Northumberland County, Pennsylvania

History

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

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.

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.

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics

As of the census 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 according to Census 2000. 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.

Northumberland County's live birth rate was 1,167 births in 1990. Northumberland County's live birth rate in 2000 declined to 919 births, while in 2011 it was 961 babies. Over the past 50 years (1960 to 2010), rural Pennsylvania saw a steady decline in both the number and proportion of residents under 18 years old. In 1960, 1.06 million rural residents, or 35 percent of the rural population, were children.

According to research by The Center for Rural Pennsylvania, which is a legislative agency of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, the poverty rate for Northumberland County was 15.9% in 2014. The statewide poverty rate was 13.6% in 2014. The 2012 childhood poverty rate by school district was: Line Mountain School District - 38.4% living at 185% or below than the Federal Poverty Level, Milton Area School District - 51.9, Mount Carmel Area School District - 59.5%, Shikellamy School District - 45%, Shamokin Area School District - 59.5% and Warrior Run School District - 32.2%.

According to the US Census Bureau, from 2009-2014 Northumberland County saw a 62% increase in the number of families in the federal food assistance program called SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program). The number of people or families receiving monthly SNAP (food stamps) assistance dollars rose from 2,965 in 2009 to 4,814 people in 2014.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health reports the annual teens aged 15–19 birth rate. From 2011 to 2015, Northumberland County experienced a 10% decline in teen pregnancies. In Pennsylvania the majority of pupils graduate from high school at age 18 years old. Northumberland County is home to an Amish population, where pregnancies at 17–19 years old are common.

In 2016, more than 200 children in Northumberland County were in foster care. The majority of the children are from the western side of the county in Shamokin and Mount Carmel. They are placed in foster care largely due to drug and alcohol abuse by parents/caregivers.

Micropolitan Statistical Area

The United States Office of Management and Budget has designated Northumberland County as the Sunbury, PA Micropolitan Statistical Area (µSA). As of the 2010 U.S. Census 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

As of November 2008, there are 53,983 registered voters in Northumberland County.

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

Other county offices

State Representatives

State Senator

U.S. Representative

Early child education

According to the Office of Child Development and Early Learning of the Pennsylvania Department of Education June 2007 report, Northumberland County is rated at a high risk level for children who are "at risk" and therefore might benefit from more taxpayer funded services. Northumberland County was rated 3.14 ARL, in the highest 25% of counties for average risk level.

Public school districts

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. Funded by: state and federal grants; state contracts and service contracts. Intermediate units do not have the power to levy taxes. The IU's board is made up of representatives from the schools districts it serves.

Independent schools

data from ies – National Center For Education Statistics – PSS Private School Universe Survey data for the 2007–2008 school year, U.S. Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences

CSIU16 School Directory 2014

Additionally there are nearly 1000 children attending Mennonite and Amish schools per the Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit 16.

The St Monica School PreK-8th grade which was located in Sunbury Pennsylvania was closed by the Bishop in June 2013.

Child abuse cases reported

In 2014, 1,148 child abuse reports were made to the Northumberland Children and Youth Agency. In 2015, reported cases increased to 2,084 a 82% increase in reports. The increase in cases was attributed to a new state law specifying more professions are mandated reporters including: teachers, college professors, coaches, advisors of youth organizations and public school employees.

Communities

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

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.

Population ranking

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

† county seat

Natural Gas pipeline

In March 2016, Northumberland County announced a $700,000 deal with Williams Transco pipeline company. The County is granting a 9,700 foot right-of-way through its Anthracite Outdoor Adventure Area recreation park. Two parcels of county owned land are impacted: one in East Cameron Township and the other in Coal Township. The one time payment for the East Cameron Township parcel will be shared: County - 33.27%, township - 42.61% and Shamokin Area School District will receive 24.12%. For the Coal Township parcel: the County receives 33.13%, Coal Township gets 27.86% and the school district receives 39.01%. of the right-of-way payment. The County will also receive the value of the timber taken when the land is stripped. The recreation area is an environmentally restored former coal mining area. The pipeline will strip all vegetation and trees from the right-of-way in the outdoor recreation area. The Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline Project is a 178 mile long project, crossing 10 Pennsylvania counties and impacting 30 property owners in Northumberland County.