A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | CH | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
Centre County | |
|---|---|
 The Centre County Courthouse in Bellefonte | |
 Flag  Seal  Logo | |
 Location within the U.S. state of Pennsylvania | |
 Pennsylvania's location within the U.S. | |
| Coordinates: 40°55′N 77°49′W / 40.91°N 77.82°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Pennsylvania |
| Founded | February 13, 1800 |
| Named for | Centre Furnace, the first industrial facility in the area |
| Seat | Bellefonte |
| Largest borough | State College |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1,113 sq mi (2,880 km2) |
| • Land | 1,110 sq mi (2,900 km2) |
| • Water | 3.0 sq mi (8 km2) 0.3% |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 158,172  |
| • Density | 147/sq mi (57/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 15th |
| Website | www |
| Designated | May 10, 1982[1] |
Centre County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 158,172.[2] Its county seat is Bellefonte.[3] Centre County comprises the State College, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area. The northwestern part of Centre County is in the sparsely populated Pennsylvania Wilds region.
History
The lands of the future Centre County were first recorded by James Potter in 1764. Potter, 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] After the American Revolutionary War, Centre County was created on February 13, 1800, from parts of Huntingdon, Lycoming, Mifflin, and Northumberland counties; it was 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 and uses area code 814.
Centre County has a humid continental climate (Dfb/Dfa at lower elevations).
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Features
Adjacent counties
- Clinton County (north)
- Union County (east)
- Mifflin County (southeast)
- Huntingdon County (south)
- Blair County (south)
- Clearfield County (west)
Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1810 | 10,681 | — | |
| 1820 | 13,796 | 29.2% | |
| 1830 | 18,879 | 36.8% | |
| 1840 | 20,492 | 8.5% | |
| 1850 | 23,355 | 14.0% | |
| 1860 | 27,000 | 15.6% | |
| 1870 | 34,418 | 27.5% | |
| 1880 | 37,922 | 10.2% | |
| 1890 | 43,269 | 14.1% | |
| 1900 | 42,894 | −0.9% | |
| 1910 | 43,424 | 1.2% | |
| 1920 | 44,304 | 2.0% | |
| 1930 | 46,294 | 4.5% | |
| 1940 | 52,608 | 13.6% | |
| 1950 | 65,922 | 25.3% | |
| 1960 | 78,580 | 19.2% | |
| 1970 | 99,267 | 26.3% | |
| 1980 | 112,760 | 13.6% | |
| 1990 | 123,786 | 9.8% | |
| 2000 | 135,760 | 9.7% | |
| 2010 | 153,990 | 13.4% | |
| 2020 | 158,172 | 2.7% | |
| [7] | |||
As of the 2010 census,[8] 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 people/km2). There were 63,297 housing units at an average density of 57 units 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, 15.9% of the population was under the age of 18, 28.9% was from 18 to 24, 22.6% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% was 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.
2020 census
| Race | Count | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-hispanic) | 129,668 | 82% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 5,306 | 3.35% |
| Native American (non-Hispanic) | 120 | 0.08% |
| Asian (non-Hispanic) | 11,373 | 7.2% |
| Pacific Islander (non-Hispanic) | 39 | 0.02% |
| Other/Mixed (non-Hispanic) | 6,015 | 3.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 5,651 | 3.6% |
Metropolitan Statistical Area
The United States Office of Management and Budget[10] has designated Centre County as the State College, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). As of the 2010 U.S. Census[11] 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 ninth in the State of Pennsylvania and 123rd most populous in the United States with a population of 236,577.
Law and government
County commissioners
- Mark Higgins, Chairman (Democrat)
- Amber Concepcion, Vice-chair (Democrat)
- Steven G. Dershem, Commissioner (Republican) [12]
Other county offices
- Clerk of Courts and Prothonotary, Jeremy Breon, Democrat
- Controller, Jason Moser, Democrat
- Coroner, Scott Sayers, Democrat
- District Attorney, Bernie Cantorna, Democrat
- Recorder of Deeds, Joe Davidson, Republican
- Register of Wills, Christine Millinder, Republican
- Sheriff, Bryan Sampsel, Republican
- Treasurer, Colleen Kennedy, Democrat
State senate
- Greg Rothman, Republican, Pennsylvania's 34th Senatorial District
State House of Representatives
- Scott Conklin, Democrat, Pennsylvania's 77th Representative District
- Paul Takac, Democrat, Pennsylvania's 82nd Representative District
- Kerry Benninghoff, Republican, Pennsylvania's 171st Representative District[13]
United States House of Representatives
United States Senate
- Bob Casey, Jr., Democrat
- John Fetterman, Democrat
Politics
Chart of Voter Registration