Centre County, Pennsylvania


Centre County is a county in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 153,990. Its county seat is Bellefonte. Centre County comprises the State College, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area.

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!'" 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, of which is land and is water. It is the fifth-largest county in Pennsylvania by area and uses area code 814.
Centre has a humid continental climate which is warm-summer except near the Bald Eagle Creek from Wingate downstream where it is hot-summer. Average temperatures in downtown State College range from 26.0 °F in January to 70.7 °F in July, while in Milesburg they range from 26.4 °F in January to 71.7 °F in July and in Snow Shoe they range from 23.8 °F in January to 68.0 °F in July.

Features

As of the census of 2010, 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. There were 63,297 housing units at an average density of 57 per square mile. 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, the population was spread out with 15.9% under the age of 18, 28.9% from 18 to 24, 22.6% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% who were 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.

Metropolitan Statistical Area

The United States Office of Management and Budget has designated Centre County as the State College, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area . As of the 2010 U.S. Census 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 , which combines the populations of Centre County as well as Clearfield County to the west. The Combined Statistical Area ranked 9th in the State of Pennsylvania and 123rd most populous in the United States with a population of 236,577.

Law and government

County Commissioners

As of November 2014, there were 108,316 registered voters in Centre County.
Centre County had for many years been a strongly Republican county, like most of rural Pennsylvania. In the early 21st century, however, it has been more competitive. In 2000 George W. Bush defeated Al Gore with 52% of the vote to Gore's 43%. In 2004 Bush won the county by a much smaller margin. Bush won 51% to Kerry's 47%, a margin of only 4%. In 2006, Governor Ed Rendell and Bob Casey Jr. both carried Centre, and Democrat Scott Conklin decisively won the State House seat left open by the retirement of Republican Lynn Herman in the 77th district. In 2008, the Democrats captured the countywide registration edge, Barack Obama carried the county with 55% of the vote to McCain's 44%, and Democratic statewide winners (Rob McCord for Treasurer and Jack Wagner for Auditor General also carried Centre.
Analysts believe that many of the students and faculty at the main campus of Penn State, in State College in the southern half of the county, have contributed to the Democratic victories. In 2012, Barack Obama won the county in his reelection campaign by a very narrow margin, 48.9% to 48.65%, a difference of just 175 votes. In 2016, Democrat Hillary Clinton, beat eventual President-elect Republican Donald Trump 47.76% to 45.86%. In that same election, incumbent Republican Senator Pat Toomey beat Democratic opponent Katie McGinty 47.91% to 46.2% in the county.

Education

Colleges and universities

As reported by the Pennsylvania Department of Education 2010.
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Major highways

Recreation

There are six Pennsylvania state parks in Centre County.
Centre County's main daily newspaper is the Centre Daily Times. Alternative newspapers include the Centre County Gazette and State College City Guide. Newspapers of Pennsylvania State University's main campus include the student-run Daily Collegian.
Numerous magazines are also published including Town & Gown, State College Magazine, Good Life in Happy Valley, Blue White Illustrated, Pennsylvania Business Central, and Voices of Central Pennsylvania.
The radio market of Centre County is ranked #257 in the nation. Some of the more popular stations include WPSU, WKPS, WMAJ, WQWK, WFGE, WBHV, WZWW, WRSC, WAPY, and WBUS.
Centre County is part of the Johnstown/Altoona/State College television market, which is currently ranked #99 in the nation. Television stations broadcasting out of State College include WPSU and WHVL as well as C-NET, Centre County's Government and Education Access Television Network, which broadcasts on two channels: CGTV and CETV. Johnstown-based WJAC-TV and Altoona-based WTAJ-TV also maintain satellite studios and offices here.

Communities

Under Pennsylvania law, there are five types of incorporated municipalities: cities, home rule municipalities, boroughs, townships, and, in at most two cases, towns. The following municipalities, boroughs and townships are in Centre County:

Home rule municipalities

s 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.
The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Centre County.
† county seat
RankCity/Town/etc.Municipal typePopulation
1State CollegeBorough42,034
2Park Forest VillageCDP9,660
3† BellefonteBorough6,187
4BoalsburgCDP3,722
5Pleasant GapCDP2,879
6PhilipsburgBorough2,770
7StormstownCDP2,366
8LemontCDP2,270
9ToftreesCDP2,053
10ZionCDP2,030
11HouservilleCDP1,814
12Pine Grove MillsCDP1,502
13Centre HallBorough1,265
14MilesburgBorough1,123
15MillheimBorough904
16RamblewoodCDP849
17Snow ShoeBorough765
18BlanchardCDP740
19HowardBorough720
20North PhilipsburgCDP660
21NittanyCDP658
22ClarenceCDP626
23AaronsburgCDP613
24Port MatildaBorough606
25MingovilleCDP503
26RebersburgCDP494
27SnydertownCDP483
28South PhilipsburgCDP410
29Sandy RidgeCDP407
30EaglevilleCDP324
31UnionvilleBorough291
32MoshannonCDP281
33Spring MillsCDP268
34CoburnCDP236
35BaileyvilleCDP201
36Pine GlenCDP190
37MadisonburgCDP168
38JulianCDP152
39MonumentCDP150
40WoodwardCDP110
41HublersburgCDP104
42Mount EagleCDP103
T-43JacksonvilleCDP95
T-43OrvistonCDP95