Franklin County, Pennsylvania

Franklin County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 155,932.[1] Its county seat is Chambersburg.[2]

Not to be confused with Franklin, Venango County, Pennsylvania.

Franklin County
County
Franklin County Courthouse
Franklin County Courthouse
Official seal of Franklin County
Seal
Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Franklin 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°56′N 77°43′W
Country United States
State Pennsylvania
FoundedSeptember 9, 1784
Named forBenjamin Franklin
SeatChambersburg
Largest boroughChambersburg
Area
 • Total773 sq mi (2,000 km2)
 • Land772 sq mi (2,000 km2)
 • Water0.6 sq mi (2 km2)  0.08%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total155,932 Increase
 • Density200/sq mi (80/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district13th
Websitewww.franklincountypa.gov

Franklin County comprises the Chambersburg–Waynesboro, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Washington–Baltimore combined statistical area. It lies to a large extent within the Cumberland Valley.

History

Originally part of Lancaster County (1729), then York County (1749), then Cumberland County (1750), Franklin County became an independent jurisdiction on September 9, 1784, relatively soon after the end of the American Revolutionary War.[3] It is named in honor of Founding Father Benjamin Franklin.[4]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 773 square miles (2,000 km2), of which 772 square miles (2,000 km2) is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km2) (0.08%) is water.[5]

Franklin County is in the watershed of the Chesapeake Bay and the overwhelming majority of it is drained by the Potomac River, but the Conodoguinet Creek and the Sherman Creek drain northeastern portions into the Susquehanna River. It has a hot-summer humid continental climate (Dfa) and its hardiness zone is 6b. Average monthly temperatures in Chambersburg range from 29.9 °F in January to 74.7 °F in July.[6]

Adjacent counties

Major highways

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
179015,662—
180019,63825.4%
181023,08317.5%
182031,89238.2%
183035,0379.9%
184037,7937.9%
185039,9045.6%
186042,1265.6%
187045,3657.7%
188049,8559.9%
189051,4333.2%
190054,9026.7%
191059,7758.9%
192062,2754.2%
193065,0104.4%
194069,3786.7%
195075,9279.4%
196088,17216.1%
1970100,83314.4%
1980113,62912.7%
1990121,0826.6%
2000129,3086.8%
2010149,61815.7%
2020155,9324.2%

As of the census[7] 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 people/km2). There were 53,803 housing units at an average density of 70 units 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. 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.[8]

2020 census
Franklin County Racial Composition[9]
Race Num. Perc.
White (NH) 132,566 85%
Black or African American (NH) 4,998 3.21%
Native American (NH) 242 0.16%
Asian (NH) 1,408 1%
Pacific Islander (NH) 40 0.03%
Other/Mixed (NH) 5,914 3.8%
Hispanic or Latino 10,764 7%

Government

County commissioners[10]
  • David Keller, chairman, Republican
  • John Flannery, Republican
  • Robert Ziobrowski, Democrat

Other county offices[11]
  • Clerk of Courts, Todd Rock
  • Controller, Harold Wissinger
  • Coroner, Jeff Conner
  • District Attorney, Matthew Fogal
  • Prothonotary, Timothy Sponseller
  • Register and Recorder, Linda Miller
  • Sheriff, Dane Anthony
  • Treasurer, Melody Shuman

State House of Representatives[12]

State Senate[12]

United States House of Representatives

Politics

For most of its history, Franklin County has been a Republican Party stronghold in presidential elections, with only three Democratic Party candidates having managed to win the county from 1880 to the present day. The most recent Democrat to win the county in a presidential election was Lyndon B. Johnson, who won state-wide in the Pennsylvania election and in the national election, in a 1964 landslide. As a testament to the county's status as a Republican Party stronghold, Jimmy Carter in 1976 is the lone Democrat to win forty percent of the county's votes since Johnson's 1964 win.

Voter registration

As of May 15, 2023, there are 98,164 registered voters in the county. There are 60,669 registered Republicans, 23,258 registered Democrats, 10,860 voters registered non-affiliated voters, and 3,377 voters registered to other parties.[13]

Chart of Voter Registration

  Republican (61.80%)
  Democratic (23.69%)
  Independent (11.06%)
  Other Parties (3.44%)
United States presidential election results for Franklin County, Pennsylvania[14][15]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No. %No. %No. %
2020 57,245 70.65% 22,422 27.67% 1,358 1.68%
2016 49,768 70.59% 17,465 24.77% 3,273 4.64%
2012 43,260 68.32% 18,995 30.00% 1,065 1.68%
2008 41,906 65.56% 21,169 33.12% 842 1.32%
2004 41,817 71.40% 16,562 28.28% 190 0.32%
2000 33,042 67.41% 14,922 30.44% 1,055 2.15%
1996 25,392 56.77% 14,980 33.49% 4,358 9.74%
1992 23,387 53.35% 13,440 30.66% 7,007 15.99%
1988 27,086 68.32% 12,368 31.20% 190 0.48%
1984 27,243 70.13% 11,480 29.55% 122 0.31%
1980 22,716 61.83% 12,061 32.83% 1,964 5.35%
1976 20,009 56.54% 14,643 41.38% 737 2.08%
1972 24,093 70.01% 9,456 27.48% 866 2.52%
1968 19,146 54.40% 11,451 32.54% 4,598 13.06%
1964 13,525 41.06% 19,332 58.68% 85 0.26%
1960 22,010 64.48% 12,088 35.41% 36 0.11%
1956 19,121 63.33% 11,060 36.63% 12 0.04%
1952 16,474 64.82% 8,868 34.89% 74 0.29%
1948 12,151 61.79% 7,352 37.39% 161 0.82%
1944 13,380 60.13% 8,807 39.58% 63 0.28%
1940 13,084 50.63% 12,713 49.20% 43 0.17%
1936 13,616 46.29% 15,632 53.15% 165 0.56%
1932 10,992 52.95% 9,338 44.99% 428 2.06%
1928 16,345 83.74% 3,027 15.51% 146 0.75%
1924 9,791 58.82% 5,770 34.67% 1,084 6.51%
1920 8,376 60.45% 5,020 36.23% 461 3.33%
1916 5,674 48.86% 5,336 45.95% 602 5.18%
1912 2,710 23.52% 4,505 39.10% 4,308 37.39%
1908 6,938 58.05% 4,682 39.17% 332 2.78%
1904 7,062 61.76% 4,114 35.98% 259 2.26%
1900 6,483 57.98% 4,500 40.24% 199 1.78%
1896 6,747 58.81% 4,425 38.57% 300 2.62%
1892 5,725 52.57% 4,965 45.59% 201 1.85%
1888 5,772 52.27% 5,082 46.02% 188 1.70%
1884 5,570 50.82% 5,261 48.00% 130 1.19%
1880 5,379 51.88% 4,964 47.88% 25 0.24%

United States Senate

Education

Universities and colleges

Technology school

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, 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.[16] 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.

Public school districts

Private schools
  • Anchor Christian Day School – Shippensburg
  • Antrim Mennonite School – Greencastle
  • Brook Side Amish School – Spring Run
  • Calvary Mennonite School – Chambersburg
  • Clearfield Parochial School – Shippensburg
  • Conococheague Amish School – Spring Run
  • Corpus Christi Catholic School – Chambersburg
  • Cornell Abraxas Leadership Development Program
  • Cornell Abraxas Youth Center – South Mountain
  • Culbertson Mennonite School – Chambersburg
  • Cumberland Valley Christian School – Chambersburg
  • Emmanuel Christian School – Chambersburg
  • Franklin Learning Center – Chambersburg
  • Highfield Christian Academy – Blue Ridge Summit
  • Living Word Academy – Blue Ridge Summit
  • Maple Grove Amish School Dry Run
  • McClays Mill Amish School – Newburg
  • Meadow Brook Amish School – Spring Run
  • Manito Day Treatment – Chambersburg
  • Mercersburg Academy – Mercersburg
  • Montessori Academy of Chambersburg
  • Mountain View Amish School – Spring Run
  • Mowersville Christian Academy – Newburg
  • Noahs Ark Christian Church Center – Waynesboro
  • Otterbein School – Shippensburg
  • Path Valley Christian School – Doylesburg
  • Portico River Brethren School – Chambersburg
  • Providence School – Waynesboro
  • St. Andrew the Apostle Catholic School – Waynesboro
  • Shady Grove Mennonite School – Greencastle
  • Shalom Christian Academy – Chambersburg
  • South Mountain Secure Treatment Unit – South Mountain
  • Stoney Creek Parochial School – Orrstown
  • Sunset Amish School – Newburg
  • Sweetwater Ridge School – Dry Run
  • Sylvan Learning Center – Chambersburg
  • Tunnel Run School – Newburg
  • Visionquest-South Mountain Lodge – South Mountain
  • Willow Hill Parochial School – Willow Hill
Fannettsburg, PA located in rural Northwestern Franklin County, PA

Libraries

The Franklin County Library system has five branches:

  • Blue Ridge Summit Free Library – Blue Ridge Summit
  • Coyle Free Library – Chambersburg
  • Grove Family Library – Chambersburg
  • Lilian S Besore Memorial Library – Greencastle
  • St Thomas Branch Library – Saint Thomas

The system also supports the Alexander Hamilton Memorial Library in Waynesboro, PA. In addition, the system currently operates two bookmobiles.[17]

Recreation

There are four Pennsylvania state parks in Franklin County.

Communities
Map of Franklin County, Pennsylvania with Municipal Labels showing Boroughs (red), Townships (white), and Census-designated places (blue).
House in Roxbury in Lurgan Township
Chambersburg is the county seat and largest municipality in Franklin 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:

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 be listed here as well.

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Franklin County.[18]

† county seat

Rank City/Town/etc. Municipal type Population (2010 Census)
1 † Chambersburg Borough 20,268
2 Waynesboro Borough 10,568
3 Shippensburg (mostly in Cumberland County) Borough 5,492
4 Greencastle Borough 3,996
5 Fayetteville CDP 3,128
6 State Line CDP 2,709
7 Wayne Heights CDP 2,545
8 Guilford CDP 2,138
9 Mont Alto Borough 1,705
10 Mercersburg Borough 1,561
11 Scotland CDP 1,395
12 Marion CDP 953
13 Pen Mar CDP 929
14 Rouzerville CDP 917
15 Blue Ridge Summit CDP 891
16 Fort Loudon CDP 886
17 Orrstown Borough 262

See also

References
  1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. Franklin County PA – default Archived 2011-08-06 at the Wayback Machine. Co.franklin.pa.us. Retrieved on July 23, 2013.
  4. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 131.
  5. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved March 7, 2015.
  6. "PRISM Climate Group at Oregon State University".
  7. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  8. David Brooks (December 2001). "One Nation, Slightly Divisible". The Atlantic. Retrieved November 11, 2010.
  9. "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Franklin County, Pennsylvania".
  10. "Franklin County, PA". www.franklincountypa.gov. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  11. "Franklin County, PA: Franklin County Elected Officials". www.franklincountypa.gov. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
  12. Center, Legislativate Data Processing. "Find Your Legislator". The official website for the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
  13. Pennsylvania Department of State (May 15, 2023). "Voter registration statistics by county". dos.pa.gov. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
  14. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  15. http://geoelections.free.fr/. Retrieved January 13, 2021. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  16. Lincoln Intermediate Unit 12 website accessed April 2010
  17. "Locations". August 29, 2018. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  18. "2010 U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 10, 2013.

39.93°N 77.72°W / 39.93; -77.72

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