Northumberland County, Pennsylvania

Northumberland County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 91,647.^[1] Its county seat is Sunbury.^[2] The county is part of the Central Pennsylvania region of the state.^[a]

Northumberland County
County
Northumberland County Courthouse
Location within the U.S. state of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 40°51′N 76°43′W
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
Founded	March 21, 1772
Named after	Northumberland, England
Seat	Sunbury
Largest city	Sunbury
Area
• Total	478 sq mi (1,240 km2)
• Land	458 sq mi (1,190 km2)
• Water	19 sq mi (50 km2)  4.0%
Population  (2020)
• Total	91,647
• Density	204/sq mi (79/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	9th
Website	www.norrycopa.net

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, Pennsylvania Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Bloomsburg-Berwick-Sunbury, PA Combined Statistical Area. Among its notable residents are Thomas L. Hamer, a Democratic member of Congress in the 1830s, and Joseph Priestley, the Enlightenment chemist and theologian, who left England in 1796 due to religious and political 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,^[4] is a historical museum.^[5]

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, looking upriver. The West Branch Susquehanna River is in the foreground.

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.^[6]

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.^[7]

The main river in Northumberland County is the Susquehanna River. The Susquehanna River's tributaries in the county include the West Branch Susquehanna River, Chillisquaque Creek, Shamokin Creek, and Mahanoy Creek. 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-180
• US 11
• PA 44
• PA 45
• PA 54
• PA 61
• PA 125
• PA 147
• PA 225
• PA 254
• PA 405
• PA 487
• PA 642
• PA 890
• PA 901

Adjacent counties

• Lycoming County (north)
• Montour County (northeast)
• Columbia County (east)
• Schuylkill County (southeast)
• Dauphin County (south)
• Perry County (southwest)
• Juniata County (west)
• Snyder County (west)
• Union County (west)

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
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		0.0%
2020	91,647		−3.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[8] 1790–1960[9] 1900–1990[10] 1990–2000[11] 2010–2017[12] 2010-2020[13]

As of the census^[14] 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 (80 people/km²). There were 43,164 housing units at an average density of 94 units 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.

2020 census

Northumberland County Racial Composition^[15]

Race	Num.	Perc.
White (NH)	81,689	89%
Black or African American (NH)	2,392	2.61%
Native American (NH)	110	0.12%
Asian (NH)	444	0.5%
Pacific Islander (NH)	24	0.03%
Other/Mixed (NH)	2,837	3.1%
Hispanic or Latino	4,151	4.52%

Micropolitan Statistical Area

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^[16] has designated Northumberland County as the Sunbury, PA Micropolitan Statistical Area (μSA). As of the 2010 census^[17] 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^[18]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	30,240	69.30%	12,863	29.48%	532	1.22%
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%

United States Senate election results for Northumberland County, Pennsylvania1^[19]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	28,706	66.30%	13,432	31.03%	1,156	2.67%

As of November 7, 2022, there are 58,632 registered voters in Northumberland County.^[20]

• Republican: 31,682 (54.04%)
• Democratic: 18,515 (31.58%)
• Independent: 5,547 (9.46%)
• Third Party: 2,888 (4.93%)

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.

County commissioners

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

Other county offices

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

State House of Representatives

Source:^[21]

• Joanne Stehr, Republican, 107th district
• Lynda Schlegel-Culver, Republican, 108th district

State Senator

• John Gordner, Republican, 27th district^[21]

United States Representative

• Dan Meuser, Republican, 9th district

United States Senate

• John Fetterman, Democrat
• Dave McCormick, Republican

Education

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)

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^[22]
• Schwaben Creek School 1–8th grade
• Spring View Parochial School, Watsontown 1–9th grade
• St Louis De Monfort Academy, Herdon 7–12 grade^[23]
• Sunbury Christian Academy, Northumberland K-12th grade^[24]
• Sunny Slope Amish Parochial School 1–8th grade
• Telos Educational Services Tutoring Center, Montandon^[25]
• Transfiguration Elementary School, Shamokin PreK-8th grade
• Watsontown Christian Academy, Watsontown PreK-12th grade

Communities

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

• Shamokin
• Sunbury (county seat)

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.

• Atlas
• Dalmatia
• Dewart
• Edgewood
• Elysburg
• Fairview-Ferndale
• Kapp Heights
• Marshallton
• Montandon
• Ranshaw
• Strong
• Tharptown (Uniontown)
• Trevorton

Unincorporated communities

• Alaska^[26]
• Asherton^[26]
• Augustaville^[26]
• Bear Gap^[26]
• Bear Valley
• Big Mountain^[26]
• Boyd^[26]
• Boydtown^[26]
• Burnside^[26]
• Cabel^[26]
• Caketown^[26]
• Cameron^[26]
• Chillisquaque^[26]
• Chulasky^[26]
• Coal Run
• Colonial Park^[26]
• Connersville^[26]
• Deibler^[26]
• Delaware Run^[26]
• Diamondtown^[26]
• Dooleyville^[26]
• Dornsife
• Dunkelbergers^[26]
• East Lewisburg^[26]
• Excelsior^[26]
• Farnsworth^[26]
• Fisherdale^[26]
• Fishers Ferry
• Five Points^[26]
• Gowen City
• Greenback^[26]
• Greenbriar^[26]
• Hamilton^[26]
• Hebe^[26]
• Helfenstein^[26]
• Hickory Corners^[26]
• Hunter^[26]
• Kapp^[26]
• Keefers^[26]
• Keiser^[26]
• Kipps Run^[26]
• Kline Grove^[26]
• Kneass^[26]
• Knoebels Grove^[26]
• Kulps^[26]
• Lantz^[26]
• Leck Kill
• Line Mountain^[26]
• Lithia Springs^[26]
• Locust Gap
• Locust Summit^[26]
• Malta
• Mandata
• Mayfair
• Meadowview
• Merrian
• Mile Run
• Millers Crossroads
• Mount Carmel Junction
• Mount Pleasant
• Natalie
• North Hills
• Oak Park
• Oaklyn
• Otto
• Overlook
• Patricksburg
• Paxinos
• Point Breeze
• Potts Grove
• Purdytown
• Quitman
• Rebuck
• Red Cross
• Reed
• Resler
• Rushtown
• Sagon
• Selinsgrove Junction
• Seven Points
• Shady Acres
• Shamrock
• Snufftown
• South Danville
• Springtown
• Stonington
• Sunnyside
• 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.^[27]

† 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