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.
Contents
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 832 square miles (2,150 km2), of which 823 square miles (2,130 km2) is land and 8.7 square miles (23 km2) (1.0%) 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 (Dfb) and average monthly temperatures in Montrose range from 21.2 °F in January to 67.7 °F in July.
Adjacent counties
Broome County, New York (north)
Wayne County (east)
Lackawanna County (southeast)
Wyoming County (southwest)
Bradford County (west)
Tioga County, New York (northwest)
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. 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 51 people per square mile (20 people/km2). There were 21,829 housing units at an average density of 26 units per square mile (10/km2). 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
As of January 9, 2023, there are 27,049 registered voters in Susquehanna County.
Republican: 16,538 (61.1%)
Democratic: 6,856 (25.4%)
Independent: 2,385 (8.8%)
Third Party: 1,270 (4.7%)
County commissioners
Alan M. Hall, Chairman
David Darrow, Vice-Chair
Robert G. McNamara, Commissioner
https://www.susqco.com/departments/county-commissioners
Law enforcement
As of 2016 all areas in the county use the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) 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
Tina Pickett, Republican (110th district) - Apolacon, Auburn, Dimock, Forest Lake, Jessup, Middletown, and Rush Townships, and Little Meadows Borough
Jonathan Fritz, Republican (111th district) - Ararat, Bridgewater, Brooklyn, Choconut, Clifford, Franklin, Gibson, Great Bend, Harford, Harmony, Herrick, Jackson, Lathrop, Lenox, Liberty, New Milford, Oakland, Silver Lake, Springville, and Thompson Townships, and Friendsville, Great Bend, Hallstead, Hop Bottom, Lanesboro, Montrose, New Milford, Oakland, Susquehanna Depot, Thompson, and Union Dale Boroughs.
State Senators
Lisa Baker, Republican (20th district) - 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 (23rd district) - 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
Dan Meuser, Republican (PA-09)
United States Senate
John Fetterman, Democrat
David McCormick, Republican
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
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:
Blue Ridge School District (New Milford)
Elk Lake School District (Dimock) (also in Wyoming County)
Forest City Regional School District (Forest City) (also in Lackawanna and Wayne Counties)
Montrose Area School District (Montrose)
Mountain View School District (Kingsley)
Susquehanna Community School District (also in Wayne County)
Public libraries
Susquehanna County Historical Society & Free Library Association
Pratt Memorial Library
Forest City Library
Hallstead Public Library
Hallstead-Great Bend Library
Susquehanna Free Library
Vocational schools
Susquehanna County Career and Technology Center (Dimock Township)
Intermediate unit
Luzerne Intermediate Unit 18
Northeast Intermediate Unit 19 (NEIU 19)
Private schools
Faith Mountain Christian Academy (New Milford)
Transportation
Rail
Susquehanna County's last mainline passenger train services, through New Milford and Hallstead, ended in January 1970. Since then, freight trains (presently Norfolk Southern) 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:
Salt Springs State Park is 7 miles (11 km) north of Montrose, just off Pennsylvania Route 29.
The Nature Conservancy manages two protected wildlife areas:
The Woodbourne Forest and Wildlife Preserve is a 648 acres (262 ha) area located along Route 29 south of Montrose.
The Florence Shelly Preserve is a 380 acres (150 ha) area located along Route 171 in Thompson Township.
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, boroughs, townships, and, in two cases at most, towns. The following boroughs and townships are located in Susquehanna County:
Population ranking
The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Susquehanna County.
† county seat