24,453 households, and 17,312 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 28,664 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 97.94% White, 0.40% Black or African American, 0.31% Native American, 0.45% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.19% from other races, and 0.69% from two or more races. 0.63% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 32.4% were of English, 19% German, 12.6% Irish and 6.4% Italian ancestry.
There were 24,453 households, out of which 31.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.40% were married couples living together, 8.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.20% were non-families. 24.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.50% under the age of 18, 6.80% from 18 to 24, 27.20% from 25 to 44, 24.70% from 45 to 64, and 15.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 95.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.10 males.
2020 census
Micropolitan Statistical Area
The United States Office of Management and Budget has designated Bradford County as the Sayre, PA Micropolitan Statistical Area (µSA). As of the 2010 U.S. Census the micropolitan area ranked 8th most populous in the State of Pennsylvania and the 131st most populous in the United States with a population of 62,622.
Law and government
Bradford County is a Republican Party stronghold in presidential elections. The only two instances Republican presidential candidates have failed to win the county from 1880 to the present were when Theodore Roosevelt won it in 1912 by splitting the Republican vote & in 1964 when Lyndon B. Johnson won statewide & nationally in a landslide. Johnson is also the only Democrat to ever manage over forty percent of the county's vote. Even so, he won Bradford County only narrowly, by just over one percent.
Voter registration
As of July 17, 2023, there are 36,677 registered voters in the county. There are 23,604 registered Republicans, 8,315 registered Democrats, 3,105 voters registered non-affiliated voters, and 1,653 voters registered to other parties.
County commissioners
Daryl Miller, Chairman, Republican
Doug McLinko, Vice-chairman, Republican
John Sullivan, Democrat
Other county officials
Auditors, Jeff Warner, Eric Matthews, Sebrina Shanks
Clerk of Courts and Prothonotary, Dawn Close, Republican
Coroner, James Bowen
District Attorney, N.A.
Register of Wills and Recorder of Deeds, Sheila Johnson, Republican
Sheriff, Clinton J. Walters, Republican
Treasurer, Matthew Allen, Republican
State senate
Gene Yaw, Republican, Pennsylvania's 23rd Senatorial District
State House of Representatives
Clint Owlett, Republican, Pennsylvania's 68th Representative District
Tina Pickett, Republican, Pennsylvania's 110th Representative District
United States House of Representatives
Dan Meuser, Republican, Pennsylvania's 9th congressional district
United States Senate
John Fetterman, Democrat
Bob Casey, Democrat
Economy
Major employers are the natural gas industry, farming, logging, DuPont, Global-Tungsten and Powders (formerly Sylvania), Jeld-Wen, and Cargill Regional Beef, Wyalusing.
Education
Public school districts
Athens Area School District
Canton Area School District (also in Lycoming and Tioga Counties)
Northeast Bradford School District
Sayre Area School District
Towanda Area School District
Troy Area School District
Wyalusing Area School District (also in Wyoming County)
Other public school entities
BLAST Intermediate Unit 17
Northern Tier Career Center Towanda
Adult Ed Linkage Services – Troy
Lackawanna College Towanda Center
Private schools
Canton Country School – Canton
Children's Place – Sayre
Epiphany School (Catholic) Pre-K–6 – Sayre accepting OSTCP students
Freedom Lane Academy – Milan
G&G Learning Center – Rome
Maranatha Mission Learning Community Branch 19 – Canton
North Rome Christian School
South Hill Amish School – Wyalusing
St. Agnes Elementary School – Towanda accepting OSTCP students
Union Valley Christian School – Ulster
Valley View Amish School – Pike Township
Wyalusing Valley Children's Center INC – Wyalusing
Data from EdNA database maintained by Pennsylvania Department of Education 2012
Libraries
Allen F. Pierce Free Library – Troy
Bradford County Library – Troy
Bradford County Library System – Troy
Green Free Library – Canton
Mather Memorial Library – Ulster
Monroeton Public Library – Monroeton
New Albany Community Library Inc.
Sayre Public Library
Spalding Memorial Library – Athens
Towanda Public Library
Wyalusing Public Library
Transportation
Public transportation is provided by BeST Transit.
Major highways
(briefly crosses the NY-PA state border, but is maintained by NYSDOT)
Recreation
There is one Pennsylvania state park in Bradford County.
Mt. Pisgah State Park
Communities
Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: cities, boroughs, townships, and, in only one case (Bloomsburg, Columbia County), towns. The following boroughs and townships are located in Bradford County:
Boroughs
Alba
Athens
Burlington
Canton
Le Raysville
Monroe
New Albany
Rome
Sayre
South Waverly
Sylvania
Towanda (county seat)
Troy
Wyalusing
Townships
Albany
Armenia
Asylum
Athens
Burlington
Canton
Columbia
Franklin
Granville
Herrick
Leroy
Litchfield
Monroe
North Towanda
Orwell
Overton
Pike
Ridgebury
Rome
Sheshequin
Smithfield
South Creek
Springfield
Standing Stone
Stevens
Terry
Towanda
Troy
Tuscarora
Ulster
Warren
Wells
West Burlington
Wilmot
Windham
Wyalusing
Wysox
Census-designated place
Greens Landing
Unincorporated communities
Berrytown
Browntown
Merryall
Population ranking
The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Bradford County.
† county seat
See also
National Register of Historic Places listings in Bradford County, Pennsylvania
References
External links
Bradford County official website
Bradford County Historical Society
Bradford County Tourism Promotion Agency
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Bureau of Planning and Research, Geographic Information Division, "2022 General Highway Map of Bradford County". Note: shows boroughs, townships, roads, villages, some streams. URL accessed on January 10, 2023.
1810 establishments in Pennsylvania
Counties of Appalachia
Populated places established in 1810