Columbia County, Pennsylvania
County in Pennsylvania, United States From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Columbia County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is located in Northeastern Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 64,727.[2] Its county seat is Bloomsburg.[3] The county was created on March 22, 1813, from part of Northumberland County. It was named Columbia, alluding to the United States and Christopher Columbus. The county is part of the Central Pennsylvania region of the state.[lower-alpha 1]
Columbia County | |
|---|---|
County | |
 The Columbia County courthouse in Bloomsburg | |
 Location within the U.S. state of Pennsylvania | |
 Pennsylvania's location within the U.S. | |
| Coordinates: 41°03′N 76°24′W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Pennsylvania |
| Founded | March 22, 1813 |
| Named for | Christopher Columbus |
| Seat | Bloomsburg |
| Largest town | Bloomsburg |
| Area | |
| • Total | 490 sq mi (1,300 km2) |
| • Land | 483 sq mi (1,250 km2) |
| • Water | 7.1 sq mi (18 km2) 1.4% |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 64,727 |
| • Density | 130/sq mi (51/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 9th |
| Website | www |
| Designated | July 11, 1983[1] |
Columbia County is part of the Bloomsburg-Berwick, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 490 square miles (1,300 km2), of which 483 square miles (1,250 km2) is land and 7.1 square miles (18 km2) (1.4%) is water.[4] The southern tip of Columbia County is part of the Coal Region. The area of the county from the Susquehanna River south to several miles south of Numidia consists mostly of farmland and state game lands. Several communities developed along the Susquehanna River, such as Bloomsburg and Catawissa. From the Susquehanna River north as far as Waller, the county is mostly farmland with several patches of forest. North of Waller, the county is mostly state game lands and mountains.[5]
The major streams in Columbia County are the Susquehanna River, Fishing Creek, Briar Creek, Catawissa Creek, and Roaring Creek.[5]
The county has a humid continental climate (Dfa/Dfb) and average monthly temperatures in Bloomsburg average from 26.9 °F or −2.8 °C in January to 72.4 °F or 22.4 °C in July.[6]
Mountains
Note: Only mountains higher than 1,500 feet (460 m) are listed
| Name | Height | Image | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Rock Mountain | 2,365 feet (721 m) |  | |
| Central Mountain | 2,247 feet (685 m) | ||
| Chimneystack Rock | 2,244 feet (684 m) | ||
| Buck Mountain | 1,942 feet (592 m) |  | |
| Catawissa Mountain | 1,873 feet (571 m) |  | |
| Big Mountain | 1,811 feet (552 m) | ||
| Knob Mountain | 1,752 feet (534 m) |  | |
| Nescopeck Mountain | 1,604 feet (489 m) |  | |
| Lee Mountain | 1,594 feet (486 m) |  | |
| McCauley Mountain | 1,571 feet (479 m) |  |
Major highways
Adjacent counties
- Sullivan County (north)
- Luzerne County (east)
- Schuylkill County (southeast)
- Northumberland County (southwest)
- Montour County (west)
- Lycoming County (northwest)
State park
Part of Ricketts Glen State Park is in the northern portion of Columbia County.[9]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 17,621 | — | |
| 1830 | 20,059 | 13.8% | |
| 1840 | 24,267 | 21.0% | |
| 1850 | 17,710 | −27.0% | |
| 1860 | 25,065 | 41.5% | |
| 1870 | 28,766 | 14.8% | |
| 1880 | 32,409 | 12.7% | |
| 1890 | 36,832 | 13.6% | |
| 1900 | 39,896 | 8.3% | |
| 1910 | 48,467 | 21.5% | |
| 1920 | 48,349 | −0.2% | |
| 1930 | 48,803 | 0.9% | |
| 1940 | 51,413 | 5.3% | |
| 1950 | 53,460 | 4.0% | |
| 1960 | 53,489 | 0.1% | |
| 1970 | 55,114 | 3.0% | |
| 1980 | 61,967 | 12.4% | |
| 1990 | 63,202 | 2.0% | |
| 2000 | 64,148 | 1.5% | |
| 2010 | 67,295 | 4.9% | |
| 2020 | 64,727 | −3.8% | |
| [10] | |||
As of the census[11] of 2000, there were 64,151 people, 24,915 households, and 16,568 families residing in the county. The population density was 132 inhabitants per square mile (51/km2). There were 27,733 housing units at an average density of 57 units per square mile (22/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 97.59% White, 0.80% Black or African-American, 0.15% Native American, 0.52% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.33% from other races, and 0.58% from two or more races. 0.95% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 33.2% were of German, 10.0% American, 9.4% Irish, 8.1% Italian, 6.7% Polish and 6.2% English ancestry.
There were 24,915 households, out of which 27.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.80% were married couples living together, 8.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.50% were non-families. 26.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.90.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 20.80% under the age of 18, 14.30% from 18 to 24, 25.90% from 25 to 44, 23.10% from 45 to 64, and 15.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.80 males.
2020 census
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 58,831 | 91% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 867 | 1.34% |
| Native American (NH) | 71 | 0.11% |
| Asian (NH) | 748 | 1.15% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 17 | 0.03% |
| Other/Mixed (NH) | 2,053 | 3.17% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 2,140 | 3.31% |
The United States Office of Management and Budget[13] has designated Columbia County as the Bloomsburg-Berwick, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). As of the 2010 census[14] the metropolitan area ranked 20th most populous in the State of Pennsylvania and the 368th most populous in the United States with a population of 82,562. Columbia County is also a part of the larger Bloomsburg-Berwick-Sunbury, PA Combined Statistical Area (CSA), which combines the populations of Columbia County as well as Montour, Northumberland, Snyder and Union Counties in Pennsylvania. 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.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2020 | 20,098 | 64.25% | 10,532 | 33.67% | 650 | 2.08% |
| 2016 | 18,004 | 63.16% | 8,934 | 31.34% | 1,568 | 5.50% |
| 2012 | 14,236 | 55.30% | 10,937 | 42.48% | 571 | 2.22% |
| 2008 | 14,477 | 51.20% | 13,230 | 46.79% | 571 | 2.02% |
| 2004 | 16,052 | 59.74% | 10,679 | 39.74% | 138 | 0.51% |
| 2000 | 12,095 | 55.20% | 8,975 | 40.96% | 841 | 3.84% |
| 1996 | 8,234 | 40.42% | 8,379 | 41.13% | 3,759 | 18.45% |
| 1992 | 9,742 | 41.04% | 8,261 | 34.80% | 5,736 | 24.16% |
| 1988 | 12,114 | 60.51% | 7,767 | 38.79% | 140 | 0.70% |
| 1984 | 14,402 | 63.39% | 8,254 | 36.33% | 62 | 0.27% |
| 1980 | 12,426 | 53.30% | 9,449 | 40.53% | 1,438 | 6.17% |
| 1976 | 11,508 | 48.10% | 12,051 | 50.37% | 366 | 1.53% |
| 1972 | 14,187 | 63.59% | 7,222 | 32.37% | 900 | 4.03% |
| 1968 | 12,202 | 54.89% | 8,187 | 36.83% | 1,840 | 8.28% |
| 1964 | 8,982 | 39.22% | 13,885 | 60.63% | 36 | 0.16% |
| 1960 | 15,310 | 62.11% | 9,322 | 37.82% | 19 | 0.08% |
| 1956 | 13,382 | 59.69% | 9,024 | 40.25% | 15 | 0.07% |
| 1952 | 13,008 | 57.67% | 9,467 | 41.97% | 79 | 0.35% |
| 1948 | 9,417 | 50.13% | 9,367 | 49.87% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1944 | 9,336 | 49.00% | 9,647 | 50.63% | 70 | 0.37% |
| 1940 | 9,518 | 43.05% | 12,523 | 56.65% | 66 | 0.30% |
| 1936 | 9,674 | 40.13% | 14,141 | 58.66% | 293 | 1.22% |
| 1932 | 8,791 | 44.43% | 10,640 | 53.77% | 356 | 1.80% |
| 1928 | 14,362 | 72.61% | 5,304 | 26.81% | 115 | 0.58% |
| 1924 | 7,336 | 47.42% | 7,390 | 47.77% | 743 | 4.80% |
| 1920 | 6,238 | 45.65% | 6,965 | 50.97% | 462 | 3.38% |
| 1916 | 3,013 | 32.80% | 5,785 | 62.97% | 389 | 4.23% |
| 1912 | 889 | 9.98% | 4,905 | 55.05% | 3,116 | 34.97% |
| 1908 | 3,718 | 39.17% | 5,373 | 56.60% | 402 | 4.23% |
| 1904 | 3,635 | 44.08% | 4,196 | 50.89% | 415 | 5.03% |
| 1900 | 2,954 | 35.21% | 4,982 | 59.38% | 454 | 5.41% |
| 1896 | 3,280 | 37.77% | 4,904 | 56.47% | 500 | 5.76% |
| 1892 | 2,336 | 30.56% | 4,929 | 64.47% | 380 | 4.97% |
| 1888 | 2,484 | 33.38% | 4,676 | 62.84% | 281 | 3.78% |
Voter registration
As of February 6, 2024, there were 39,054 registered voters in Columbia County.[16]
- Republican: 20,820 (53.31%)
- Democratic: 12,268 (31.41%)
- Independent: 4,360 (11.16%)
- Third Party: 1,606 (4.11%)
Chart of Voter Registration
While the county registration tends to be evenly matched between Democrats and Republicans, the county trends Republican in statewide elections. Donald Trump carried the county by more than 30 points in both 2016 and 2020. While John McCain received 51.6% of its vote to 47.1% for Barack Obama, this was a far-closer margin than the 20 points that George W. Bush carried it by in 2004. Each of the three row-office statewide winners carried Columbia in 2008. In 2006, Democrat Bob Casey Jr. received 51% of its vote when he unseated incumbent Republican US Senator Rick Santorum and Ed Rendell received 50.6% of the vote against Lynn Swann.
For many years Columbia County was represented in the State House by a conservative Democrat in the 109th district until John Gordner changed parties to Republican in 2001. He was elected to the State Senate in 2003 and succeeded by Republican David R. Millard. Columbia is in the 27th Senate district and 11th Congressional district.
County commissioners
| Commissioners | Party |
|---|---|
| David Kovach | Democratic |
| Rich Ridgway | Republican |
| Chris Young | Republican |
Other county officials
| Office | Official | Party |
|---|---|---|
| Chief Judge | Thomas A. James | Democratic |
| Judge | Gary Norton | Republican |
| Chief Clerk | Gail Kipp | Democratic |
| Coroner | Jeremy Reese | Republican |
| Recorder of Deeds and Register of Wills | Beverly Michael | Democratic |
| Sheriff | Tim Chamberlain | Democratic |
| Treasurer | Shirley Turner | Republican |
| Clerk of Courts and Prothonotary | Tami B. Kline | Republican |
State senate
| District | Senator | Party |
|---|---|---|
| 27 | John Gordner | Republican |
State House of Representatives
| District | Representative | Party |
|---|---|---|
| 109 | Robert Leadbeter | Republican |
United States House of Representatives
| District | Representative | Party |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Dan Meuser | Republican |
United States Senate
| Senator | Party |
|---|---|
| Bob Casey | Democrat |
| John Fetterman | Democrat |
Colleges and universities
Public school districts
- Benton Area School District
- Berwick Area School District (also in Luzerne County)
- Bloomsburg Area School District
- Central Columbia School District
- Millville Area School District
- Mount Carmel Area School District (also in Northumberland County)
- North Schuylkill School District (also in Schuylkill County)
- Southern Columbia Area School District (also in Northumberland County)
Technical school
Charter school
- SusQ Cyber Charter School - Bloomsburg
Private schools
- Bald Hill School - Millville
- Bloomsburg Christian School - Bloomsburg
- Bloomsburg University Special Education Institute
- Columbia Co Christian School - Bloomsburg
- Greenwood Friends School - Millville
- Heritage Christian Academy - Berwick
- Holy Family Consolidate - Berwick
- Keystone National High School - Bloomsburg
- New Story - Berwick
- Pennsylvania Institute For Conservation Education - Bloomsburg
- Rainbow Hill School - Benton
- St Columba School - Bloomsburg
- Saint Matthews - Bloomsburg
- Turkey Ridge School - Bloomsburg
Libraries
- Bloomsburg Public Library
- Columbia County Traveling Library
- McBride Memorial Library
- Orangeville Public Library
Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: cities, boroughs, townships, and, in at most two cases, towns. The following town, boroughs and townships are located in Columbia County:
Town
- Bloomsburg (county seat)
Boroughs
Townships
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
- Central
- Elk Grove
- Mifflin Cross Roads
Population ranking
The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Columbia County.[14]
† county seat
| Rank | City/Town/etc. | Municipal type | Population (2010 Census) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | † Bloomsburg | Town | 14,855 |
| 2 | Berwick | Borough | 10,477 |
| 3 | Ashland (mostly in Schuylkill County) | Borough | 2,817 |
| 4 | Espy | CDP | 1,642 |
| 5 | Catawissa | Borough | 1,552 |
| 6 | Mifflinville | CDP | 1,253 |
| 7 | Lightstreet | CDP | 1,093 |
| 8 | Almedia | CDP | 1,078 |
| 9 | Millville | Borough | 948 |
| 10 | Lime Ridge | CDP | 890 |
| 11 | Benton | Borough | 824 |
| 12 | Briar Creek | Borough | 660 |
| 13 | Fernville | CDP | 556 |
| 14 | Orangeville | Borough | 508 |
| 15 | Buckhorn | CDP | 318 |
| 16 | Aristes | CDP | 311 |
| 17 | Foundryville | CDP | 256 |
| 18 | Numidia | CDP | 244 |
| 19 | Stillwater | Borough | 209 |
| 20 | Wilburton Number One | CDP | 196 |
| 21 | Jerseytown | CDP | 184 |
| 22 | Rupert | CDP | 183 |
| 23 | Locustdale (partially in Schuylkill County) | CDP | 177 |
| 24 | Slabtown | CDP | 156 |
| 25 | Rohrsburg | CDP | 145 |
| 26 | Iola | CDP | 144 |
| 27 | Jamison City | CDP | 134 |
| 28 | Mainville | CDP | 132 |
| 29 | Eyers Grove | CDP | 105 |
| 30 | Wilburton Number Two | CDP | 96 |
| 31 | Jonestown | CDP | 64 |
| 32 | Waller | CDP | 48 |
| 33 | Centralia | Borough | 10 |
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