Northumberland County, Pennsylvania

Northumberland County, Pennsylvania
Northumberland County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is part of Northeastern Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 91,647. Its county seat is Sunbury.
The county was formed in 1772 from parts of Lancaster, Berks, Bedford, Cumberland, and Northampton Counties and named for the county of Northumberland in northern England. Northumberland County is a fifth class county according to the Pennsylvania's County Code. Northumberland County comprises the Sunbury, Pennsylvania Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Bloomsburg-Berwick-Sunbury, PA Combined Statistical Area. Among its notable residents, are Thomas L. Hamer a prior democratic congressman and Joseph Priestley, the Enlightenment chemist and theologian, left England in 1796 due to religious persecution and settled on the Susquehanna River. His former house, originally purchased by chemists from Pennsylvania State University after a colloquium that founded the American Chemical Society, is a historical museum.
History
Before European settlement the area was inhabited by the Akhrakouaeronon or Atrakouaehronon, a subtribe of the Susquehannock. By 1813 the area once comprising the sprawling county of Northumberland had been divided over time and allotted to other counties such that lands once occupied by Old Northumberland at its greatest extent are now found in Centre, Columbia, Luzerne, Lycoming, Mifflin, Union, Clearfield, Clinton, Montour, Bradford, Lackawanna, Susquehanna, Wyoming, Tioga, Potter, McKean, Warren, Venango, Snyder, and Schuylkill Counties.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (4.0%) is water.
The county has a humid continental climate (Dfa/Dfb). Average temperatures in Sunbury range from 27.3 °F in January to 72.7 °F in July, while in Mount Carmel they range from 25.0 °F in January to 70.2 °F in July.
The main river in Northumberland County is the Susquehanna River. The Susquehanna River's tributaries in the county include the West Branch Susquehanna River, Chillisquaque Creek, Shamokin Creek, and Mahanoy Creek. The county has mountains in the south and north, with the rest being mostly rolling hills.
Mountains
Major highways
Adjacent counties
Lycoming County (north)
Montour County (northeast)
Columbia County (east)
Schuylkill County (southeast)
Dauphin County (south)
Perry County (southwest)
Juniata County (west)
Snyder County (west)
Union County (west)
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 94,556 people, 38,835 households, and 25,592 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 43,164 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 97.09% White, 1.52% Black or African American, 0.10% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.47% from other races, and 0.58% from two or more races. 1.10% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 32.5% were of German, 12.9% Polish, 9.9% American, 8.2% Italian, 8.1% Irish and 5.8% Dutch ancestry. 95.8% spoke English and 1.5% Spanish as their first language.
There were 38,835 households, out of which 27.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.40% were married couples living together, 9.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.10% were non-families. 30.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.50% 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 2.89.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 21.90% under the age of 18, 7.00% from 18 to 24, 27.70% from 25 to 44, 24.40% from 45 to 64, and 19.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 96.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.80 males.
2020 census
Micropolitan Statistical Area
The United States Office of Management and Budget has designated Northumberland County as the Sunbury, PA Micropolitan Statistical Area (µSA). As of the 2010 census the micropolitan area ranked 2nd most populous in the State of Pennsylvania and the 37th most populous in the United States with a population of 94,528. Northumberland County is also a part of the Bloomsburg–Berwick–Sunbury, PA Combined Statistical Area (CSA), which combines the population of Northumberland County as well as the Columbia, Montour, Snyder and Union County areas. The Combined Statistical Area ranked 8th in the State of Pennsylvania and 115th most populous in the United States with a population of 264,739.
Politics and government
|}
As of November 7, 2022, there are 58,632 registered voters in Northumberland County.
Republican: 31,682 (54.04%)
Democratic: 18,515 (31.58%)
Independent: 5,547 (9.46%)
Third Party: 2,888 (4.93%)
While county-level politics tend to be competitive, Northumberland is a Republican county in most statewide elections. The margins of victory in the county for the Republican presidential candidate in 2000, 2004, and 2008 have been 13, 21, and 14 percentage points, respectively. Governor Ed Rendell narrowly carried it against Lynn Swann while Republican Rick Santorum narrowly carried it against Bob Casey in 2006. The only Democratic statewide candidate to carry the county in 2008 was incumbent Auditor General Jack Wagner. In 2011, the election of Stephen Bridy resulted in a three-way split among the county commissioners.
County commissioners
Kymberley Best, Democrat
Joseph Klebon, Republican
Samuel Schiccatano, Republican
Other county offices
Clerk of Courts and Prothonotary, Jamie Saleski, Republican
Controller, Christopher L. Grayson, Democrat
District Attorney, Anthony Matulewicz III, Republican
Recorder of Deeds and Register of Wills, Christina Mertz, Republican
Sheriff, Robert J.Wolfe, Republican
Treasurer, Kevin P. Gilroy, Republican
Coroner, James F. Kelley, Democrat
State House of Representatives
Joanne Stehr, Republican, 107th district
Lynda Schlegel-Culver, Republican, 108th district
State Senator
John Gordner, Republican, 27th district
United States Representative
Dan Meuser, Republican, 9th district
United States Senate
John Fetterman, Democrat
Bob Casey Jr., Democrat
Education
Public school districts
Danville Area School District (also in Montour County)
Line Mountain School District
Milton Area School District (also in Union County)
Mount Carmel Area School District (also in Columbia County)
Shamokin Area School District
Shikellamy School District
Southern Columbia Area School District (also in Columbia County)
Warrior Run School District (also in Montour and Union Counties)
Career Tech school
Northumberland County Career Technology Center located in Coal Township
Intermediate Unit
Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit 16 – The primary service area consists of: Columbia, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder and Union counties in central Pennsylvania. Provides a wide variety of education related services to school districts, private and parochial schools and hame schooled students.
Independent schools
Bethesda Alternative School, Milton 7–12th grade
Keefertown Parochial School 1–8th grade
Maranatha Mennonite Christian School K-12th grade
Meadowbrook Christian Academy PreK-12th grade
Meadowview Christian Academy PreK-10th grade
Northumberland Christian School PreK-12th grade
Northwestern Academy 5–12th grade
Our Lady of Lourdes Regional School preK–12th grade
Schwaben Creek School 1–8th grade
Spring View Parochial School, Watsontown 1–9th grade
St Louis De Monfort Academy, Herdon 7–12 grade
Sunbury Christian Academy, Northumberland K-12th grade
Sunny Slope Amish Parochial School 1–8th grade
Telos Educational Services Tutoring Center, Montandon
Transfiguration Elementary School, Shamokin PreK-8th grade
Watsontown Christian Academy, Watsontown PreK-12th grade
Communities
Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: cities, boroughs, townships, and, in one case, a town. The following cities, boroughs, and townships are located in Northumberland County:
Cities
Shamokin
Sunbury (county seat)
Boroughs
Herndon
Kulpmont
Marion Heights
McEwensville
Milton
Mount Carmel
Northumberland
Riverside
Snydertown
Turbotville
Watsontown
Townships
Coal
Delaware
East Cameron
East Chillisquaque
Jackson
Jordan
Lewis
Little Mahanoy
Lower Augusta
Lower Mahanoy
Mount Carmel
Point
Ralpho
Rockefeller
Rush
Shamokin
Turbot
Upper Augusta
Upper Mahanoy
Washington
West Cameron
West Chillisquaque
Zerbe
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
Alaska
Asherton
Augustaville
Atlas
Bear Gap
Bear Valley
Big Mountain
Boyd
Boydtown
Burnside
Cabel
Caketown
Cameron
Chillisquaque
Chulasky
Coal Run
Colonial Park
Connersville
Dalmatia
Deibler
Delaware Run
Diamondtown
Dooleyville
Dewart
Dornsife
Dunkelbergers
East Lewisburg
Edgewood
Elysburg
Excelsior
Fairview-Ferndale
Farnsworth
Fisherdale
Fishers Ferry
Five Points
Gowen City
Greenback
Greenbriar
Hamilton
Hebe
Helfenstein
Hickory Corners
Hunter
Kapp
Kapp Heights
Keefers
Keiser
Kipps Run
Kline Grove
Kneass
Knoebels Grove
Kulps
Lantz
Leck Kill
Line Mountain
Lithia Springs
Locust Gap
Locust Summit
Malta
Mandata
Mayfair
Meadowview
Marshallton
Merrian
Mile Run
Millers Crossroads
Mount Carmel Junction
Mount Pleasant
Montandon
Natalie
North Hills
Oak Park
Oaklyn
Otto
Overlook
Patricksburg
Paxinos
Point Breeze
Potts Grove
Purdytown
Quitman
Rebuck
Ranshaw
Red Cross
Reed
Resler
Rushtown
Sagon
Selinsgrove Junction
Seven Points
Shady Acres
Shamrock
Snufftown
South Danville
Springtown
Stonington
Strong
Sunnyside
Tharptown (Uniontown)
Trevorton
Union Corner
Urban
Warrior Run
West Cameron
Wolfs Crossroads
Wolverton
Yordy
Population ranking
The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Northumberland County.
† county seat
See also
National Register of Historic Places listings in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania
References
External links
Official county website
1772 establishments in Pennsylvania
Anthracite Coal Region of Pennsylvania
Counties of Appalachia
Populated places established in 1772