Franklin County, Pennsylvania

Franklin County, Pennsylvania
County
Franklin County

Franklin County Courthouse

Seal
Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Franklin County
Location in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania
Map of the United States highlighting Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania's location in the U.S.
Founded September 9, 1784
Named for Benjamin Franklin
Seat Chambersburg
Largest borough Chambersburg
Area
 • Total 773 sq mi (2,002 km2)
 • Land 772 sq mi (1,999 km2)
 • Water 0.6 sq mi (2 km2), 0.08%
Population (est.)
 • (2015) 153,638
 • Density 199/sq mi (77/km²)
Congressional district 9th
Time zone Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Website www.co.franklin.pa.us
Fannettsburg, PA located in rural Northwestern Franklin County, PA

Franklin County is a county located in South Central Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 149,618.[1] Its county seat is Chambersburg.[2]

Franklin County comprises the Chambersburg-Waynesboro, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA, Combined Statistical Area. It lies to a large extent within the Cumberland Valley.

History

Originally part of Lancaster County (1729), then Cumberland County (1750), Franklin County became an independent jurisdiction on September 9, 1784, relatively soon after the end of the American Revolutionary War.[3] It is named in honor of Founding Father Benjamin Franklin.[4]

Geography

A farm in Franklin County

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 773 square miles (2,000 km2), of which 772 square miles (2,000 km2) is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km2) (0.08%) is water.[5]

Franklin County is in the watershed of the Chesapeake Bay and the overwhelming majority of it is drained by the Potomac River, but the Conodoguinet Creek and the Sherman Creek drain northeastern portions into the Susquehanna River.

Adjacent counties

Major Highways

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
179015,662—
180019,63825.4%
181023,08317.5%
182031,89238.2%
183035,0379.9%
184037,7937.9%
185039,9045.6%
186042,1265.6%
187045,3657.7%
188049,8559.9%
189051,4333.2%
190054,9026.7%
191059,7758.9%
192062,2754.2%
193065,0104.4%
194069,3786.7%
195075,9279.4%
196088,17216.1%
1970100,83314.4%
1980113,62912.7%
1990121,0826.6%
2000129,3086.8%
2010149,61815.7%
Est. 2015153,638[6]2.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]
1790-1960[8] 1900-1990[9]
1990-2000[10] 2010-2013[1]

As of the census[11] of 2000, there were 129,313 people, 50,633 households, and 36,405 families residing in the county. The population density was 168 people per square mile (65/km²). There were 53,803 housing units at an average density of 70 per square mile (27/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 95.33% White, 2.33% Black or African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.55% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.74% from other races, and 0.86% from two or more races. 1.75% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 40.2% were of German, 19.4% American, 7.6% Irish and 6.0% English ancestry according to Census 2000. 96.0% spoke English and 2.1% Spanish as their first language.

There were 50,633 households out of which 30.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.00% were married couples living together, 8.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.10% were non-families. 23.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.70% 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 2.94.

In the county, the population was spread out with 24.00% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 28.20% from 25 to 44, 23.70% from 45 to 64, and 16.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 94.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.90 males.

In 2001, Franklin County was featured in David Brooks' article "One Nation, Slightly Divisible" in The Atlantic as a representative Red or Republican Party county.[12]

Education

Universities and colleges

Technology school

Intermediate unit

Lincoln Intermediate Unit (IU#12) region includes: Adams County, Franklin County and York County. The agency offers school districts, home-schooled students and private schools many services, including: special education services, combined purchasing, and instructional technology services. It runs Summer Academy, which offers both art and academic strands designed to meet the individual needs of gifted, talented and high achieving students. Additional services include: curriculum mapping, professional development for school employees, adult education, nonpublic school services, business services, migrant & ESL (English as a second language), instructional services, special education, management services, and technology services. It also provides a GED program to adults who want to earn a high school diploma and literacy programs. The Lincoln Intermediate Unit is governed by a 13-member board of directors, each a member of a local school board from the 25 school districts. Board members are elected by school directors of all 25 school districts for three-year terms that begin July 1.[13] There are 29 intermediate units in Pennsylvania. They are funded by school districts, state and federal program specific funding and grants. IUs do not have the power to tax.

Public school districts

Private schools

  • Anchor Christian Day School - Shippensburg
  • Antrim Mennonite School - Greencastle
  • Brook Side Amish School - Spring Run
  • Calvary Mennonite School - Chambersburg
  • Clearfield Parochial School - Shippensburg
  • Conococheague Amish School - Spring Run
  • Corpus Christi Catholic School - Chambersburg
  • Cornell Abraxas Leadership Development Program
  • Cornell Abraxas Youth Center - South Mountain
  • Culbertson Mennonite School - Chambersburg
  • Cumberland Valley Christian School
  • Emmanuel Christian School - Chambersburg
  • Franklin Learning Center - Dr. Rebecca Erb Superintendent
  • Highfield Christian Academy - Blue Ridge Summit
  • Living Word Academy - Blue Ridge Summit
  • Maple Grove Amish School Dry Run
  • McClays Mill Amish School - Newburg
  • Meadow Brook Amish School - Spring Run
  • Manito Day Treatment - Chambersburg
  • Mercersburg Academy
  • Montessori Academy of Chambersburg
  • Mountain View Amish School - Spring Run
  • Mowersville Christian Academy - Newburg
  • Noahs Ark Christian Church Center - Waynesboro
  • Otterbein School - Shippensburg
  • Path Valley Christian School - Doylesburg
  • Portico River Brethren School - Chambersburg
  • Providence School - Waynesboro
  • St Andrews School - Waynesboro
  • Shady Grove Mennonite School - Greencastle
  • Shalom Christian Academy
  • Stoney Creek Parochial School - Orrstown
  • Sunset Amish School - Newburg
  • Sweetwater Ridge School - Dry Run
  • Sylvan Learning Center - Chambersburg
  • Tunnel Run School - Newburg
  • Visionquest-South Mountain Lodge - South Mountain
  • Willow Hill Parochial School - Willow Hill
  • South Mountain Secure Treatment Unit

Libraries

Recreation

There are three Pennsylvania state parks in Franklin County.

Communities

Map of Franklin County, Pennsylvania with Municipal Labels showing Boroughs (red), Townships (white), and Census-designated places (blue).
House in Roxbury in Lurgan Township
Chambersburg is the county seat and largest municipality in Franklin County.

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

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.

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Franklin County.[14]

† county seat

Rank City/Town/etc. Municipal type Population (2010 Census)

1 † Chambersburg Borough 20,268
2 Waynesboro Borough 10,568
3 Shippensburg (mostly in Cumberland County) Borough 5,492
4 Greencastle Borough 3,996
5 Fayetteville CDP 3,128
6 State Line CDP 2,709
7 Wayne Heights CDP 2,545
8 Guilford CDP 2,138
9 Mont Alto Borough 1,705
10 Mercersburg Borough 1,561
11 Scotland CDP 1,395
12 Marion CDP 953
13 Pen Mar CDP 929
14 Rouzerville CDP 917
15 Blue Ridge Summit CDP 891
16 Fort Loudon CDP 886
17 Orrstown Borough 262

See also

References and notes

  1. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 17, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. ↑ Franklin County PA - default. Co.franklin.pa.us. Retrieved on 2013-07-23.
  4. ↑ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p. 131.
  5. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved March 7, 2015.
  6. ↑ "County Totals Dataset: Population, Population Change and Estimated Components of Population Change: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015". Retrieved July 2, 2016.
  7. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 7, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved March 7, 2015.
  9. ↑ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 24, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 7, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved March 7, 2015.
  11. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  12. ↑ David Brooks (December 2001). "One Nation, Slightly Divisible". The Atlantic. Retrieved November 11, 2010.
  13. ↑ Lincoln Intermediate Unit 12 website accessed April 2010
  14. ↑ http://www.census.gov/2010census/

Coordinates: 39°56′N 77°43′W / 39.93°N 77.72°W / 39.93; -77.72

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