Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania

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Susquehanna County
County
Susquehanna County County Seat.jpg
The Susquehanna County Courthouse in Montrose
Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Susquehanna County.svg
Location within the U.S. state of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania in United States.svg
Pennsylvania's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 41°49′17″N75°48′02″W / 41.82133°N 75.80068°W / 41.82133; -75.80068
CountryFlag of the United States.svg United States
StateFlag of Pennsylvania.svg  Pennsylvania
FoundedOctober 13, 1812
Named for Susquehanna River
Seat Montrose
Largest borough Forest City
Area
 • Total832 sq mi (2,150 km2)
 • Land823 sq mi (2,130 km2)
 • Water8.7 sq mi (23 km2)  1.0%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total38,434
 • Density46/sq mi (18/km2)
Time zone UTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district 9th
Website www.susqco.com

Susquehanna County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 38,434 [1] Its county seat is Montrose. [2] The county was created on February 21, 1810, from part of Luzerne County [3] and later organized in 1812. [4] It is named for the Susquehanna River. The county is part of the Northeast Pennsylvania region of the state. [lower-alpha 1]

Contents

History

Settlement and conflict

The first non-Indigenous settlers began to move into the area from Philadelphia and Connecticut in the mid-1700s. At the time, the area was part of Luzerne County. As more and more people from Connecticut moved in, there began to be some conflict. Connecticut's original land grant gave it control of land within the northern and southern boundaries from present-day Connecticut to the Pacific Ocean. Their land grant overlapped with that of Pennsylvania. Soon fighting began between migrants from each state, resulting in the 1769–1799 Pennamite–Yankee Wars. In the end, the government of Connecticut surrendered its claim on the area.

Formation

In 1810, Susquehanna County was formed out of Luzerne County and later in 1812, Montrose was made the county seat.

Coal and early prosperity

After the Civil War, coal started to be mined. Following this, railways and roads were built into the county allowing for more people to come. At one point the county had nearly 50,000 people. Coal became, as with neighboring counties, the backbone of the economy. This boom in coal would allow for an age of prosperity in the county.

Great Depression

When the Great Depression hit, the coal industry suffered horribly. Within months, the coal industry was struggling. During World War II, the coal industry picked up again, but only for a short time. Soon after, the economy in the county failed. Many mines were closed, railways were torn apart, and the economy took a turn for the worse. Unemployment rose and population decline increased.[ dubious – discuss ]

Geography

Milk Can Corners in Hallstead Woman with display at Milk Can Corners, Hallstead, Pennsylvania, 1991.jpg
Milk Can Corners in Hallstead

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 832 square miles (2,150 km2), of which 823 square miles (2,130 km2) is land and 8.7 square miles (23 km2) (1.0%) is water. [5]

Susquehanna County is very mountainous, with large concentrations of mountains in the east and smaller, more hill-like mountains in the west. The highest mountain in the county is North Knob just west of Union Dale. Most people live in one of the several long and mostly narrow valleys. These valleys are good farming land.

The county has a warm-summer humid continental climate (Dfb) and average monthly temperatures in Montrose range from 21.2 °F in January to 67.7 °F in July. [6]

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1820 9,960—
1830 16,78768.5%
1840 21,19526.3%
1850 28,68835.4%
1860 36,26726.4%
1870 37,5233.5%
1880 40,3547.5%
1890 40,093−0.6%
1900 40,043−0.1%
1910 37,746−5.7%
1920 34,763−7.9%
1930 33,806−2.8%
1940 33,8930.3%
1950 31,970−5.7%
1960 33,1373.7%
1970 34,3443.6%
1980 37,87610.3%
1990 40,3806.6%
2000 42,2384.6%
2010 43,3562.6%
2020 38,434−11.4%
U.S. Decennial Census [7]
1790-1960 [8] 1900-1990 [9]
1990-2000 [10] 2010-2017 [1]
Susquehanna Depot Main Street Susquehanna Depot PA.jpg
Susquehanna Depot Main Street

As of the census [11] of 2000, there were 42,238 people, 16,529 households, and 11,785 families residing in the county. The population density was 51 people per square mile (20 people/km2). There were 21,829 housing units at an average density of 26 units per square mile (10/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 98.54% White, 0.30% Black or African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.17% from other races, and 0.60% from two or more races. 0.67% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 26% were of English, 16.1% were of German, 15.1% Irish, 8.6% Italian and 7.7% Polish ancestry.

There were 16,529 households, out of which 31.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.70% were married couples living together, 8.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.70% were non-families. 24.30% 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 2.53 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.50% under the age of 18, 6.70% from 18 to 24, 27.10% from 25 to 44, 25.20% from 45 to 64, and 15.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.80 males.

2020 census

Susquehanna County Racial Composition [12]
RaceNum.Perc.
White (NH)35,79993.14%
Black or African American (NH)1380.36%
Native American (NH)590.15%
Asian (NH)1350.35%
Pacific Islander (NH)00%
Other/Mixed (NH)1,4563.8%
Hispanic or Latino 8472.2%

Politics

United States presidential election results for Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania [13] [14]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No. %No. %No. %
2020 15,20769.72%6,23628.59%3701.70%
2016 12,89167.69%5,12326.90%1,0295.40%
2012 10,80059.62%6,93538.28%3812.10%
2008 10,63354.77%8,38143.17%4012.07%
2004 11,57360.78%7,35138.61%1160.61%
2000 10,22659.21%6,48137.53%5643.27%
1996 7,35447.03%5,91237.81%2,37015.16%
1992 7,35644.02%5,36832.13%3,98523.85%
1988 9,07764.58%4,87134.65%1080.77%
1984 10,56669.95%4,47129.60%670.44%
1980 8,99461.23%4,66031.72%1,0357.05%
1976 8,33156.74%6,07541.38%2761.88%
1972 9,47667.79%4,15429.72%3492.50%
1968 8,70562.04%4,36431.10%9636.86%
1964 6,56745.55%7,83854.37%120.08%
1960 10,20163.88%5,76036.07%90.06%
1956 10,75271.42%4,29328.52%100.07%
1952 10,52973.97%3,65325.66%520.37%
1948 7,94567.81%3,62130.91%1501.28%
1944 8,81967.42%4,21232.20%490.37%
1940 9,52063.71%5,38336.03%390.26%
1936 9,74558.94%6,52039.43%2691.63%
1932 6,88455.99%5,17142.06%2401.95%
1928 9,44568.14%4,35331.40%630.45%
1924 7,26667.38%2,20820.47%1,31012.15%
1920 6,57266.41%2,90529.36%4194.23%
1916 3,89153.08%3,14542.91%2944.01%
1912 1,98826.87%2,58834.98%2,82238.15%
1908 4,99957.30%3,23037.02%4965.68%
1904 4,98861.20%2,57331.57%5897.23%
1900 5,01955.24%3,52738.82%5395.93%
1896 5,31056.73%3,61838.65%4324.62%
1892 4,53153.14%3,38339.67%6137.19%
1888 5,01955.30%3,32836.67%7298.03%

As of January 9, 2023, there are 27,049 registered voters in Susquehanna County. [15]

County commissioners

https://www.susqco.com/departments/county-commissioners

Row offices

State Representatives [17]

State Senators [17]

U.S. Representative

United States Senate

Economy

The economy in the county is mainly made up of retail, health care industry, public school employment, small businesses, and government officials. [18]

Major employers

2018

Listed in order of number of employees at the end of 2018, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry May 2019 monthly report: [19]

2015 [20]
2014 [21]

Natural gas

Since unconventional drilling for natural gas began in 2008, some say the economy has improved. [ citation needed ] According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate in Susquehanna County was 6.1 percent in January 2008. It has since fluctuated between a high of 11.1 percent and a low of 3.1 percent. As of January 2018, the unemployment rate was 5.7 percent. [22] After decades of population growth since the 1950s, the population in Susquehanna County has since begun to decline, concurrent with the expansion of natural gas drilling and accompanying infrastructure. Between 2010 and 2016, there was an estimated population decline of 5.8 percent. As of 2011, there were 1,079 active natural gas wells in the county which had collectively been issued 795 notices of violations by the Department of Environmental Protection of Pennsylvania. [23]

Tourism

Susquehanna County's natural environment, skiing, and small villages make it a growing tourist destination.[ citation needed ]

Education

Map of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, school districts Map of Susquehanna County Pennsylvania School Districts.png
Map of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, school districts

Public libraries

Public school districts

Vocational schools

Intermediate unit

Northeast Intermediate Unit 19 (NEIU 19)

Private schools

Transportation

Major highways

Rail

Susquehanna County's last mainline passenger train services, through New Milford and Hallstead, ended in January 1970. Since then, freight trains (presently Norfolk Southern) use the railroad line.

Air

Although Susquehanna County boasts several airstrips, they are strictly recreational. The closest main airports are in Binghamton, New York and Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Recreation

There is one Pennsylvania state park in Susquehanna County:

Communities

Map of Susquehanna County with municipalities labeled Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, Municipalities.png
Map of Susquehanna County with municipalities labeled

Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: cities, boroughs, townships, and, in two cases at most, towns. The following boroughs and townships are located in Susquehanna County:

Boroughs

Townships

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Susquehanna County. [24]

†county seat

RankBorough/TownshipMunicipal typePopulation (2010 Census)
1 Bridgewater Township2,844
2 Clifford Township2,408
3 New Milford Township2,042
4 Great Bend Township1,949
5 Auburn Township1,939
6 Lenox Township1,934
7 Forest City Borough1,911
8 Silver Lake Township1,716
9 Susquehanna Depot Borough1,643
10 Springville Township1,641
11† Montrose Borough1,617
12 Dimock Township1,497
13 Harford Township1,430
14 Hallstead Borough1,303
15 Liberty Township1,292
16 Rush Township1,267
17 Gibson Township1,221
18 Forest Lake Township1,193
19 Brooklyn Township963
20 Franklin Township937
21 New Milford Borough868
22 Jackson Township848
23 Lathrop Township841
24 Great Bend Borough734
25 Choconut Township713
26 Herrick Township713
27 Oakland Borough616
28 Oakland Township564
29 Ararat Township563
30 Jessup Township536
31 Harmony Township528
32 Lanesboro Borough506
33 Apolacon Township500
34 Thompson Township410
35 Middletown Township382
36 Hop Bottom Borough337
37 Thompson Borough299
38 Little Meadows Borough273
39 Union Dale Borough267
40 Friendsville Borough111

See also

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References

  1. ↑ Includes Luzerne, Lackawanna, Monroe, Schuylkill, Carbon, Pike, Bradford, Wayne, Susquehanna, Wyoming and Sullivan Counties
  1. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ↑ "Township Incorporations, 1790 to 1853". Susquehanna County Historical Society. Archived from the original on June 23, 2015. Retrieved March 9, 2013.
  4. ↑ "Pennsylvania: Individual County Chronologies". Pennsylvania Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2008. Archived from the original on March 25, 2015. Retrieved March 13, 2015.
  5. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  6. ↑ Parameter-elevation Regressions on Independent Slopes Model
  7. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  9. ↑ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 24, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  11. ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  12. ↑ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania".
  13. ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
  14. ↑ The leading "other" candidate, Progressive Theodore Roosevelt, received 2,498 votes, while Socialist candidate Eugene Debs received 298 votes, Prohibition candidate Eugene Chafin received 25 votes, and Socialist Labor candidate Arthur Reimer received 1 vote.
  15. ↑ "Voter registration statistics by county".
  16. ↑ Bugda, Jayne Ann (February 5, 2018). "Marion O'Malley Sworn in as Susquehanna County D.A." PAHOMEPAGE. Retrieved November 29, 2018.
  17. 1 2 Center, Legislativate Data Processing. "Find Your Legislator". The official website for the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
  18. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (2015). "Susquehanna County Profile".
  19. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry (May 2019). "Susquehanna County Profile" (PDF).
  20. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry (April 2016). "Susquehanna County Profile" (PDF).
  21. ↑ PA Department of Labor and Industries - Center for Workforce Information & Analysis, Susquehanna County Profile 2014, October 2015
  22. ↑ U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2018). "Unemployment Rate in Susquehanna County, PA".
  23. ↑ NPR State Impact (2018). "Shale Play Susquehanna County Natural Gas Wells Map showing active wells and violations".
  24. ↑ Promotions, Center for New Media and. "US Census Bureau 2010 Census". www.census.gov. Retrieved April 3, 2018.

41°49′17″N75°48′02″W / 41.82133°N 75.80068°W / 41.82133; -75.80068

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