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Lebanon County, Pennsylvania

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Seat
  
Lebanon

Congressional districts
  
6th, 15th

Website
  
www.lebcounty.org

Area
  
937.6 km²

Unemployment rate
  
4.0% (Apr 2015)

Largest city
  
Lebanon

Time zone
  
Eastern: UTC-5/-4

Founded
  
16 February 1813

Population
  
135,486 (2013)

Lebanon County, Pennsylvania httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediacommons66

Destinations
  
Lebanon, Mount Gretna, Palmyra, Annville

Colleges and Universities
  
Lebanon Valley College, Lebanon County Area Voc, Harrisburg Area Communi, Evangelical Seminary, Empire Beauty School‑Lebanon

Points of interest
  
Cornwall Iron Furnace, Memorial Lake State Park, South Hills Park, Friends of Memorial Lake and, Coleman Memorial Park

Lebanon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 133,568. Its county seat is Lebanon. The county was formed from portions of Dauphin and Lancaster counties in 1813, with minor boundary revisions in 1814 and 1821. Lebanon County comprises the Lebanon, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Harrisburg-York-Lebanon, PA Combined Statistical Area.

Contents

Map of Lebanon County, PA, USA

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 362 square miles (940 km2), of which 362 square miles (940 km2) is land and 0.7 square miles (1.8 km2) (0.2%) is water. It is drained by Swatara Creek and its branches. It consists in large part of a valley.

Adjacent counties

  • Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania (northeast)
  • Berks County, Pennsylvania (east)
  • Lancaster County, Pennsylvania (south)
  • Dauphin County, Pennsylvania (west)
  • Major Highways

  • I-76 / Penna Turnpike
  • I-78
  • I-81
  • US 22
  • US 322
  • US 422
  • PA 72
  • PA 117
  • PA 241
  • PA 341
  • PA 443
  • PA 501
  • PA 897
  • PA 934
  • Demographics

    As of the census of 2000, there were 120,327 people and 32,771 families residing in the county. The population density was 332 people per square mile (128/km²). There were 49,320 housing units at an average density of 136 per square mile (53/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 94.46% White, 1.29% Black or African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.89% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 2.26% from other races, and 0.94% from two or more races. 4.96% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 45.6% were of German, 11.8% American and 6.1% Irish ancestry according to Census 2000. 92.5% spoke English, 4.2% Spanish and 1.1% Pennsylvania Dutch as their first language.

    There were 46,551 households out of which 30.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.40% were married couples living together, 9.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.60% were non-families. 25.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.98.

    In the county, the population was spread out with 23.70% under the age of 18, 8.20% from 18 to 24, 28.00% from 25 to 44, 23.70% from 45 to 64, and 16.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 95.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.70 males.

    Metropolitan Statistical Area

    The United States Office of Management and Budget has designated Lebanon County as the Lebanon, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). As of the 2010 U.S. Census the metropolitan area ranked 16th most populous in the State of Pennsylvania and the 296th most populous in the United States with a population of 133,568. Lebanon County is also a part of the larger Harrisburg-York-Lebanon, PA Combined Statistical Area (CSA), which combines the populations of Lebanon County as well as Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Perry and York Counties in Pennsylvania. The Combined Statistical Area ranked 5th in the State of Pennsylvania and 43rd most populous in the United States with a population of 1,219,422.

    United States House of Representatives

    The county is divided into the 6th congressional district, represented by Ryan Costello, Republican, and the 15th congressional district, represented by Charlie Dent, Republican.

    State Senate

    All of the county falls within the 48th Pennsylvania Senatorial District. The seat is currently held by State Sen. Mike Folmer, a Republican.

    State House of Representatives

    The county is divided into the 101st, 102nd and 104th Pennsylvania House Districts.

    101st District

    The 101st District, served by Republican Mauree Gingrich, whose term expires in 2015, includes:

    102nd District

    The 102nd District, served by Republican Russ Diamond, whose term expires in 2017, includes:

    104th District

    The 104th District, which includes North Annville Twp. and East Hanover Twp., is represented by Republican Sue Helm, whose term expires 2015.

    County government

    The county is governed by three commissioners, who are elected every four years from a slate of four candidates (two Democrats and two Republicans). Other elected officials include County Controller, Sheriff, Coroner, Prothonotary and Clerk of Court, Recorder of Deeds, County Treasurer, and Jury Commissioners.

    Voter registration

    As of November 2008, there are 82,394 registered voters in Lebanon County.

  • Republican: 44,228 (53.68%)
  • Democratic: 27,646 (33.55%)
  • Other Parties: 10,520 (12.77%)
  • Electoral history

    The county has a history of being one of the most Republican counties in Pennsylvania. No Democratic Presidential candidate has won Lebanon County since 1936, when Franklin Delano Roosevelt won re-election in a landslide. Lebanon County was one of only four counties in the state to vote for Barry Goldwater in 1964, along with Snyder, Union, and Wayne counties.

    In the 2006 election for U.S. Senate, the county cast 21,756 votes (55.1%) for Republican Rick Santorum and 17,737 (44.9%) for Democrat Bob Casey, Jr., who won the race. In that year's gubernatorial election, the county cast 22,775 votes (57.5%) for Republican Lynn Swann and 16,813 (42.5%) for Democrat Ed Rendell, who won the race.

    In the 2004 presidential election, the county cast 37,089 votes (66.6%) for Republican George W. Bush and 18,109 (32.5%) for Democrat John Kerry. In that same year's election for U.S. Senate, the county cast 35,336 votes (66.8%) for Republican Arlen Specter, 13,182 for Democrat Joe Hoeffel, 3,320 (6.3%) for Constitution Party candidate Jim Clymer, and 1,083 (2.0%) for Libertarian Betsy Summers. In the 2008 presidential election the county cast 34,314 votes (58.59%) for Republican John McCain and 23,310 votes (39.8%) for Barack Obama.

    In the 2002 gubernatorial election, the county cast 22,659 votes (62.7%) for Republican Mike Fisher and 12,712 (35.2%) for Democrat Ed Rendell, who won the race. In the 2002 race for the U.S. House of Representatives, Republican George Gekas received 21,733 votes (60.9%) from the county while Democrat Tim Holden received 13,945 (39.1%); Holden won.

    Colleges and universities

  • Harrisburg Area Community College (Lebanon Campus)
  • Lebanon Valley College
  • Evangelical Seminary
  • Public school districts

  • Annville-Cleona School District
  • Cornwall-Lebanon School District
  • Eastern Lebanon County School District
  • Lebanon School District
  • Northern Lebanon School District
  • Palmyra Area School District
  • Communities

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

    City

  • Lebanon (county seat)
  • Boroughs

  • Cleona
  • Cornwall
  • Jonestown
  • Mount Gretna
  • Myerstown
  • Palmyra
  • Richland
  • 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

  • Greenpoint
  • McGillstown
  • Ono
  • Population ranking

    The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Lebanon County.

    county seat

    References

    Lebanon County, Pennsylvania Wikipedia