Centre County is a
county
A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
in the
Commonwealth
A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with " republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from th ...
of
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; (Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, Ma ...
. As of the
2020 census, the population was 158,172. Its
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US ...
is
Bellefonte.
Centre County comprises the State College, PA
Metropolitan Statistical Area
In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally Incorporated town, incorporate ...
.
History
The lands of the future Centre County were first recorded by
James Potter in 1764. Potter, having reached the top of
Nittany Mountain
Mount Nittany is the common name for Nittany Mountain, a prominent geographic feature in Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States. The mountain is part of a ridge that separates Nittany Valley from Penns Valley, with the enclosed Sugar Valley be ...
, and "....seeing the prairies and noble forest beneath him, cried out to his attendant, 'By heavens, Thompson, I have discovered an empire!'" After the American Revolutionary War, Centre County was created on February 13, 1800, from parts of
Huntingdon
Huntingdon is a market town in the Huntingdonshire district in Cambridgeshire, England. The town was given its town charter by King John in 1205. It was the county town of the historic county of Huntingdonshire. Oliver Cromwell was born there ...
,
Lycoming,
Mifflin, and
Northumberland
Northumberland () is a ceremonial counties of England, county in Northern England, one of two counties in England which border with Scotland. Notable landmarks in the county include Alnwick Castle, Bamburgh Castle, Hadrian's Wall and Hexham Ab ...
counties; it was named for its central location in the state.
Geography
According to the
U.S. Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.3%) is water.
It is the fifth-largest county in Pennsylvania by area and uses
area code 814
Area codes 814 and 582 are telephone area codes in the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) for the northwestern and central portions of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Cities served by the area code include Altoona, Bradford, DuBois, Erie ...
.
Centre has a
humid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freez ...
which is warm-summer (''Dfb'') except near the Bald Eagle Creek from
Wingate
Wingate may refer to:
Places
New Zealand
* Wingate, New Zealand, a suburb of Lower Hutt
United Kingdom
* Wingate, County Durham
* Wingate Quarry, a Site of Special Scientific Interest in County Durham
* Old Wingate, County Durham
* Wingate ...
downstream where it is hot-summer (''Dfa''). Average temperatures in downtown State College range from in January to in July, while in Milesburg they range from in January to in July and in Snow Shoe they range from in January to in July.
Features
*
Bald Eagle Valley
Bald Eagle Valley is a low-lying area in Pennsylvania that drains into Bald Eagle Creek between the Allegheny Front and Bald Eagle Mountain, south of the West Branch Susquehanna River, in the Ridge-and-valley Appalachians. The valley is located s ...
*
Bald Eagle Mountain
Bald Eagle Mountain – once known locally as Muncy Mountain – is a stratigraphic ridge in the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians of central Pennsylvania, United States, running east of the Allegheny Front and northwest of Mount Nittany. It lies al ...
*
Nittany Valley
Nittany Valley is an eroded anticlinal valley located in Centre County, Pennsylvania. It is separated from the Bald Eagle Valley by Bald Eagle Mountain and from Penns Valley by Mount Nittany. The valley is closed to the north by a high plate ...
*
Mount Nittany
Mount Nittany is the common name for Nittany Mountain, a prominent geographic feature in Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States. The mountain is part of a ridge that separates Nittany Valley from Penns Valley, with the enclosed Sugar Valley be ...
*
Penns Valley
Penns Valley is an eroded anticlinal valley of the Pennsylvania ridge and valley geologic region of the Appalachian Mountain range. The valley is located in southern Centre County, Pennsylvania. Along with the Nittany Valley to the north and eas ...
*
Tussey Mountain
Tussey Mountain is a stratigraphic ridge in central Pennsylvania, United States, trending east of the Bald Eagle, Brush, Dunning and Evitts Mountain ridges. Its southern foot just crosses the Mason–Dixon line near Flintstone, Maryland, runnin ...
Adjacent counties
*
Clinton County Clinton County may refer to:
*Counties named for George Clinton, first and third Governor of New York, and later the fourth Vice President of the United States:
** Clinton County, New York
**Clinton County, Ohio
*Counties named for DeWitt Clinton, ...
(north)
*
Union County (east)
*
Mifflin County (southeast)
*
Huntingdon County
Huntingdon is a market town in the Huntingdonshire district in Cambridgeshire, England. The town was given its town charter by King John in 1205. It was the county town of the historic county of Huntingdonshire. Oliver Cromwell was born there ...
(south)
*
Blair County (south)
*
Clearfield County (west)
Demographics
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...
of 2010, there were 153,990 people, 57,573 households, and 31,256 families residing in the county. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...
was 139 people per square mile (54/km
2). There were 63,297 housing units at an average density of 57 per square mile (22/km
2). The racial makeup of the county was 89.4%
White
White is the lightness, lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully diffuse reflection, reflect and scattering, scatter all the ...
, 3.0%
Black
Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...
or
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American ...
, 0.1%
Native American, 5.2%
Asian, 0.1%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of Ocea ...
, 0.7% from
other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. 2.4% of the population were
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...
or
Latino of any race.
There were 57,573 households, out of which 23.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.6% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 3.3% had a male householder with no wife present, 6.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.7% were non-families. 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 15.9% under the age of 18, 28.9% from 18 to 24, 22.6% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 107.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 108.1 males.
2020 Census
Metropolitan Statistical Area
The
United States Office of Management and Budget
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is the largest office within the Executive Office of the President of the United States (EOP). OMB's most prominent function is to produce the president's budget, but it also examines agency programs, poli ...
has designated Centre County as the State College, PA
Metropolitan Statistical Area
In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally Incorporated town, incorporate ...
(MSA). As of the
2010 U.S. Census
The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators serving ...
the metropolitan area ranked 13th most populous in the State of Pennsylvania and the
259th most populous in the United States with a population of 155,403. Centre County is also a part of the larger
State College-DuBois, PA Combined Statistical Area
State may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Literature
* '' State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State
* ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
* ''Our ...
(CSA), which combines the populations of Centre County as well as
Clearfield County to the west. The
Combined Statistical Area
Combined statistical area (CSA) is a United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB) term for a combination of adjacent metropolitan (MSA) and micropolitan statistical areas (µSA) across the 50 US states and the territory of Puerto Ric ...
ranked ninth in the State of Pennsylvania and
123rd most populous in the United States with a population of 236,577.
Law and government
County Commissioners
*Michael Pipe, Chairman (Democrat)
*Mark Higgins, Vice-chair (Democrat)
*Steven G. Dershem, Commissioner (Republican)
Other county offices
*
Clerk of Courts
A court clerk (British English: clerk to the court or clerk of the court ; American English: clerk of the court or clerk of court ) is an officer of the court whose responsibilities include maintaining records of a court, administer oaths to witn ...
and
Prothonotary
The word prothonotary is recorded in English since 1447, as "principal clerk of a court," from L.L. ''prothonotarius'' ( c. 400), from Greek ''protonotarios'' "first scribe," originally the chief of the college of recorders of the court of the B ...
, Jeremy Breon, Democrat
*
Controller, Jason Moser, Democrat
*
Coroner, Scott Sayers, Democrat
*
District Attorney, Bernie Cantorna, Democrat
*
Recorder of Deeds
Recorder of deeds or deeds registry is a government office tasked with maintaining public records and documents, especially records relating to real estate ownership that provide persons other than the owner of a property with real rights ove ...
, Joe Davidson, Republican
*Register of Wills, Christine Millinder, Republican
*
Sheriff
A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland that is commonly transla ...
, Bryan Sampsel, Republican
*
Treasurer
A treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The significant core functions of a corporate treasurer include cash and liquidity management, risk management, and corporate finance.
Government
The treasury o ...
, Colleen Kennedy, Democrat
*Jury Commissioner, Laura Shadle, Democrat
State Senate
*
Jake Corman
Jacob Doyle Corman III (born September 9, 1964) is an American politician and former President pro tempore of the Pennsylvania Senate.
He was a member of the Pennsylvania Senate 1999 to 2022, holding the same seat his father, Doyle Corman, pre ...
,
Republican,
Pennsylvania's 34th Senatorial District
Pennsylvania State Senate District 34 includes parts of Cumberland County and Dauphin County and all of Perry County. It is currently represented by Republican Greg Rothman.
District profile
The district includes the following areas:
Cumberla ...
State House of Representatives
*
Stephanie Borowicz,
Republican,
Pennsylvania's 76th Representative District
*
Scott Conklin,
Democrat,
Pennsylvania's 77th Representative District
*
Rich Irvin
Richard S. Irvin (born July 7, 1971) is a Republican Party (United States), Republican member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 81, 81st legislative district, first elected in 20 ...
,
Republican,
Pennsylvania's 81st Representative District
The 81st Pennsylvania House of Representatives District is located in central Pennsylvania and has been represented by Rich Irvin since 2015.
District profile
The 81st District is located in Franklin County and Huntingdon County and includes ...
*
Kerry Benninghoff
Kerry A. Benninghoff is an American politician and coroner serving as a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from the 171st district. Elected in November 1996, he assumed office on January 7, 1997.
Early life and education
Ben ...
,
Republican,
Pennsylvania's 171st Representative District
United States House of Representatives
*
Fred Keller,
Republican,
Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district
Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district is located in southwestern Pennsylvania, which includes Pittsburgh and much of Allegheny County. It has been represented since January 3, 2023 by Summer Lee.
Prior to 2018, the 12th district was located ...
*
Glenn "G.T." Thompson,
Republican,
Pennsylvania's 15th congressional district
Pennsylvania's 15th congressional district has been located in western Pennsylvania since February 2018. The district includes all of Warren County, McKean County, Forest County, Venango County, Elk County, Cameron County, Clarion County, ...
United States Senate
*
Pat Toomey
Patrick Joseph Toomey Jr. (born November 17, 1961) is an American businessman and politician serving as the junior United States senator for Pennsylvania since 2011. A member of the Republican Party, he served three terms as the U.S. representa ...
,
Republican
*
Bob Casey, Jr.,
Democrat
Politics
As of August 29 2022, there were 105,240 registered voters in Centre County.
*
Democratic
Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to:
Politics
*A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people.
*A member of a Democratic Party:
**Democratic Party (United States) (D)
**Democratic ...
: 44,034 (41.84%)
*
Republican: 42,325 (40.22%)
* No party affiliation: 14,289 (13.58%)
* Other: 4,592 (4.36%)
Centre County had for many years been a strongly Republican county, like most of rural Pennsylvania. In the early 21st century, however, it has been more competitive. In 2000
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
defeated
Al Gore with 52% of the vote to Gore's 43%. In 2004 Bush won the county by a much smaller margin. Bush won 51% to
Kerry's 47%, a margin of only 4%. In 2006, Governor
Ed Rendell
Edward Gene Rendell (; born January 5, 1944) is an American lawyer, prosecutor, politician, and author. He served as the 45th Governor of Pennsylvania from 2003 to 2011, as chair of the national Democratic Party, and as the 96th Mayor of Philade ...
and
Bob Casey Jr. both carried Centre, and Democrat
Scott Conklin decisively won the State House seat left open by the retirement of Republican Lynn Herman in the 77th district. In 2008, Democrats captured the countywide registration edge,
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, Obama was the first Af ...
carried the county with 55% of the vote to McCain's 44%, and Democratic statewide winners (
Rob McCord
Robert Maxwell McCord (born March 5, 1959) is an American former politician and convicted felon. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the Treasurer of Pennsylvania from 2009 to 2015. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic no ...
for Treasurer and
Jack Wagner for Auditor General also carried Centre).
In 2012, Barack Obama won the county in his reelection campaign by a very narrow margin, 48.9% to 48.65%, a difference of just 175 votes. In 2016, Democrat Hillary Clinton beat Republican nominee Donald Trump 47.76% to 45.86%.
In that same election, incumbent Republican Senator
Pat Toomey
Patrick Joseph Toomey Jr. (born November 17, 1961) is an American businessman and politician serving as the junior United States senator for Pennsylvania since 2011. A member of the Republican Party, he served three terms as the U.S. representa ...
beat Democratic opponent Katie McGinty 47.91% to 46.2% in the county.
Education
Colleges and universities
*
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State or PSU) is a public state-related land-grant research university with campuses and facilities throughout Pennsylvania. Founded in 1855 as the Farmers' High School of Pennsylvania, Penn State becam ...
Community, junior, and technical colleges
*South Hills School of Business & Technology
*
Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology, public Vo Tech in Pleasant Gap
Public school districts

*
Bald Eagle Area School District
*
Bellefonte Area School District
The Bellefonte Area School District is a midsized, rural, public school district which covers the Borough of Bellefonte and Benner Township, Marion Township, Spring Township and Walker Township in Centre County, Pennsylvania. Bellefonte Are ...
*
Keystone Central School District (also in Clinton County)
*
Penns Valley Area School District
*
Philipsburg-Osceola Area School District (also in Clearfield County)
*
State College Area School District
The State College Area School District (SCASD) is a large, suburban and rural public school district based in State College, Pennsylvania that serves students and includes public schools in the Borough of State College, Pennsylvania, and the sur ...
*
Tyrone Area School District (also in Blair County and Huntingdon County)
Public charter schools
*Young Scholars of Central PA Charter School
*Centre Learning Community Charter School
*Nittany Valley Charter School
*There are 13 public cyber charter schools in Pennsylvania that are available for free statewide, to children K-12. See:
Education in Pennsylvania
There are numerous elementary, secondary, and higher institutions of learning in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, which is home to 500 public school districts, thousands of private schools, many publicly funded colleges and universities, and over ...
.
Private schools
As reported by the Pennsylvania Department of Education 2010.
*Bower Hollow Parochial School - Woodward
*
Centre County Christian Academy - Bellefonte
*Elk Creek School - Rebersburg
*Faith Christian Academy - Philipsburg
*Grace Prep - State College
*Hill Side School - Rebersburg
*Hubler Ridge School - Bellefonte
*Kramer Gap School - Spring Mills
*Little Nittany Amish Parochial School - Howard
*Mountain View School - Rebersburg
*Nittany Christian School - State College
*Our Lady of Victory School - State College
*Peach Lane Amish School - Madisonburg
*Penns Valley Amish Paroch School - Woodward
*Rockville School - Rebersburg
*Spring Bank School - Rebersburg
*St John Evangelist School - Bellefonte
*St. Joseph's Academy - Boalsburg
*State College Friends School - State College
*Sunny Meadow Parochial School - Howard
*Sunset View School - Howard
*Sunset View School - Rebersburg
*Windy Poplars School - Centre Hall
*Woodside Amish School - Spring Mills
Libraries
*Centre County Libraries
**Centre County Library & Historical Museum - Bellefonte
**Centre Hall Area Branch Library - Centre Hall
**Holt Memorial Library - Philipsburg
**Centre County Bookmobile
*American Philatelic Research Library
*Schlow Centre Region Library
Pennsylvania State University libraries
*
Pattee Library
The Penn State University Libraries consists of 36 libraries at 22 locations in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The two main buildings on Penn State's University Park campus are the Pattee and Paterno libraries.
History
The library's first p ...
*
Paterno Library
* Architecture and Landscape Architecture Library
* Earth and Mineral Sciences Library
* Engineering Library
* Physical and Mathematical Sciences Library
Transportation
University Park Airport operates daily commercial and general aviation flights.
Major highways
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Recreation

There are six
Pennsylvania state parks in Centre County.
*
Bald Eagle State Park
Bald Eagle State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Howard, Liberty, and Marion townships in Centre County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park includes the Foster Joseph Sayers Reservoir, formed by damming Bald Eagle Creek and oth ...
is the largest state park in Centre County with 5,900-acres (2,388 ha). It is on
Pennsylvania Route 150 between
Milesburg and
Lock Haven
Lock Haven is the county seat of Clinton County, in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Located near the confluence of the West Branch Susquehanna River and Bald Eagle Creek, it is the principal city of the Lock Haven Micropolitan Statistical Area, ...
.
*
Black Moshannon State Park west of State College has a
bog
A bog or bogland is a wetland that accumulates peat as a deposit of dead plant materials often mosses, typically sphagnum moss. It is one of the four main types of wetlands. Other names for bogs include mire, mosses, quagmire, and muskeg; a ...
with three species of
carnivorous plant
Carnivorous plants are plants that derive some or most of their nutrients from trapping and consuming animals or protozoans, typically insects and other arthropods. Carnivorous plants still generate some of their energy from photosynthesis. Ca ...
s and 17
orchid
Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant.
Along with the Asteraceae, they are one of the two largest families of flowering ...
varieties.
*
McCalls Dam State Park
McCalls Dam State Park is a Pennsylvania state park on in Miles Township, Centre County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is in the easternmost tip of Centre County, south of Clinton County and north of Union County. McCalls Dam S ...
is a small park on a dirt road in the extreme eastern tip of the county.
*
Penn-Roosevelt State Park
Penn-Roosevelt State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Harris Township, Centre County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is surrounded by Rothrock State Forest. Penn-Roosevelt State Park is from U.S. Route 322 on either Crowfie ...
is the site of a former
segregated CCC camp for African American men.
*
Poe Paddy State Park is at the confluence of Big Poe Creek and
Penns Creek
Penns Creek is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed August 8, 2011 tributary of the Susquehanna River in central Pennsylvania in the United States.Gertler, Edward. ''Keyst ...
.
*
Poe Valley State Park is in an isolated valley surrounding 25 acre Poe Lake.
Media
Centre County's main daily newspaper is the ''
Centre Daily Times
The ''Centre Daily Times'' is a daily newspaper located in State College, Pennsylvania in the United States. It is the hometown newspaper for State College and the Pennsylvania State University, one of the best-known and largest universities in ...
'' (part of the
McClatchy Company
The McClatchy Company, commonly referred to as simply McClatchy, is an American publishing company incorporated under Delaware's General Corporation Law and based in Sacramento, California. It operates 29 daily newspapers in fourteen states an ...
chain). Alternative newspapers include the ''Centre County Gazette'' and ''State College City Guide''. Newspapers of
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State or PSU) is a public state-related land-grant research university with campuses and facilities throughout Pennsylvania. Founded in 1855 as the Farmers' High School of Pennsylvania, Penn State becam ...
's
main campus include the student-run ''
Daily Collegian
The ''Daily Collegian'' is a student-produced news outlet, with a newspaper and website, that is published independently at the Pennsylvania State University. The newspaper is printed twice a week during the fall and spring semesters, and once ...
''.
Numerous magazines are also published including ''Town & Gown'', ''State College Magazine'', ''Good Life in Happy Valley'', ''Blue White Illustrated'', ''Pennsylvania Business Central'', and ''Voices of Central Pennsylvania''.
The radio market of Centre County is ranked #257 in the nation. Some of the more popular stations include
WPSU,
WKPS
WKPS (90.7 FM, The LION 90.7fm) is a college radio station owned by Penn State University. The station runs on a full-time, multi-format schedule featuring a wide variety of programming. "The LION 90.7fm" transmits to a potential audience of o ...
,
WMAJ,
WQWK,
WFGE,
WBHV
WBHV-FM (94.5 Hertz, MHz) is a radio station licensed to serve State College, Pennsylvania. The station is owned by Kristin Cantrell's Seven Mountains Media, through licensee Southern Belle, LLC. The Program Director is Angela Steco.
History
In ...
,
WZWW,
WRSC,
WAPY, and
WBUS.
Centre County is part of the Johnstown/Altoona/State College television market, which is currently ranked #99 in the nation. Television stations broadcasting out of State College include
WPSU (
PBS
The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of ed ...
) and
WHVL-LD (
MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV (unofficially abbreviated MyTV, MyNet, MNT or MNTV, and sometimes referred to as My Network) is an American commercial broadcast television syndication service and former television network owned by Fox Corporation, operated by its ...
) as well as C-NET, Centre County's Government and Education Access Television Network, which broadcasts on two channels: CGTV (Government Access TV) and CETV (Educational Access TV). Johnstown-based
WJAC-TV
WJAC-TV (channel 6) is a television station licensed to Johnstown, Pennsylvania, United States, serving the Johnstown– Altoona–State College market as an affiliate of NBC and The CW Plus. It is owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group, which prov ...
(
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters ...
) and Altoona-based
WTAJ-TV
WTAJ-TV (channel 10) is a television station licensed to Altoona, Pennsylvania, United States, serving the Johnstown–Altoona–State College market as an affiliate of CBS. Owned by Nexstar Media Group, the station maintains studios on 6th Av ...
(
CBS) also maintain satellite studios and offices here.
Communities
Under Pennsylvania law, there are five types of incorporated municipalities:
cities
A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
,
home rule municipalities,
boroughs
A borough is an administrative division in various English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely.
History
In the Middle A ...
,
townships
A township is a kind of human settlement or administrative subdivision, with its meaning varying in different countries.
Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, that tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, Ca ...
, and, in at most two cases,
towns
A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world.
Origin and use
The word "town" shares an ori ...
. The following municipalities, boroughs and townships are in Centre County:
Home rule municipalities
*
Ferguson Township (
Happy Valley)
*
State College (
Happy Valley)
Boroughs
*
Bellefonte (county seat)
*
Centre Hall
*
Howard
Howard is an English-language given name originating from Old French Huard (or Houard) from a Germanic source similar to Old High German ''*Hugihard'' "heart-brave", or ''*Hoh-ward'', literally "high defender; chief guardian". It is also prob ...
*
Milesburg
*
Millheim
*
Philipsburg
*
Port Matilda
*
Snow Shoe
Snowshoes are specialized outdoor gear for walking over snow. Their large footprint spreads the user's weight out and allows them to travel largely on top of rather than through snow. Adjustable bindings attach them to appropriate winter footwe ...
*
Unionville
Townships
*
Benner
*
Boggs
*
Burnside
*
College
A college ( Latin: ''collegium'') is an educational institution or a constituent part of one. A college may be a degree-awarding tertiary educational institution, a part of a collegiate or federal university, an institution offering ...
(
Happy Valley)
*
Curtin
*
Ferguson
Ferguson may refer to:
Places
Canada
* Ferguson Avenue (Hamilton, Ontario)
* Ferguson, British Columbia
* Mount Ferguson (Ontario), a mountain in Temagami, Ontario
United States
*Ferguson, a meteorite fall in North Carolina
* Ferguson, Arkansas ...
(
Happy Valley)
*
Gregg
*
Haines Haines may refer to:
*Haines (surname), ''includes partial list of people with the surname''
* Haines (character), a character in James Joyce's ''Ulysses''
Places Antarctica
* Haines Glacier, Antarctica
* Haines Mountains, mountain range in Anta ...
*
Halfmoon
*
Harris
Harris may refer to:
Places Canada
* Harris, Ontario
* Northland Pyrite Mine (also known as Harris Mine)
* Harris, Saskatchewan
* Rural Municipality of Harris No. 316, Saskatchewan
Scotland
* Harris, Outer Hebrides (sometimes called the Isle o ...
(
Happy Valley)
*
Howard
Howard is an English-language given name originating from Old French Huard (or Houard) from a Germanic source similar to Old High German ''*Hugihard'' "heart-brave", or ''*Hoh-ward'', literally "high defender; chief guardian". It is also prob ...
*
Huston
*
Liberty
Liberty is the ability to do as one pleases, or a right or immunity enjoyed by prescription or by grant (i.e. privilege). It is a synonym for the word freedom.
In modern politics, liberty is understood as the state of being free within society fr ...
*
Marion
*
Miles
The mile, sometimes the international mile or statute mile to distinguish it from other miles, is a British imperial unit and United States customary unit of distance; both are based on the older English unit of length equal to 5,280 Engli ...
*
Patton
George Smith Patton Jr. (November 11, 1885 – December 21, 1945) was a General (United States), general in the United States Army who commanded the Seventh United States Army in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations, Mediterranean Theater ...
(
Happy Valley)
*
Penn
*
Potter
*
Rush
Rush(es) may refer to:
Places
United States
* Rush, Colorado
* Rush, Kentucky
* Rush, New York
* Rush City, Minnesota
* Rush Creek (Kishwaukee River tributary), Illinois
* Rush Creek (Marin County, California), a stream
* Rush Creek (Mono Cou ...
*
Snow Shoe
Snowshoes are specialized outdoor gear for walking over snow. Their large footprint spreads the user's weight out and allows them to travel largely on top of rather than through snow. Adjustable bindings attach them to appropriate winter footwe ...
*
Spring
Spring(s) may refer to:
Common uses
* Spring (season), a season of the year
* Spring (device), a mechanical device that stores energy
* Spring (hydrology), a natural source of water
* Spring (mathematics), a geometric surface in the shape of a h ...
*
Taylor
Taylor, Taylors or Taylor's may refer to:
People
* Taylor (surname)
** List of people with surname Taylor
* Taylor (given name), including Tayla and Taylah
* Taylor sept, a branch of Scottish clan Cameron
* Justice Taylor (disambiguation)
...
*
Union
Union commonly refers to:
* Trade union, an organization of workers
* Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets
Union may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
Music
* Union (band), an American rock group
** ''Un ...
*
Walker
Walker or The Walker may refer to:
People
*Walker (given name)
*Walker (surname)
*Walker (Brazilian footballer) (born 1982), Brazilian footballer
Places
In the United States
*Walker, Arizona, in Yavapai County
*Walker, Mono County, California
* ...
*
Worth
Census-designated places
Census-designated place
A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only.
CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, su ...
s are geographical areas designated by the
U.S. Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
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.
*
Aaronsburg
*
Baileyville
*
Blanchard
Blanchard is a French family name. It is also used as a given name. It derives from the Old French word ''blanchart'' which meant "whitish, bordering upon white". It is also an obsolete term for a white horse.
Geographical distribution
As of 2014, ...
*
Boalsburg
Boalsburg is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Harris Township, Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 3,722 at the ...
*
Casanova
Giacomo Girolamo Casanova (, ; 2 April 1725 – 4 June 1798) was an Italian adventurer and author from the Republic of Venice. His autobiography, (''Story of My Life''), is regarded as one of the most authentic sources of information about the c ...
*
Clarence Clarence may refer to:
Places
Australia
* Clarence County, New South Wales, a Cadastral division
* Clarence, New South Wales, a place near Lithgow
* Clarence River (New South Wales)
* Clarence Strait (Northern Territory)
* City of Clarence, a loca ...
*
Coburn
*
Continental Courts
*
Eagle Creek
*
Eagleville
*
Holters Crossing
*
Houserville
*
Hublersburg
*
Jacksonville
Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the seat of Duval County, with which the c ...
*
Julian
Julian may refer to:
People
* Julian (emperor) (331–363), Roman emperor from 361 to 363
* Julian (Rome), referring to the Roman gens Julia, with imperial dynasty offshoots
* Saint Julian (disambiguation), several Christian saints
* Julian (give ...
*
Lemont
*
Madisonburg
*
Mingoville
*
Monument
A monument is a type of structure that was explicitly created to commemorate a person or event, or which has become relevant to a social group as a part of their remembrance of historic times or cultural heritage, due to its artistic, hist ...
*
Moose Run
*
Moshannon
*
Mount Eagle
*
Nittany
*
North Philipsburg
*
Orviston
*
Park Forest Village
*
Peru
, image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg
, image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg
, other_symbol = Great Seal of the State
, other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal
, national_motto = "Fi ...
*
Pine Glen
*
Pine Grove Mills
*
Pleasant Gap
*
Potters Mills
*
Ramblewood
*
Rebersburg
*
Runville
*
Sandy Ridge
*
Snydertown
*
South Philipsburg
*
Spring Mills
*
Stormstown
*
Toftrees
*
Woodward
A woodward is a warden of a wood. Woodward may also refer to:
Places
;United States
* Woodward, Iowa
* Woodward, Oklahoma
* Woodward, Pennsylvania, a census-designated place
* Woodward Avenue, a street in Tallahassee, Florida, which bisects the ca ...
*
Yarnell
*
Zion
Zion ( he, צִיּוֹן ''Ṣīyyōn'', LXX , also variously transliterated ''Sion'', ''Tzion'', ''Tsion'', ''Tsiyyon'') is a placename in the Hebrew Bible used as a synonym for Jerusalem as well as for the Land of Israel as a whole (see Na ...
Other communities
*
Axemann
*
Colyer
*
Graysdale
*
Gum Stump
*
Ingleby (ghost town)
*
Martha Furnace
*
Struble
*
Tusseyville
*
University Park
*
Waddle
Waddle may refer to:
* Waddle, Pennsylvania, United States
* Waddle (surname), a surname
See also
* Waddling
{{disambiguation ...
*
Wingate
Wingate may refer to:
Places
New Zealand
* Wingate, New Zealand, a suburb of Lower Hutt
United Kingdom
* Wingate, County Durham
* Wingate Quarry, a Site of Special Scientific Interest in County Durham
* Old Wingate, County Durham
* Wingate ...
Population ranking
The population ranking of the following table is based on the
2010 census of Centre County.
† ''county seat''
See also
*
National Register of Historic Places listings in Centre County, Pennsylvania
References
External links
Official siteCentre Daily TimesLocal Newspaper
Interactive Web Mapping Application for Centre CountyPennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC) Historical Marker SearchOpen Access edition of ''The History of Centre and Clinton counties, Pennsylvania'' (1883) by John Blair Linn at the Penn State University Library website
{{coord, 40.91, -77.82, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-PA_source:UScensus1990
1800 establishments in Pennsylvania
Counties of Appalachia
Populated places established in 1800