Franklin County, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
As of the census
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.
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:
s 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.
(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. 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.
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 129,313 people, 50,633 households, and 36,405 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
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
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 2.33% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.15% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.55% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.03% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.74% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.86% from two or more races. 1.75% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race. 40.2% were of German, 19.4% American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 7.6% Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
and 6.0% English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
ancestry according to Census 2000. 96.0% spoke English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and 2.1% Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
as their first language.
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
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
David Brooks (journalist)
David Brooks is a Canadian-born political and cultural commentator who considers himself a moderate and writes for the New York Times...
' article "One Nation, Slightly Divisible" in The Atlantic as a representative Red or Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
county.
Municipalities
Boroughs
|
Orrstown, Pennsylvania Orrstown is a borough in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 231 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Orrstown is located at .... Shippensburg, Pennsylvania Shippensburg is a borough in Cumberland and Franklin counties in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Settled in 1730, Shippensburg lies in the Cumberland Valley, 41 miles west-southwest of Harrisburg, and is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. In 1900, 3,228 people... (partial) Waynesboro, Pennsylvania Waynesboro is a borough in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, located northwest of Baltimore, Maryland, 67 miles southwest of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and north of the Mason-Dixon Line. The population within the borough limits was 9,614 at the 2000 census. When combined with the surrounding... |
Townships
|
Montgomery Township, Franklin County, Pennsylvania Montgomery Township is a township in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 4,949 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 67.1 square miles , of which, 67.1 square miles of it is land and... Peters Township, Franklin County, Pennsylvania Peters Township is a township in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 4,251 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 56.0 square miles , of which, 55.9 square miles of it is land and... |
Southampton Township, Franklin County, Pennsylvania Southampton Township is a township in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 6,138 at the 2000 census.-Geography:... Warren Township, Franklin County, Pennsylvania Warren Township is a township in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 334 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 30.5 square miles , all of it land.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there... Washington Township, Franklin County, Pennsylvania Washington Township is a township in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 11,559 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 38.9 square miles , of which, 38.9 square miles of it is land and... |
Census-designated places
Census-designated placeCensus-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
s are geographical areas designated by the U.S. Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
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.
|
Rouzerville, Pennsylvania Rouzerville is a census-designated place in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 862 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Rouzerville is located at .... Wayne Heights, Pennsylvania Wayne Heights is a census-designated place in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,805 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Wayne Heights is located at .... |
Other
- State LineState Line, Franklin County, PennsylvaniaState Line is an unincorporated community in Franklin County, Pennsylvania next to the Maryland state line along Interstate 81 between Hagerstown, Maryland and Greencastle, Pennsylvania. The zip code for State Line, PA is 17263...
- MarionMarion, PennsylvaniaMarion is an unincorporated community in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, United States. It lies south of Chambersburg and north of the Mason-Dixon Line....
Public School Districts
- Chambersburg Area School DistrictChambersburg Area School DistrictThe Chambersburg Area School District is a public school district located in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. It encompasses the borough of Chambersburg, plus the townships of Hamilton, Greene, Lurgan, and Letterkenny, and a portion of Guilford Township...
- Fannett-Metal School DistrictFannett-Metal School DistrictThe Fannett-Metal School District is a public school district that spans Fannett and Metal townships in Franklin County as well as a small portion of Toboyne Township in Perry County, Pennsylvania. It encompasses approximately 128 square miles. According to 2000 federal census data, it serves a...
- Greencastle-Antrim School DistrictGreencastle-Antrim School DistrictThe Greencastle Antrim School District is a public school district located in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. It encompasses the borough of Greencastle and the surrounding Antrim Township. It features one primary school , one elementary school , one middle school , and one high school ....
- Shippensburg Area School DistrictShippensburg Area School DistrictThe Shippensburg Area School District is a public school district in Franklin County, Pennsylvania and Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. It is centered on the borough of Shippensburg and also serves Orrstown, Newburg, Hopewell Township, Shippensburg Township, and two interconnected Southampton...
- Tuscarora School DistrictTuscarora School DistrictThe Tuscarora School District is a public school district located in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. It encompasses the borough of Mercersburg, as well as the townships of St...
- Waynesboro Area School DistrictWaynesboro Area School DistrictThe Waynesboro Area School District is a public school district located in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. It encompasses the boroughs of Waynesboro and Mont Alto, as well as all of Washington Township and Quincy Township, and a portion of Guilford Township...
Private schools
- Mercersburg AcademyMercersburg AcademyMercersburg Academy is an independent, coeducational boarding school for grades 9-12 located in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania, United States. The school's mission is:...
- Shalom Christian Academy
- Cumberland Valley Christian School
- Corpus Christi Catholic School
Universities and Colleges
- Wilson CollegeWilson College (Pennsylvania)Wilson College, founded 1869, is a private, Presbyterian-related, liberal arts women's college located on a campus in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, United States. It was founded by two Presbyterian ministers, but named for its first major donor, Sarah Wilson of nearby St. Thomas Township,...
- Penn State Mont AltoPenn State Mont AltoPenn State Mont Alto is a Pennsylvania State University Commonwealth Campus. It is located in Mont Alto, PA, in south central Pennsylvania, between Chambersburg and Gettysburg...
Intermediate Unit
Lincoln Intermediate UnitIntermediate Unit
In Pennsylvania, Intermediate Units are regional educational service agencies, established by the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Intermediate Units serve a given geographic area's educational needs and function as a step of organization above that of a public school district, but below that of the...
(IU#12) region includes: Adams County
Adams County, Pennsylvania
Adams County is a county in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 101,407. It was created on January 22, 1800, from part of York County and named in honor of the second President of the United States, John Adams...
, Franklin County and York County
York County, Pennsylvania
York County is a county in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 434,972. It is in the Susquehanna Valley, a large fertile agricultural region in South Central Pennsylvania....
. 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
GED
General Educational Development tests are a group of five subject tests which, when passed, certify that the taker has American or Canadian high school-level academic skills...
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. 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.
Recreation
There are three Pennsylvania state parks in Franklin County.- Caledonia State ParkCaledonia State ParkCaledonia State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Greene Township, Franklin County and Franklin Township, Adams County in Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is named for an iron furnace, Caledonia Furnace, that was owned by Thaddeus Stevens beginning in 1837. Today the park is known...
straddles the Franklin and Adams CountyAdams County, PennsylvaniaAdams County is a county in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 101,407. It was created on January 22, 1800, from part of York County and named in honor of the second President of the United States, John Adams...
line along U.S. Route 30U.S. Route 30U.S. Route 30 is an east–west main route of the system of United States Numbered Highways, with the highway traveling across the northern tier of the country. It is the third longest U.S. route, after U.S. Route 20 and U.S. Route 6. The western end of the highway is at Astoria, Oregon; the...
between ChambersburgChambersburg, PennsylvaniaChambersburg is a borough in the South Central region of Pennsylvania, United States. It is miles north of Maryland and the Mason-Dixon line and southwest of Harrisburg in the Cumberland Valley, which is part of the Great Appalachian Valley. Chambersburg is the county seat of Franklin County...
and GettysburgGettysburg, PennsylvaniaGettysburg is a borough that is the county seat, part of the Gettysburg Battlefield, and the eponym for the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg. The town hosts visitors to the Gettysburg National Military Park and has 3 institutions of higher learning: Lutheran Theological Seminary, Gettysburg College, and...
. - Buchanan's Birthplace State ParkBuchanan's Birthplace State ParkBuchanan's Birthplace State Park is a Pennsylvania state park near Cove Gap, in Peters Township, Franklin County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is on Pennsylvania Route 16 along Tuscarora Mountain...
is the birthplace of the 15th President of the United StatesPresident of the United StatesThe President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
, James Buchanan. - Mont Alto State ParkMont Alto State ParkMont Alto State Park is a Pennsylvania state park on in Quincy Township, Franklin County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is on Pennsylvania Route 233 one mile from Mont Alto.-Mont Alto Iron Company:...
is the oldest state park in Pennsylvania.
See also
- List of municipal authorities in Franklin County, Pennsylvania
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Franklin County, PennsylvaniaNational Register of Historic Places listings in Franklin County, PennsylvaniaThis is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Franklin County, Pennsylvania.This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, United States...
- Bloom Brothers Department StoresBloom Brothers Department StoresBloom Brothers Department Stores were located at sites in Franklin and Fulton County, Pennsylvania, and Baltimore, Maryland, from the company's founding in 1897 as the Old Reliable Conn and Bloom Dry Goods Store until the closing of the last store in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, in 1944.The Old...