York County, Pennsylvania

York County
York County Administrative Center in York, Pennsylvania
York County Administrative Center in York, Pennsylvania
Official seal of York County
Map of Pennsylvania highlighting York County
Location within the U.S. state of Pennsylvania
Map of the United States highlighting Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 39°55′N 76°44′W / 39.92°N 76.73°W / 39.92; -76.73
Country United States
State Pennsylvania
FoundedAugust 19, 1749
Named forDuke of York
SeatYork
Largest cityYork
Area
 • Total911 sq mi (2,360 km2)
 • Land904 sq mi (2,340 km2)
 • Water6.5 sq mi (17 km2)  0.7%
Population
 • Total456,438
 • Density481.1/sq mi (185.8/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional districts10th, 11th
Websiteyorkcountypa.gov

York County (Pennsylvania Dutch: Yarrick Kaundi) is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 456,438. Its county seat is York. The county was created on August 19, 1749, from part of Lancaster County and named either after the Duke of York, an early patron of the Penn family, or for the city and county of York in England.

York County comprises the York-Hanover, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Harrisburg-York-Lebanon, Pennsylvania Combined Statistical Area. It is in the Susquehanna Valley, a large fertile agricultural region in South Central Pennsylvania.

Based on the Articles of Confederation having been adopted in York by the Second Continental Congress on November 15, 1777, the local government and business community began referring to York in the 1960s as the first capital of the United States of America. The designation has been debated by historians ever since. Congress considered York and the borough of Wrightsville on the eastern side of York County along the Susquehanna River as the nation's permanent capital before Washington, D.C. was selected.

Geography

An Oakland Run waterfall near the Mason-Dixon Trail in southeast York County in October 2009
A farm in York County in June 2007

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 911 square miles (2,360 km2), of which 904 square miles (2,340 km2) is land and 6.5 square miles (17 km2) (0.7%) is water. The county is bound to its eastern border by the Susquehanna River. Its southern border is the Mason–Dixon line, which separates Pennsylvania and Maryland. Within the U.S. piedmont region, York County is generally hilly and rises to the Blue Ridge Mountains in the northwest, where it is bordered by Yellow Breeches Creek. Interior waterways include Codorus and Conewago Creeks, and Lakes Lehman, Kiwanis, Marburg, Pahagaco, Pinchot, Redman, and Williams.

Adjacent counties

Major roads and highways

Climate

Most of York County has a hot-summer humid continental climate (Dfa) and the hardiness zones are 6b and 7a. The latest temperature averages show some low-lying eastern areas of the county to have a humid subtropical climate (Cfa.)

Climate data for York, Pennsylvania (1991-2020 normals)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 41.2
(5.1)
45.3
(7.4)
54.5
(12.5)
67.2
(19.6)
76.5
(24.7)
83.9
(28.8)
87.7
(30.9)
86.0
(30.0)
79.7
(26.5)
68.2
(20.1)
55.7
(13.2)
44.9
(7.2)
65.9
(18.8)
Daily mean °F (°C) 31.2
(−0.4)
34.3
(1.3)
42.4
(5.8)
53.6
(12.0)
63.1
(17.3)
71.2
(21.8)
75.4
(24.1)
73.8
(23.2)
67.1
(19.5)
55.6
(13.1)
44.4
(6.9)
35.5
(1.9)
54.0
(12.2)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 21.3
(−5.9)
23.2
(−4.9)
30.2
(−1.0)
40.0
(4.4)
49.7
(9.8)
58.5
(14.7)
63.1
(17.3)
61.5
(16.4)
54.5
(12.5)
43.0
(6.1)
33.1
(0.6)
26.1
(−3.3)
42.0
(5.6)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 3.27
(83)
2.81
(71)
4.01
(102)
3.62
(92)
4.20
(107)
4.29
(109)
4.52
(115)
3.96
(101)
5.10
(130)
3.94
(100)
3.22
(82)
3.52
(89)
46.46
(1,180)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 8.5
(22)
8.2
(21)
3.9
(9.9)
0.2
(0.51)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.5
(1.3)
3.3
(8.4)
24.6
(62)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 10.3 9.6 11.6 11.6 12.7 12.0 11.0 9.6 9.6 8.4 10.0 10.5 126.9
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) 3.3 3.0 1.7 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 1.5 10.0
Source: NOAA
Climate data for Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (Harrisburg Capital City Airport) 1991-2020 normals (Records 1939-2021)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 73
(23)
83
(28)
86
(30)
93
(34)
97
(36)
100
(38)
107
(42)
101
(38)
102
(39)
97
(36)
84
(29)
75
(24)
107
(42)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 40.3
(4.6)
43.2
(6.2)
52.6
(11.4)
64.9
(18.3)
74.7
(23.7)
83.2
(28.4)
87.6
(30.9)
85.4
(29.7)
78.6
(25.9)
66.7
(19.3)
55.1
(12.8)
44.4
(6.9)
64.7
(18.2)
Daily mean °F (°C) 32.6
(0.3)
34.7
(1.5)
43.2
(6.2)
54.1
(12.3)
64.0
(17.8)
73.0
(22.8)
77.5
(25.3)
75.4
(24.1)
68.5
(20.3)
56.7
(13.7)
46.0
(7.8)
37.0
(2.8)
55.2
(12.9)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 24.9
(−3.9)
26.2
(−3.2)
33.9
(1.1)
43.3
(6.3)
53.2
(11.8)
62.8
(17.1)
67.4
(19.7)
65.5
(18.6)
58.4
(14.7)
46.7
(8.2)
37.0
(2.8)
29.5
(−1.4)
45.7
(7.6)
Record low °F (°C) −9
(−23)
−5
(−21)
2
(−17)
19
(−7)
31
(−1)
40
(4)
49
(9)
45
(7)
30
(−1)
23
(−5)
13
(−11)
−8
(−22)
−9
(−23)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 2.64
(67)
2.36
(60)
3.35
(85)
3.70
(94)
3.48
(88)
3.72
(94)
4.30
(109)
3.68
(93)
4.12
(105)
3.68
(93)
2.80
(71)
3.15
(80)
40.98
(1,041)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 9 9 10 12 14 12 12 11 10 11 9 10 127
Source: NOAA

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
179037,535
180025,643−31.7%
181031,95824.6%
182038,75921.3%
183042,85910.6%
184047,0109.7%
185057,45022.2%
186068,20018.7%
187076,13411.6%
188087,84115.4%
189099,48913.3%
1900116,41317.0%
1910136,40517.2%
1920144,5215.9%
1930167,13515.6%
1940178,0226.5%
1950202,73713.9%
1960238,33617.6%
1970272,60314.4%
1980312,96314.8%
1990339,5748.5%
2000381,75112.4%
2010434,97213.9%
2020456,4384.9%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790–1960 1900–1990
1990–2000 2010–2019

As of the 2000 census, there were 381,751 people, 148,219 households, and 105,531 families residing in the county. The population density was 422 people per square mile (163 people/km2). There were 156,720 housing units at an average density of 173 units per square mile (67/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 92.76% White, 3.69% African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.86% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.39% from other races, and 1.10% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.96% of the population. 42.0% were of German, 12.6% American, 7.7% Irish, 6.4% English and 5.1% Italian ancestry. 94.8% spoke English and 2.9% Spanish as their first language.

There were 148,219 households, out of which 32.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.30% were married couples living together, 9.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.80% were non-families. 23.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.60% under the age of 18, 7.50% from 18 to 24, 30.30% from 25 to 44, 24.00% from 45 to 64, and 13.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 96.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.80 males.

As of 2006, the York-Hanover Metropolitan Statistical Area was the fastest-growing metro area in the Northeast region, and was ranked among the fastest-growing in the nation, according to the "2006 Population Estimates for Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas" (U.S. Census Bureau). The estimates listed York-Hanover as the 95th fastest-growing metro area in the nation, increasing 9.1 percent between 2000 and 2006.

York city had a 77.3 percent increase in the number of residents of Hispanic or Latino origin, based on a comparison of the 2000 and 2010 U.S. census results. The city's 30.9 percent Hispanic population (as of December 2017) is more than that of other places in the area.

York County is home to Martin's Potato Chips in Thomasville, Utz Quality Foods, Inc. in Hanover, Snyder's of Hanover in Hanover, Hanover Foods in Hanover, Gibble's Potato Chips in York, Wolfgang Candy in York, The Bon-Ton in York, Dentsply in York, and a major manufacturing branch of Harley-Davidson Motor Company.

2020 census

York County Racial Composition
Race Num. Perc.
White (NH) 365,353 80%
Black or African American (NH) 25,768 5.64%
Native American (NH) 640 0.14%
Asian (NH) 6,557 1.43%
Pacific Islander (NH) 118 0.03%
Other/Mixed (NH) 18,642 4.1%
Hispanic or Latino 39,360 8.62%

Dialect

The Central Pennsylvania accent and the Susquehanna dialect are the two most commonly heard speech patterns in the county, however there is a large percentage of persons of Pennsylvania Dutch descent that inhabit the county, who tend to speak with a Pennsylvania Dutch English dialect.[citation needed]

Metropolitan Statistical Area

The U.S. Office of Management and Budget has designated York County as the York–Hanover, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area. The United States Census Bureau ranked the York–Hanover, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area as the 9th most populous in the state of Pennsylvania, and 115th most populous Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) in the United States as of July 1, 2012.

The Office of Management and Budget has further designated the York–Hanover MSA as a component of the more extensive Harrisburg–York–Lebanon combined statistical area, the 43rd most populous Combined Statistical Area (CSA) and the 49th most populous primary statistical area of the United States as of July 1, 2012. As of the 2017 estimates, the CSA's 1.26 million people ranks 5th in the state of Pennsylvania.[citation needed]

Politics and government

Prior to 1952, York County was a Democratic stronghold in presidential elections, voting majority Republican only four times before then. Between the founding of the party in 1828 and 1900, the county voted Democratic every time, one of only a handful of counties in Pennsylvania to do so. Starting with the 1952 election, it has become a Republican stronghold with Lyndon Johnson being the lone Democrat to win the county since. Since then, Jimmy Carter in 1976 and Barack Obama in 2008 are the only Democratic presidential candidates who have received over 40% of the county's vote, and George H. W. Bush in 1992 is the only Republican not to win a majority. The only real pockets of Democratic support are in the city of York, which has long sent Democrats to the state house.

United States presidential election results for York County, Pennsylvania
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 146,733 61.36% 88,114 36.85% 4,299 1.80%
2016 128,528 61.78% 68,524 32.94% 10,977 5.28%
2012 113,304 59.63% 73,191 38.52% 3,510 1.85%
2008 109,268 55.95% 82,839 42.42% 3,179 1.63%
2004 114,270 63.74% 63,701 35.53% 1,298 0.72%
2000 87,652 60.75% 51,958 36.01% 4,676 3.24%
1996 65,188 50.87% 49,596 38.70% 13,372 10.43%
1992 60,130 44.79% 46,113 34.35% 28,002 20.86%
1988 72,408 65.16% 37,691 33.92% 1,017 0.92%
1984 75,020 68.67% 33,359 30.54% 868 0.79%
1980 61,098 59.96% 33,406 32.79% 7,387 7.25%
1976 56,912 56.94% 41,281 41.30% 1,751 1.75%
1972 63,606 68.19% 27,520 29.50% 2,154 2.31%
1968 51,631 55.30% 33,328 35.69% 8,412 9.01%
1964 33,677 36.26% 58,787 63.30% 408 0.44%
1960 55,922 58.57% 39,164 41.02% 393 0.41%
1956 48,176 55.33% 38,743 44.50% 149 0.17%
1952 44,489 52.74% 39,508 46.84% 354 0.42%
1948 32,494 47.31% 33,321 48.52% 2,863 4.17%
1944 32,617 45.84% 38,226 53.72% 315 0.44%
1940 30,228 43.22% 39,543 56.54% 165 0.24%
1936 29,233 38.55% 45,142 59.53% 1,462 1.93%
1932 25,430 44.33% 29,313 51.10% 2,622 4.57%
1928 45,791 79.60% 11,216 19.50% 522 0.91%
1924 23,044 56.15% 15,600 38.01% 2,395 5.84%
1920 19,879 55.72% 14,396 40.35% 1,404 3.94%
1916 12,276 40.12% 16,314 53.32% 2,008 6.56%
1912 5,251 17.39% 14,979 49.61% 9,965 33.00%
1908 14,610 47.48% 15,171 49.30% 990 3.22%
1904 14,837 51.85% 12,996 45.42% 781 2.73%
1900 12,327 46.29% 13,732 51.56% 572 2.15%
1896 12,258 47.04% 13,054 50.09% 748 2.87%
1892 9,052 40.59% 12,822 57.50% 426 1.91%
1888 9,047 41.68% 12,359 56.94% 301 1.39%
1884 8,014 40.68% 11,552 58.65% 132 0.67%
1880 7,870 40.43% 11,581 59.49% 17 0.09%

According to the Secretary of State's office, a majority of voters in York County are registered as Republicans. As of May 15, 2023, there are 305,871 registered voters in the county.

Chart of Voter Registration

 Republican (51.96%)
 Democratic (31.51%)
 Independent (13.52%)
 Other Parties (3.01%)

County commissioners

  • Julie Wheeler, President, Republican
  • Ron Smith, Republican
  • Doug Hoke, Vice President, Democrat

Other county offices

  • Clerk of Courts, Dan Byrnes, Republican
  • Controller, Greg Bower, Republican
  • Coroner, Pamela Gay, Republican
  • District Attorney, David Sunday, Republican
  • Prothonotary, Allison Blew, Republican
  • Recorder of Deeds, Laura Shue, Republican
  • Register of Wills & Clerk of Orphans' Court, Bryan Tate, Republican
  • Sheriff, Richard P. Keuerleber III, Republican
  • Treasurer, Barbara Bair, Republican

State House of Representatives

District Representative Party
47 Joe D'Orsie Republican
92 Dawn Keefer Republican
93 Mike Jones Republican
94 Wendy Fink Republican
95 Carol Hill-Evans Democratic
169 Kate Klunk Republican
196 Seth Grove Republican

State senate

District Senator Party
28 Kristin Phillips-Hill Republican
31 Mike Regan Republican
33 Doug Mastriano Republican
48 Chris Gebhard Republican

United States House of Representatives

District Representative Party
10 Scott Perry Republican
11 Lloyd Smucker Republican

United States Senate

Senator Party
Bob Casey Democratic
John Fetterman Democratic

Education

Map of York County's public school districts

Public school districts

Vocational school

Public charter schools

  • Crispus Attucks Youthbuild Charter School (K–6) – York
  • Helen Thackston Charter School (6–12) – York
  • Lincoln Charter School (K–5) – York
  • New Hope Academy Charter School (K–6) – York
  • York Academy Regional Charter School
  • York Adams Academy (formerly York County High School)

Independent schools

  • Christian School of York (PreK–12)
  • Keystone Christian Academy York (K–8)
  • Logos Academy York (K–12)
  • St. Joseph School Hanover (PreK–8)
  • St. Joseph School (PreK–6)
  • St. John the Baptist Catholic School New Freedom (PreK–6)
  • Shrewsbury Christian Academy New Freedom (PreK–8)
  • Tidings of Peace Christian School York (K–12)
  • York Catholic High School (7–12)
  • York Country Day School (PreK–12)

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, 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 the first day of July. 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.

Colleges and universities

Adult education

Communities

Map of York County with municipal labels showing cities and boroughs (in red), townships (in white), and census-designated places (in blue)

Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: cities, boroughs, townships, and, in only one case, towns. York County has 72 of these. The following cities, boroughs and townships are in York County:

City

Boroughs

Townships

Census-designated places

Census-designated places are unincorporated communities 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

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of York County.

county seat

Rank City/Town/etc. Municipal type Population (2010 Census)
1 York City 43,718
2 Hanover Borough 15,289
3 Weigelstown CDP 12,875
4 Shiloh CDP 11,218
5 East York CDP 8,777
6 Parkville CDP 6,706
7 Red Lion Borough 6,373
8 Spry CDP 4,891
9 West York Borough 4,617
10 New Freedom Borough 4,464
11 Dallastown Borough 4,049
12 Shrewsbury Borough 3,823
13 Grantley CDP 3,628
14 Valley Green CDP 3,429
15 Valley View CDP 2,817
16 Manchester Borough 2,763
17 Hallam Borough 2,673
18 Emigsville CDP 2,672
19 Dillsburg Borough 2,563
20 Stonybrook CDP 2,384
21 Wrightsville Borough 2,310
22 Susquehanna Trails CDP 2,264
23 Spring Grove Borough 2,167
24 Stewartstown Borough 2,089
25 Glen Rock Borough 2,025
26 Dover Borough 2,007
27 Pennville CDP 1,947
28 North York Borough 1,914
29 Yorklyn CDP 1,912
30 Tyler Run CDP 1,901
31 Jacobus Borough 1,841
32 Queens Gate CDP 1,464
33 Mount Wolf Borough 1,393
34 Windsor Borough 1,319
35 Loganville Borough 1,240
36 Yoe Borough 1,018
37 Goldsboro Borough 952
38 East Prospect Borough 905
39 New Market CDP 816
40 Jefferson Borough 733
41 Delta Borough 728
42 York Haven Borough 709
43 Winterstown Borough 632
44 New Salem Borough 579
45 Seven Valleys Borough 517
46 Cross Roads Borough 512
47 Felton Borough 506
48 Franklintown Borough 489
49 Fawn Grove Borough 452
50 Lewisberry Borough 362
51 Railroad Borough 278
52 Wellsville Borough 242
53 Yorkana Borough 229

Airports

Although York County has no scheduled passenger air service, it has two general-aviation airports: Capital City Airport in Fairview Township in the extreme north and York Airport near Thomasville just south of US 30. The county participates in the Susquehanna Area Regional Airport Authority with Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, and Franklin Counties. The closest passenger service is at Harrisburg International Airport, Lancaster County Airport, and BWI.

Notable people

See also

39°55′N 76°44′W / 39.92°N 76.73°W / 39.92; -76.73


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