Centre County, Pennsylvania


Centre County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 158,172. Its county seat is Bellefonte. Centre County is composed of the State College, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county is part of the Central region of the commonwealth.
WWW co.centre.pa.us

History

The land of the future Centre County was first recorded by [James Potter Township, Centre County, Pennsylvania|Potter (Pennsylvania politician)|James Potter] in 1764. Potter reached the top of Nittany Mountain and "seeing the prairies and noble forest beneath him, cried out to his attendant, 'By heavens, Thompson, I have discovered an empire!'" Centre County was created on February 13, 1800 by Act 2092 of the Pennsylvania Legislature from parts of Huntingdon, Lycoming, Mifflin, and Northumberland counties. The act said that its inhabitants "labour under great hardships, by reason of their great distance from the present seats of justice, and the public offices" of their current counties. Its population was 4,112. Centre was among ten new counties carved from the existing twenty-six in early 1800. The county was named after the Centre Furnace.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which is land and is water. Centre County is one of the 423 counties served by the Appalachian Regional Commission. It is the fifth-largest county in Pennsylvania by area and its area code is 814.
Centre County has a humid continental climate.

Features

Adjacent counties

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 158,172. The median age was 31.5 years. 15.0% of residents were under the age of 18 and 15.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 107.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 108.6 males age 18 and over.
The racial makeup of the county was 83.0% White, 3.5% Black or African American, 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 7.2% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 1.3% from some other race, and 4.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 3.6% of the population.
65.4% of residents lived in urban areas, while 34.6% lived in rural areas.
There were 59,357 households in the county, of which 21.8% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 43.8% were married-couple households, 24.3% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 26.3% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 30.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 65,408 housing units, of which 9.3% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 57.7% were owner-occupied and 42.3% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.0% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.5%.
Race / Ethnicity Pop 2000Pop 2010% 2000% 2010
White alone 123,055135,427129,66890.64%87.94%81.97%
Black or African American alone 3,4694,4565,3062.55%2.89%3.35%
Native American or Alaska Native alone 1551531200.11%0.09%0.07%
Asian alone 5,3547,93411,3733.94%5.15%7.19%
Pacific Islander alone 9142390.06%0.02%0.02%
Other race alone 1232025960.09%0.13%0.37%
Mixed race or Multiracial 1,2682,0865,4190.93%1.35%3.42%
Hispanic or Latino 2,2433,6905,6511.65%2.39%3.57%
Total135,758153,990158,172100.00%100.00%100.00%

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 153,990 people, 57,573 households, and 31,256 families residing in the county. The population density was. There were 63,297 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the county was 89.4% White, 3.0% Black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 5.2% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.7% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. 2.4% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 57,573 households, out of which 23.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.6% were married couples living together, 3.3% had a male householder with no wife present, 6.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.7% were non-families. 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the county, 15.9% of the population was under the age of 18, 28.9% was from 18 to 24, 22.6% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 107.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 108.1 males.

Metropolitan statistical area

The United States Office of Management and Budget has designated Centre County as the State College, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 U.S. census the metropolitan area ranked 13th most populous in Pennsylvania and the 259th most populous in the United States with a population of 155,403. Centre County is also a part of the larger State College–DuBois, PA Combined Statistical Area, which combines the populations of Centre County as well as Clearfield County to the west. The combined statistical area ranked ninth in Pennsylvania and 123rd most populous in the United States with a population of 236,577.

Law and government

County commissioners

  • Mark Higgins, Chairman
  • Amber Concepcion, Vice-chair
  • Steven G. Dershem, Commissioner

Other county offices

State senate

State House of Representatives

United States House of Representatives

United States Senate

Politics

Voter registration

As of August 27, 2025, there were 101,604 registered voters in Centre County.

Education

Colleges and universities

Community, junior, and technical colleges

Public school districts

School districts include:

Public charter schools

  • Young Scholars of Central PA Charter School
  • Centre Learning Community Charter School
  • Nittany Valley Charter School
  • There are 13 public cyber charter schools in Pennsylvania that are available for free statewide, to children K-12. See: Education in Pennsylvania.

Private schools

As reported by the Pennsylvania Department of Education 2010.
  • Bower Hollow Parochial School – Woodward
  • Elk Creek School – Rebersburg
  • Faith Christian Academy – Philipsburg
  • Grace Prep – Ferguson
  • Hill Side School – Rebersburg
  • Hubler Ridge School – Bellefonte
  • Kramer Gap School – Spring Mills
  • Little Nittany Amish Parochial School – Howard
  • Mountain View School – Rebersburg
  • Nittany Christian School – State College
  • Our Lady of Victory School – State College
  • Park Forest Montessori School - Patton
  • Peach Lane Amish School – Madisonburg
  • Penns Valley Amish Paroch School – Woodward
  • Rockville School – Rebersburg
  • Spring Bank School – Rebersburg
  • St John Evangelist School – Bellefonte
  • St. Joseph's Academy – Boalsburg
  • State College Friends School – State College
  • Sunny Meadow Parochial School – Howard
  • Sunset View School – Howard
  • Sunset View School – Rebersburg
  • Windy Poplars School – Centre Hall
  • Woodside Amish School – Spring Mills

Libraries

  • Centre County Libraries
  • *Centre County Library & Historical Museum – Bellefonte
  • *Centre Hall Area Branch Library – Centre Hall
  • *Holt Memorial Library – Philipsburg
  • *Centre County Bookmobile
  • American Philatelic Research Library
  • Schlow Centre Region Library

Pennsylvania State University libraries

  • Pattee Library
  • Paterno Library
  • Architecture and Landscape Architecture Library
  • Earth and Mineral Sciences Library
  • Engineering Library
  • Physical and Mathematical Sciences Library

Transportation

Airport

State College Regional Airport offers daily commercial and general aviation flights. United Express and American Eagle service the airport currently with nonstop flights to Philadelphia, Washington-Dulles, and Chicago-O'Hare.

Recreation

There are six Pennsylvania state parks in Centre County.

Media

Centre County's main daily newspaper is the Centre Daily Times. Alternative newspapers include the Centre County Gazette and State College City Guide. Newspapers of Pennsylvania State University's main campus include the student-run Daily Collegian. Magazines in the area include Town & Gown, State College Magazine, Good Life in Happy Valley, Blue White Illustrated, Pennsylvania Business Central, and Voices of Central Pennsylvania. The radio market of Centre County is ranked #257 in the nation. Some of the more popular stations include WPSU, WKPS, WZWW, WLEJ, WFGE, WNLI, WRSC-FM, WBHV, WOWY, and WBUS.
Centre County is part of the Johnstown/Altoona/State College television market, which is currently ranked #99 in the nation. Television stations broadcasting out of State College are WPSU and WHVL-LD as well as C-NET, Centre County's Government and Education Access Television Network, which broadcasts on two channels: CGTV and CETV. Johnstown-based WJAC-TV and Altoona-based WTAJ-TV maintain satellite studios and offices.

Communities

Under Pennsylvania law, there are five types of incorporated municipalities: cities, home rule municipalities, [List of List of towns and boroughs in Pennsylvania|towns and List of towns and boroughs in Pennsylvania|boroughs in Pennsylvania|boroughs], [List of List of townships in Pennsylvania|townships in Pennsylvania|townships], and in at most two cases, towns. These are the municipalities, boroughs and townships in Centre County:

Home rule municipalities

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 also be listed here.

Other communities

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Centre County.
† county seat
RankCity/Town/etc.Municipal typePopulation
1State CollegeBorough42,034
2Park Forest VillageCDP9,660
3† BellefonteBorough6,187
4BoalsburgCDP3,722
5Pleasant GapCDP2,879
6PhilipsburgBorough2,770
7StormstownCDP2,366
8LemontCDP2,270
9ToftreesCDP2,053
10ZionCDP2,030
11HouservilleCDP1,814
12Pine Grove MillsCDP1,502
13Centre HallBorough1,265
14MilesburgBorough1,123
15MillheimBorough904
16RamblewoodCDP849
17Snow ShoeBorough765
18BlanchardCDP740
19HowardBorough720
20North PhilipsburgCDP660
21NittanyCDP658
22ClarenceCDP626
23AaronsburgCDP613
24Port MatildaBorough606
25MingovilleCDP503
26RebersburgCDP494
27SnydertownCDP483
28South PhilipsburgCDP410
29Sandy RidgeCDP407
30EaglevilleCDP324
31UnionvilleBorough291
32MoshannonCDP281
33Spring MillsCDP268
34CoburnCDP236
35BaileyvilleCDP201
36Pine GlenCDP190
37MadisonburgCDP168
38JulianCDP152
39MonumentCDP150
40WoodwardCDP110
41HublersburgCDP104
42Mount EagleCDP103
T-43JacksonvilleCDP95
T-43OrvistonCDP95