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Northumberland County, Pennsylvania
Northumberland County Courthouse - Sunbury, PA
Northumberland County Courthouse
Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Northumberland County
Location in the state of Pennsylvania
Map of the U.S
Pennsylvania's location in the U.S.
Founded March 21, 1772
Named for Northumberland
Seat Sunbury
Largest city Sunbury
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Water

478 sq mi (1,238 km²)
458 sq mi (1,186 km²)
19 sq mi (49 km²), 4.0%
Population
 - (2020)
 - Density

91,647
204/sq mi (79/km²)
Congressional districts 9th, 12th
Time zone Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Website www.northumberlandco.org

Northumberland County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 91,647.[1] Its county seat is Sunbury.[2] 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.[3]

Northumberland County comprises the Sunbury, PA Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Bloomsburg-Berwick-Sunbury, PA Combined Statistical Area.

Among its famous residents, 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[]

Susquehanna River from the Shikellamy State Park overlook

Susquehanna River from the Shikellamy State Park overlook, looking upriver. The West Branch Susquehanna River is in the foreground.

View from the Shikellamy State Park overlook (July 2015)

View looking northeast from the Shikellamy State Park overlook

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 478 square miles (1,240 km2), of which 458 square miles (1,190 km2) is land and 19 square miles (49 km2) (4.0%) is water.[4]

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. [1]

The main river in Northumberland County is the Susquehanna River and the divergence of the 977 miles (1,572 km) long river into its two branches of navigable river and former divisions of the Pennsylvania Canal System. The Susquehanna River's tributaries in the county include the West Branch Susquehanna River, Chillisquaque Creek, Shamokin Creek, and the west flowing Mahanoy Creek, whose valley is a rail and road transportation corridor to Tamaqua and points thereafter either east, north, or south such that: east along rail or US 209 through Nesquehoning and historic Jim Thorpe; else northeast via Beaver Meadows leading north into Hazelton and the lower Wyoming Valley, or into the central Wyoming Valley skirting along the western Poconos via White Haven and Mountain Top; or otherwise head south through the Schuylkill Gap into Port Carbon and thence west to the Lancaster County or east via the greater Reading area into the lower Schuylkill Valley and Philadelphia. The county has mountains in the south and north, with the rest being mostly rolling hills.

Mountains[]

Name Height
Mahanoy Mountain 433 meters
Big Mountain 402 meters

Major highways[]

  • I-80 I-80
  • I-180 I-180
  • US 11 US 11
  • PA-44 [[Template:Infobox road/PA/link PA|PA 44]]
  • PA-45 [[Template:Infobox road/PA/link PA|PA 45]]
  • PA-54 [[Template:Infobox road/PA/link PA|PA 54]]
  • PA-61 [[Template:Infobox road/PA/link PA|PA 61]]
  • PA-125 [[Template:Infobox road/PA/link PA|PA 125]]
  • PA-147 [[Template:Infobox road/PA/link PA|PA 147]]
  • PA-225 [[Template:Infobox road/PA/link PA|PA 225]]
  • PA-254 [[Template:Infobox road/PA/link PA|PA 254]]
  • PA-405 [[Template:Infobox road/PA/link PA|PA 405]]
  • PA-487 [[Template:Infobox road/PA/link PA|PA 487]]
  • PA-642 [[Template:Infobox road/PA/link PA|PA 642]]
  • PA-890 [[Template:Infobox road/PA/link PA|PA 890]]
  • PA-901 [[Template:Infobox road/PA/link PA|PA 901]]

Adjacent counties[]

Demographics[]

Historical populations
Census Pop.
1790 17,147
1800 27,797 62.1%
1810 36,327 30.7%
1820 15,424 −57.5%
1830 18,133 17.6%
1840 20,027 10.4%
1850 23,272 16.2%
1860 28,922 24.3%
1870 41,444 43.3%
1880 53,123 28.2%
1890 74,698 40.6%
1900 90,911 21.7%
1910 111,420 22.6%
1920 122,079 9.6%
1930 128,504 5.3%
1940 126,887 −1.3%
1950 117,115 −7.7%
1960 104,138 −11.1%
1970 99,190 −4.8%
1980 100,381 1.2%
1990 96,771 −3.6%
2000 94,556 −2.3%
2010 94,528 0%
U.S. Decennial Census[5]
1790–1960[6] 1900–1990[7]
1990–2000[8] 2010–2017[1]

2010-2020[9]

As of the census[10] of 2000, there were 94,556 people, 38,835 households, and 25,592 families residing in the county. The population density was 206 people per square mile (79/km2). There were 43,164 housing units at an average density of 94 per square mile (36/km2). 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.

Micropolitan Statistical Area[]

BloomsburgBerwickSunburyCSA2014

Map of the Bloomsburg–Berwick-Sunbury, PA Combined Statistical Area (CSA), composed of the following parts:

  Bloomsburg–Berwick, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)
  Sunbury, PA Micropolitan Statistical Area (μSA)
  Lewisburg, PA Micropolitan Statistical Area (μSA)
  Selinsgrove, PA Micropolitan Statistical Area (μSA)

The United States Office of Management and Budget[11] has designated Northumberland County as the Sunbury, PA Micropolitan Statistical Area (µSA). As of the 2010 census[12] 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[]

United States presidential election results for Northumberland County, Pennsylvania[13]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 28,975 68.28% 12,703 29.94% 757 1.78%
2016 25,427 68.89% 9,788 26.52% 1,692 4.58%
2012 19,518 58.51% 13,072 39.19% 766 2.30%
2008 19,018 55.75% 14,329 42.00% 767 2.25%
2004 22,262 59.95% 14,602 39.32% 270 0.73%
2000 18,142 54.56% 13,670 41.11% 1,442 4.34%
1996 13,551 41.82% 13,418 41.41% 5,431 16.76%
1992 15,057 42.07% 12,814 35.80% 7,921 22.13%
1988 20,207 58.07% 14,255 40.96% 338 0.97%
1984 22,109 61.13% 13,748 38.01% 308 0.85%
1980 20,608 56.79% 13,750 37.89% 1,932 5.32%
1976 19,283 49.60% 18,939 48.72% 654 1.68%
1972 25,912 64.16% 13,885 34.38% 588 1.46%
1968 22,366 53.38% 17,013 40.60% 2,520 6.01%
1964 17,046 37.68% 28,082 62.07% 116 0.26%
1960 27,568 55.31% 22,233 44.61% 40 0.08%
1956 28,583 62.46% 17,141 37.45% 41 0.09%
1952 28,861 61.71% 17,789 38.04% 119 0.25%
1948 23,535 58.13% 16,478 40.70% 472 1.17%
1944 21,995 51.81% 20,333 47.90% 122 0.29%
1940 22,914 46.41% 26,315 53.30% 139 0.28%
1936 21,758 40.06% 31,849 58.63% 711 1.31%
1932 17,982 42.25% 23,114 54.30% 1,468 3.45%
1928 30,949 61.30% 19,249 38.12% 292 0.58%
1924 17,516 56.18% 7,571 24.28% 6,090 19.53%
1920 17,288 58.44% 9,854 33.31% 2,439 8.25%
1916 8,722 45.00% 9,333 48.15% 1,329 6.86%
1912 2,371 12.39% 6,802 35.53% 9,971 52.08%
1908 10,439 51.97% 8,590 42.76% 1,058 5.27%
1904 11,219 62.41% 5,936 33.02% 822 4.57%
1900 8,366 49.35% 7,989 47.13% 596 3.52%
1896 8,659 51.68% 7,367 43.97% 730 4.36%
1892 6,170 44.95% 6,942 50.57% 615 4.48%
1888 6,288 48.96% 6,257 48.72% 297 2.31%
1884 5,718 47.92% 5,835 48.90% 380 3.18%
1880 4,847 43.62% 5,931 53.38% 333 3.00%



As of November 1, 2021, there are 57,680 registered voters in Northumberland County.[14]

  • Republican: 30,609 (53.07%)
  • Democratic: 18,830 (32.65%)
  • Independent: 5,293 (9.18%)
  • Third Party: 2,948 (5.11%)

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.

In 2016 Donald Trump won 69% of the vote, receiving the highest percentage of any presidential candidate since at least 1888.[15]

County commissioners[]

  • Kymberley Best, Democrat
  • Joseph Klebon, Republican
  • Samuel Schiccatano, Republican

Other county offices[]

  • Clerk of Courts and Prothonotary, Justin Dunkelberger, Republican
  • Controller, Christopher L. Grayson, Democrat
  • District Attorney, Anthony Matulewicz III, Republican
  • Recorder of Deeds and Register of Wills, Mary Zimmerman, Republican
  • Sheriff, Robert J.Wolfe, Republican
  • Treasurer, Kevin P. Gilroy, Republican
  • Coroner, James F. Kelley, Democrat

State House of Representatives[16][]

  • Kurt Masser, Republican, 107th district
  • Lynda Schlegel-Culver, Republican, 108th district

State Senator[16][]

  • John Gordner, Republican, 27th district

United States Representative[]

  • Dan Meuser, Republican, 9th district
  • Fred Keller, Republican, 12th district

United States Senate[]

  • Pat Toomey, Republican
  • Bob Casey Jr., Democrat

Education[]

Map of Northumberland County Pennsylvania School Districts

Map of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania Public School Districts

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)

Charter school[]

SusQ Cyber Charter School – provided by Intermediate Unit 16 Grades 9–12th

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[17]
  • Schwaben Creek School 1–8th grade
  • Spring View Parochial School, Watsontown 1–9th grade
  • St Louis De Monfort Academy, Herdon 7–12 grade[18]
  • Sunbury Christian Academy, Northumberland K-12th grade[19]
  • Sunny Slope Amish Parochial School 1–8th grade
  • Telos Educational Services Tutoring Center, Montandon[20]
  • Transfiguration Elementary School, Shamokin PreK-8th grade
  • Watsontown Christian Academy, Watsontown PreK-12th grade

Communities[]

Map of Northumberland CountyPennsylvania With Municipal and Township Labels

Map of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania with Municipal Labels showing Cities and Boroughs (red), Townships (white), and Census-designated places (blue).

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[]

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 community[]

  • Alaska[21]
  • Asherton[21]
  • Augustaville[21]
  • Atlas
  • Bear Gap[21]
  • Bear Valley
  • Big Mountain[21]
  • Boyd[21]
  • Boydtown[21]
  • Burnside[21]
  • Cabel[21]
  • Caketown[21]
  • Cameron[21]
  • Chillisquaque[21]
  • Chulasky[21]
  • Coal Run
  • Colonial Park[21]
  • Connersville[21]
  • Dalmatia
  • Deibler[21]
  • Delaware Run[21]
  • Diamondtown[21]
  • Dooleyville[21]
  • Dewart
  • Dornsife
  • Dunkelbergers[21]
  • East Lewisburg[21]
  • Edgewood
  • Elysburg
  • Excelsior[21]
  • Fairview-Ferndale
  • Farnsworth[21]
  • Fisherdale[21]
  • Fishers Ferry
  • Five Points[21]
  • Gowen City
  • Greenback[21]
  • Greenbriar[21]
  • Hamilton[21]
  • Hebe[21]
  • Helfenstein[21]
  • Hickory Corners[21]
  • Hunter[21]
  • Kapp[21]
  • Kapp Heights
  • Keefers[21]
  • Keiser[21]
  • Kipps Run[21]
  • Kline Grove[21]
  • Kneass[21]
  • Knoebels Grove[21]
  • Kulps[21]
  • Lantz[21]
  • Leck Kill
  • Line Mountain[21]
  • Lithia Springs[21]
  • Locust Gap
  • Locust Summit[21]
  • 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.[22]

county seat

Rank City/Town/etc. Municipal type Population (2010 Census)
1 Sunbury City 9,905
2 Shamokin City 7,374
3 Milton Borough 7,042
4 Mount Carmel Borough 5,893
5 Northumberland Borough 3,804
6 Kulpmont Borough 2,924
7 Paxinos CDP 2,467
8 Edgewood CDP 2,384
9 Watsontown Borough 2,351
10 Elysburg CDP 2,194
11 Fairview-Ferndale CDP 2,139
12 Riverside Borough 1,932
13 Trevorton CDP 1,834
14 Dewart CDP 1,471
15 Marshallton CDP 1,441
16 Montandon CDP 903
17 Kapp Heights CDP 863
18 Atlas CDP 809
19 Turbotville Borough 705
20 Marion Heights Borough 611
21 Ranshaw CDP 510
22 Tharptown (Uniontown) CDP 498
23 Dalmatia CDP 488
24 Snydertown Borough 339
25 Herndon Borough 324
26 McEwensville Borough 279
27 Strong CDP 147

See also[]

  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania

References[]

  1. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/42/42097.html. 
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. 
  3. ^ "PA County Code Newspaper Handbook". Pennsylvania Newspaper Association. 2005. http://panewsmedia.org/legal/publications/newspaperhandbook/county-code. 
  4. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_42.txt. 
  5. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html. 
  6. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu. 
  7. ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed (March 24, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/pa190090.txt. 
  8. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf. 
  9. ^ "Census 2020". https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/northumberlandcountypennsylvania/PST045219. 
  10. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov. 
  11. ^ "Office of Management and Budget". The White House. https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb. 
  12. ^ Center for New Media and Promotions(C2PO). "2010 Census". census.gov. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.2010.html. 
  13. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS. 
  14. ^ "Voter registration statistics by county". November 2, 2021. https://www.dos.pa.gov/VotingElections/OtherServicesEvents/VotingElectionStatistics/Documents/currentvotestats.xls. . Dos.state.pa.us. Retrieved on November 2, 2021.
  15. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS. 
  16. ^ a b Center, Legislativate Data Processing. "Find Your Legislator" (in en). http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/findyourlegislator/county_list.cfm?CNTYLIST=Northumberland. 
  17. ^ "Our Lady of Lourdes ONLINE!". http://www.lourdes.k12.pa.us/. 
  18. ^ "St Louis de Montfort Academy". http://montfortacademy.edu/. 
  19. ^ "Sunbury Christian Academy". http://sunburychristianacademy.org/. 
  20. ^ Daily Item.com, New tutoring center opens, April 10, 2016
  21. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar PA HomeTownLocator (2021). Other Populated Places in Northumberland County (Map). https://pennsylvania.hometownlocator.com/counties/cities,cfips,097,c,northumberland.cfm. Retrieved March 4, 2021. 
  22. ^ Promotions, Center for New Media and. "US Census Bureau 2010 Census". https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.2010.html. 

External links[]

Coordinates: 40°51′N 76°43′W / 40.85, -76.71


This page uses content from the English language Wikipedia. The original content was at Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with this Familypedia wiki, the content of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons License.
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