Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania


Susquehanna County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 38,434 Its county seat is Montrose. The county was created on February 21, 1810, from part of Luzerne County and later organized in 1812. It is named for the Susquehanna River. The county is part of the Northeast Pennsylvania region of the state.

History

Settlement and conflict

The first non-Indigenous settlers began to move into the area from Philadelphia and Connecticut in the mid-1700s. At the time, the area was part of Luzerne County. As more and more people from Connecticut moved in, there began to be some conflict. Connecticut's original land grant gave it control of land within the northern and southern boundaries from present-day Connecticut to the Pacific Ocean. Their land grant overlapped with that of Pennsylvania. Soon fighting began between migrants from each state, resulting in the 1769–1799 Pennamite–Yankee Wars. In the end, the government of Connecticut surrendered its claim on the area.

Formation

In 1810, Susquehanna County was formed out of Luzerne County and later in 1812, Montrose was made the county seat.

Coal and early prosperity

After the Civil War, coal started to be mined. Following this, railways and roads were built into the county allowing for more people to come. At one point the county had nearly 50,000 people. Coal became, as with neighboring counties, the backbone of the economy. This boom in coal would allow for an age of prosperity in the county.

Great Depression

When the Great Depression hit, the coal industry suffered horribly. Within months, the coal industry was struggling. During World War II, the coal industry picked up again, but only for a short time. Soon after, the economy in the county failed. Many mines were closed, railways were torn apart, and the economy took a turn for the worse. Unemployment rose and population decline increased.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which is land and is water.
Susquehanna County is very mountainous, with large concentrations of mountains in the east and smaller, more hill-like mountains in the west. The highest mountain in the county is North Knob just west of Union Dale. Most people live in one of the several long and mostly narrow valleys. These valleys are good farming land.
The county has a warm-summer humid continental climate and average monthly temperatures in Montrose range from 21.2 °F in January to 67.7 °F in July.

Adjacent counties

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 38,434. The median age was 48.2 years, 19.5% of residents were under the age of 18, and 23.7% of residents were 65 years of age or older; for every 100 females there were 100.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 99.6 males age 18 and over.
The racial makeup of the county was 93.8% White, 0.4% Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.9% from some other race, and 4.3% from two or more races. Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino] residents of any race comprised 2.2% of the population.
<0.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.
There were 16,297 households in the county, of which 24.5% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 49.7% were married-couple households, 19.9% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 22.5% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 29.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 21,259 housing units, of which 23.3% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 77.0% were owner-occupied and 23.0% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.7% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.3%.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 42,238 people, 16,529 households, and 11,785 families residing in the county. The population density was. There were 21,829 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the county was 98.54% White, 0.30% Black or African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.17% from other races, and 0.60% from two or more races. 0.67% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 26% were of English, 16.1% were of German, 15.1% Irish, 8.6% Italian and 7.7% Polish ancestry.
There were 16,529 households, out of which 31.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.70% were married couples living together, 8.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.70% were non-families. 24.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.50% under the age of 18, 6.70% from 18 to 24, 27.10% from 25 to 44, 25.20% from 45 to 64, and 15.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.80 males.

Politics

County commissioners

  • Alan M. Hall, Chairman
  • David Darrow, Vice-Chair
  • Robert G. McNamara, Commissioner
https://www.susqco.com/departments/county-commissioners

Law enforcement

all areas in the county use the Pennsylvania State Police in a law enforcement capacity, either with part-time police departments or with no other police departments.

Row offices

  • Clerk of Courts and Prothonotary, Jan Krupinski, Republican
  • Coroner, Tony Conarton, Republican
  • District Attorney, Marion O'Malley, Republican
  • Recorder of Deeds and Register of Wills, Michelle Estabrook, Republican
  • Sheriff, Lance Benedict, Republican
  • Treasurer, Jason Miller, Republican
  • Auditor, George Starzec, Republican
  • Auditor, Susan Jennings, Democrat

State Representatives

State Senators

  • Lisa Baker, Republican - Ararat, Auburn, Brooklyn, Clifford, Gibson, Great Bend, Harford, Harmony, Herrick, Jackson, Lathrop, Lenox, New Milford, Oakland, Springville, and Thompson Townships, and Forest City, Great Bend, Hallstead, Hop Bottom, Lanesboro, New Milford, Oakland, Susquehanna Depot, Thompson, and Union Dale Boroughs.
  • Gene Yaw, Republican - Apolacon, Bridgewater, Choconut, Dimock, Forest Lake, Franklin, Jessup, Liberty, Middletown, Rush and Silver Lake Townships, and Friendsville, Little Meadows, and Montrose Boroughs.

U.S. Representative

United States Senate

Economy

The economy in the county is mainly made up of retail, health care industry, public school employment, small businesses, and government officials.

Major employers

;2018
Listed in order of number of employees at the end of 2018, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry May 2019 monthly report:
  • Montrose Area School District
  • Barnes-Kasson County Hospital
  • Pennsylvania State Government
  • Endless Mountains Health Systems
  • Susquehanna County government
  • Mountain View School District
  • Elk Lake School District
  • Gassearch Drilling Services Corp
  • Blue Ridge School District
  • Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation
;2015
  • Barnes-Kasson County Hospital
  • Montrose Area School District
  • Endless Mountains Health Systems
  • C & G Construction Inc
  • Elk Lake School District
  • Susquehanna County government
  • Mountain View School District
  • Pennsylvania State Government
  • Gassearch Drilling Services Corp
  • Blue Ridge School District
;2014
  • Montrose Area School District
  • Barnes-Kasson County Hospital
  • Gassearch Drilling Services Corp
  • Endless Mountains Health Systems
  • Elk Lake School District
  • Blue Ridge School District
  • Susquehanna County government
  • Mountain View School District
  • Elk Mountain Ski Resort INC
  • Forest City Regional School District

Natural gas

Since unconventional drilling for natural gas began in 2008. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate in Susquehanna County was 6.1 percent in January 2008. It has since fluctuated between a high of 11.1 percent and a low of 3.1 percent. As of January 2018, the unemployment rate was 5.7 percent. After decades of population growth since the 1950s, the population in Susquehanna County has since begun to decline, concurrent with the expansion of natural gas drilling and accompanying infrastructure. Between 2010 and 2016, there was an estimated population decline of 5.8 percent. As of 2011, there were 1,079 active natural gas wells in the county which had collectively been issued 795 notices of violations by the Department of Environmental Protection of Pennsylvania.

Tourism

Susquehanna County's natural environment, skiing, and small villages make it a growing tourist destination.

Education

Public school districts

School districts include:

Public libraries

Vocational schools

Intermediate unit

Northeast Intermediate Unit 19

Private schools

  • Faith Mountain Christian Academy

Transportation

Rail

Susquehanna County's last mainline passenger train services, through New Milford and Hallstead, ended in January 1970. Since then, freight trains use the railroad line.

Air

Although Susquehanna County boasts several airstrips, they are strictly recreational. The closest main airports are in Binghamton, New York and Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Recreation

There is one Pennsylvania state park in Susquehanna County:
The Nature Conservancy manages two protected wildlife areas:
There are nine properties/districts listed on National Register of Historic Places in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania

Communities

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

Boroughs

Townships

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Susquehanna County.
† county seat
RankBorough/TownshipMunicipal typePopulation
1BridgewaterTownship2,844
2CliffordTownship2,408
3New MilfordTownship2,042
4Great BendTownship1,949
5AuburnTownship1,939
6LenoxTownship1,934
7Forest CityBorough1,911
8Silver LakeTownship1,716
9Susquehanna DepotBorough1,643
10SpringvilleTownship1,641
11† MontroseBorough1,617
12DimockTownship1,497
13HarfordTownship1,430
14HallsteadBorough1,303
15LibertyTownship1,292
16RushTownship1,267
17GibsonTownship1,221
18Forest LakeTownship1,193
19BrooklynTownship963
20FranklinTownship937
21New MilfordBorough868
22JacksonTownship848
23LathropTownship841
24Great BendBorough734
25ChoconutTownship713
26HerrickTownship713
27OaklandBorough616
28OaklandTownship564
29AraratTownship563
30JessupTownship536
31HarmonyTownship528
32LanesboroBorough506
33ApolaconTownship500
34ThompsonTownship410
35MiddletownTownship382
36Hop BottomBorough337
37ThompsonBorough299
38Little MeadowsBorough273
39Union DaleBorough267
40FriendsvilleBorough111