Dauphin County (;

Pennsylvania Dutch The Pennsylvania Dutch ( Pennsylvania Dutch: ), also known as Pennsylvania Germans, are a cultural group formed by German immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. They emigrated primarily from German-spe ...

: Daffin Kaundi) is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers 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 the ...

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, ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 286,401. The

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 st ...

and the largest city is

Harrisburg Harrisburg is the capital city of the Pennsylvania, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, Dauphin County. With a population of 50,135 as of the 2021 census, Harrisburg is the List of c ...

's state capital and ninth largest city. The county was created ("erected") on March 4, 1785, from part of Lancaster County and was named after

Louis Joseph, Dauphin of France Louis Joseph Xavier François (22 October 1781 – 4 June 1789) was Dauphin of France as the second child and first son of King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. As son of a king of France, he was a ''fils de France'' ("Child of France"). Loui ...

, the first son of

King Louis XVI Louis XVI (''Louis-Auguste''; ; 23 August 175421 January 1793) was the last King of France before the fall of the monarchy during the French Revolution. He was referred to as ''Citizen Louis Capet'' during the four months just before he was e ...

. Dauphin County is included in the

Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area The Harrisburg–Carlisle metropolitan statistical area, officially the Harrisburg–Carlisle, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area, and also referred to as the Susquehanna Valley, is defined by the Office of Management and Budget as an area consis ...

. Located within the county is

Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station (commonly abbreviated as TMI) is a closed nuclear power plant on Three Mile Island in Londonderry Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania on Lake Frederic, a reservoir in the Susquehanna River just s ...

, site of the 1979 nuclear core meltdown. The nuclear power plant closed in 2019.

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 (5.9%) is water. The county is bound to its western border by the

Susquehanna River The Susquehanna River (; Lenape: Siskëwahane) is a major river located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, overlapping between the lower Northeast and the Upland South. At long, it is the longest river on the East Coast of the ...

(with the exception of a small

peninsula A peninsula (; ) is a landform that extends from a mainland and is surrounded by water on most, but not all of its borders. A peninsula is also sometimes defined as a piece of land bordered by water on three of its sides. Peninsulas exist on all ...

next to

Duncannon Duncannon () is a village in southwest County Wexford, Ireland. Bordered to the west by Waterford harbour and sitting on a rocky headland jutting into the channel is the strategically prominent Duncannon Fort which dominates the village. Pri ...

). The area code is

717 __NOTOC__ Year 717 ( DCCXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. The denomination 717 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar er ...

with an overlay of 223.

Adjacent counties

* Northumberland County (north) * Schuylkill County (northeast) *

Lebanon County Lebanon County ( Pennsylvania Dutch: Lebanon Kaundi) is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 133,568. Its county seat is the city of Lebanon. The county was formed from portions of Dauphin ...

(east) * Lancaster County (south) * York County (southwest) *

Cumberland County Cumberland County may refer to: Australia * Cumberland County, New South Wales * the former name of Cumberland Land District, Tasmania, Australia Canada *Cumberland County, Nova Scotia United Kingdom *Cumberland, historic county *Cumberlan ...

(west) *

Perry County Perry County may refer to: United States *Perry County, Alabama *Perry County, Arkansas *Perry County, Illinois *Perry County, Indiana *Perry County, Kentucky *Perry County, Mississippi *Perry County, Missouri *Perry County, Ohio *Perry Coun ...

(west) * Juniata County (northwest)

Major roads and highways

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * PA QR 3032

SR 3032

Climate

Most of the county by area 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 freezing ...

(''Dfa'' except for some ''Dfb'' in highlands.) The inclusion of temperature numbers for the past decade shows some lower-lying areas, including Harrisburg, to have a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...

(''Cfa''.) The

hardiness zone A hardiness zone is a geographic area defined as having a certain average annual minimum temperature, a factor relevant to the survival of many plants. In some systems other statistics are included in the calculations. The original and most wide ...

ranges from 6a to 7a.

Demographics

As of the 2010 census, the county was 72.7% White, 18.0% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 3.2% Asian, and 3.1% were two or more races. 7.0% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry. 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 incl ...

2000 File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from ...

, there were 251,798 people, 102,670 households, and 66,119 families residing in the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: 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 term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

was 479 people per square mile (185/km²). There were 111,133 housing units at an average density of 212 per square mile (82/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 77.11%

White White is the 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 reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 16.91%

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 have o ...

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.16% Native American, 1.96%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.03%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...

, 1.97% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 1.85% from two or more races. 4.13% of the population were

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, 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 Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race. 29.2% were of

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

, 7.5%

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

, 7.3%

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

and 7.2%

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

ancestry. 91.8% spoke

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

and 3.9%

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...

as their first language. According to 2005 estimates, 73.9% of the county's population was non-Hispanic whites. 17.8% of the population was African-Americans. 2.5% were Asians. Latinos now were 5.0% of the population. In 2000 there were 102,670 households, out of which 29.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.60% 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, 12.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.60% were non-families. 30.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.98. In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.30% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 30.10% from 25 to 44, 23.80% from 45 to 64, and 14.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.80 males. A study by Echelon Insights found Dauphin County to be the most typical county in America, with its 2016 presidential vote, median income, higher education rate, and religiosity all very close to the national averages.

2020 Census

Amish community

Dauphin County is home to an

Amish The Amish (; pdc, Amisch; german: link=no, Amische), formally the Old Order Amish, are a group of traditionalist Anabaptist Christian church fellowships with Swiss German and Alsatian origins. They are closely related to Mennonite churches ...

community that resides in the Lykens Valley in the northern part of the county, consisting of eight church districts. The community was settled by Amish from Lancaster County seeking cheaper land.

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, pol ...

has designated Dauphin County as the Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area (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 servin ...

the metropolitan area ranked 5th most populous in the State of Pennsylvania and the 96th most populous in the United States with a population of 549,475. Dauphin County is also a part of the larger Harrisburg-York-Lebanon, PA Combined Statistical Area (CSA), which combines the populations of Dauphin County as well as Adams,

Cumberland Cumberland ( ) is a historic county in the far North West England. It covers part of the Lake District as well as the north Pennines and Solway Firth coast. Cumberland had an administrative function from the 12th century until 1974. From 19 ...

Lebanon Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus li ...

Perry Perry, also known as pear cider, is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented pears, traditionally the perry pear. It has been common for centuries in England, particularly in Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, and Worcestershire. It is also made ...

and York Counties in Pennsylvania. 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 5th in the State of Pennsylvania and 43rd most populous in the United States with a population of 1,219,422.

Politics and government

Dauphin County was historically a Republican stronghold, like most of south-central Pennsylvania. It was long one of the more conservative urban counties in the nation, having only supported a Democrat for president twice from 1880 to 2004. However, there has been a decided shift toward the Democrats in national and statewide elections in recent years. This culminated when the Democrats overtook the Republicans in countywide registration during the summer of 2008. As of November 1, 2021, 45.5% of registered voters in the county were Democrats, 38.9% Republicans, and 15.5% other party/non-affiliated.

Bob Casey Jr. Robert Patrick Casey Jr. (born April 13, 1960) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the senior United States senator from Pennsylvania, a seat he has held since 2007. A member of the Democratic Party, Casey previously served as Penn ...

carried the county in the 2006 Senate election when he unseated

Rick Santorum Richard John Santorum ( ; born May 10, 1958) is an American politician, attorney, and political commentator. A member of the Republican Party, he served as a United States Senator from Pennsylvania from 1995 to 2007 and was the Senate's thir ...

. According to the Dauphin County Board of Elections, in 2008

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, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...

became the first Democratic presidential candidate to carry Dauphin County since 1964, receiving 9.0% more of the vote than

John McCain John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American politician and United States Navy officer who served as a United States senator from Arizona from 1987 until his death in 2018. He previously served two terms ...

. It was also only the third time Dauphin County had supported a Democrat for president since 1936. Obama won Dauphin with a slightly reduced majority in 2012, while

Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States sen ...

won it with a narrow plurality in 2016. It is now the only blue county in the traditionally powerfully Republican Susquehanna Valley. Nonetheless, the GOP still holds all of the county row offices, as well as a majority on the county commission. All but one state house seat is in Republican hands, as well as both of the state senate seats and the congressional seat. Most local elected officials are also Republican, by a margin of 3 to 1. This is because most of the Democratic gains have been in already heavily Democratic Harrisburg, which has had a Democratic mayor since 1982 and has been represented in the state house by a Democrat since 1975. In contrast, the suburbs and rural areas remain some of the most Republican areas in Pennsylvania. Party registration stats according to the Secretary of State's office:

County commissioners

*Michael Pries, Chairman, Republican *Chad Saylor, Vice Chairman, Republican *George P. Hartwick III, Secretary, Democrat

Other county offices

*Clerk of Courts, Dale Klein, Republican *Controller, Jim Markel (acting), Republican *Coroner, Graham Hetrick, Republican *District Attorney, Fran Chardo, Republican *Prothonotary, Matt Krupp, Republican *Recorder of Deeds, Jim Zugay, Republican *Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphans' Court, Jean Marfizo King, Republican *Sheriff, Nick Chimienti, Republican *Treasurer, Janis Creason, Republican *Solicitor, Joseph A. Curcillo III, Esquire

State Representatives

David Hickernell David S. "Dave" Hickernell (born January 2, 1959) is a Republican member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the 98th District and was elected in 2002. He currently sits on the House Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Local Government, ...

, Republican, 98th district * Patty Kim, Democrat, 103rd district *

Sue Helm Susan C. Helm (born December 12, 1943) is a former Republican member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the 104th District and was elected in 2006. Helm earned an associate degree from the Harrisburg Area Community College. She ...

, Republican, 104th district *

Andrew Lewis Andrew Lewis may refer to: Law and politics * Sir Andrew J. W. Lewis (1875-1952), Scottish businessman and politician; Lord Provost of Aberdeen * Andrew L. Lewis Jr. (1931–2016), American railroad executive and US Secretary of Transportation *And ...

, Republican, 105th district * Tom Mehaffie, Republican, 106th district * Joseph Kerwin, Republican, 125th district

State Senate

John DiSanto Giovanni M. "John" DiSanto is an American politician from Pennsylvania currently serving as a Republican member of the Pennsylvania State Senator for the 15th district since 2017. His district is based in the state capital of Harrisburg. Early ...

, Republican, 15th district *

Chris Gebhard Christopher Gebhard (born 1974 or 1975) is a Pennsylvania state senator who represents the 48th district, which includes all of Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, Lebanon County and portions of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, Dauphin and York County, P ...

, Republican, 48th district

United States House of Representatives

* Scott Perry, Republican, 10th district

United States Senate

Education

Colleges and universities

Dixon University Center Dixon University Center was a former higher education center made up of college and university-level programs from a consortium of schools in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The faci ...

Harrisburg Area Community College , mottoeng = Knowledge Restores Truth , established = 1964, accredited in 1967 , type = Public, Community College , president = John J. "Ski" Sygielski, Ed.D. , city = Harrisburg , state = PA , country = USA , undergrad = 19,000 , admini ...

Harrisburg University of Science and Technology Harrisburg University of Science & Technology, commonly referred to as Harrisburg University (HU), is a private STEM-focused university in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, with an additional location in Philadelphia. Founded in 2001 as Harrisburg Poly ...

Penn State Harrisburg Penn State Harrisburg, also called The Capital College, is an undergraduate college and graduate school of the Pennsylvania State University located in Lower Swatara Township, Pennsylvania. The campus is located 9 miles (15 km) south of Har ...

Penn State Hershey Medical Center Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center (MSHMC) is a 628-bed non-profit, tertiary, research and academic medical center located in Hershey, Pennsylvania, servicing the Central Pennsylvania area. MSHMC is the region's only university-le ...

* Temple University Harrisburg Campus *

Widener University School of Law Widener University Delaware Law School (Delaware Law School and formerly Widener University School of Law) is a private law school in Wilmington, Delaware. It is one of two separate ABA-accredited law schools of Widener University. Widener Univ ...

Public school districts

School districts include: *

Central Dauphin School District The Central Dauphin School District is a large, suburban, public school district located in suburban Harrisburg, Pennsylvania serving students in central and eastern Dauphin County. It is the largest school district in the county, the largest in ...

Derry Township School District The Derry Township School District is a midsized, suburban public school district which serves Derry Township in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. The district includes the unincorporated Village of Hershey. Derry Township School District encompas ...

* Halifax Area School District *

Harrisburg School District (Pennsylvania) The Harrisburg School District is a large, urban, public school district based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The school district boundaries are coterminous with the city of Harrisburg. The Harrisburg City School District encompasses approximately ...

* Lower Dauphin School District * Middletown Area School District * Millersburg School District *

Steelton-Highspire School District The Steelton-Highspire School District is a diminutive, urban Public school (government funded), public school district located in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. It encompasses the boroughs of Steelton, Pennsylvania, Steelton and Highspire, Pennsy ...

* Susquehanna Township School District *

Susquenita School District Susquenita School District is a midsized, public school district located in Perry County, Pennsylvania and also includes one township in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. Susquenita School District encompasses approximately . Susquenita School District ...

(also in Perry County) * Upper Dauphin School District * Williams Valley School District (also in Schuylkill County)

Public charter schools

Several public charter schools are established in Dauphin County *Infinity Charter School *Sylvan Heights Science Charter School *

Capital Area School for the Arts The Capital Area School for the Arts (CASA) is a 9th to 12th grade, public charter school located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, USA. The School began as an arts magnet school, which was founded in 2001 as a partnershi ...

*Premier Arts and Science Charter School

Intermediate unit

The

Capital Area Intermediate Unit The Capital Area Intermediate Unit (CAIU) is an Intermediate Unit based in Summerdale, a suburb of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Harrisburg is the capital city of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Dauphin Co ...

15 is a state approved education agency that offers: school districts, charter schools, private schools, and home school students, a variety of services including: a completely developed K–12 curriculum that is mapped and aligned with the Pennsylvania Academic Standards (available online), shared services, a group purchasing program and a wide variety of special education and special needs services.

Library system

The Dauphin County Library System provides library service to the residents of the county through a main central library in the state capital and county seat of

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Harrisburg is the capital city of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Dauphin County. With a population of 50,135 as of the 2021 census, Harrisburg is the 9th largest city and 15th largest municipality in Pe ...

and eight branch libraries. DCLS is a private, non-profit corporation. It is governed by a 17-member Board of Trustees, five appointed annually by the Dauphin County Commissioners, and twelve elected for three-year terms. The Library is a member of the Pennsylvania library system.

Private schools

As reported by the National Center for Educational Statistics *Armstrong Valley Christian School – Halifax *Berrysburg Christian Academy – Elizabethvile * Bishop McDevitt High School – Harrisburg *Cathedral Consolidated School – Harrisburg *Covenant Christian Academy – Harrisburg *East Shore Montessori School – Harrisburg *Emmanuel Wesleyan Academy – Gratz *Garden Spot Amish School – Millersburg *Garden Spot School – Millersburg *

Goddard School The Goddard School is an early childhood education provider with more than 500 franchised Schools in 37 states and hundreds of markets, including the Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, New York City, Philadelphia, Portland, and St. Louis marke ...

– Harrisburg *Hansel and Gretel Early Learning Centers – Harrisburg *Harrisburg Adventist School – Harrisburg *Harrisburg Christian School – Harrisburg *Hillside Amish School – Harrisville *Hillside Seventh Day Adventist School – Harrisburg *Keystone Math and Science Academy – Harrisburg *Kinder-Care Learning Center – Harrisburg *KinderCare Learning Center – Hershey *Londonderry School – Harrisburg *Mahantango School – Lykens *Matterstown School – Millersburg *Middletown Christian School – Middletown *

Milton Hershey School The Milton Hershey School, formerly the Hershey Industrial School, is a private boarding school in Hershey, Pennsylvania for K–12 students. The institution was founded in 1909 by chocolate industrialist Milton Hershey and his wife, Catherine ...

– Hershey *North Mountain View Amish – Millersburg *Northern Dauphin Christian School – Millersburg *Pride of the Neighborhood Academies – Harrisburg *Rakers Mill School – Elizabethville *Rolling Acres School – Lykens *Seven Sorrows of BMV School – Middletown *Sonshine Learning Station – Middletown *South Mountain View School – Spring Glen *Specktown School – Lykens *St. Catherine Laboure School – Harrisburg *St Joan of Arc Elementary School – Hershey *St. Margaret Mary School – Harrisburg *St. Stephen's Episcopal School – Harrisburg *Tender Years Inc. – Hershey *The Nativity School of Harrisburg – Harrisburg *Windy Knoll School – Spring Glen *Wordsworth Academy – Harrisbrug *Yeshiva Academy – Harrisburg

Economy

The largest employers in Dauphin County in 2019 were: *Commonwealth Government *Milton S. Hershey Medical Center *The Hershey Company *Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Co. *UPMC Pinnacle Hospitals *Federal Government *Pennsylvania State University *PHEAA – Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency *United Parcel Service Inc *TYCO Electronics Corp.

Recreation

There are two Pennsylvania state parks in Dauphin County. *

Boyd Big Tree Preserve Conservation Area Boyd Big Tree Preserve Conservation Area is a List of Pennsylvania state parks, Pennsylvania state park in Lower Paxton Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, Lower Paxton and Middle Paxton Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, Middle Paxton T ...

Joseph E. Ibberson Conservation Area Joseph E. Ibberson Conservation Area is a Pennsylvania state park in Middle Paxton and Wayne Townships, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania in the United States. It is dominated by large hardwood trees and offers opportunities for hiking, cross-coun ...

Communities

Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated

municipalities A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

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 ...

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 Ag ...

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 cities, boroughs and townships are located in Dauphin County:

City

(

)

Boroughs

* Berrysburg * Dauphin * Elizabethville * Gratz * Halifax * Highspire *

Hummelstown Hummelstown is a borough in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 4,535 as of the 2020 census. It is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. Originally named Fredrickstown, the town was establi ...

* Lykens * Middletown * Millersburg *

Paxtang Paxtang is a borough in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2020 census it had a population of 1,640. The borough is a suburb of Harrisburg and is one of the earliest colonial settlements in South Central Pennsylvania. History ...

Penbrook Penbrook is a borough (Pennsylvania), borough in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, United States, founded in 1861 and incorporated July 10, 1894. Penbrook was once named East Harrisburg and still maintains a Harrisburg, Pe ...

Pillow A pillow is a support of the body at rest for comfort, therapy, or decoration. Pillows are used in different variations by many species, including humans. Some types of pillows include throw pillows, body pillows, decorative pillows, and man ...

* Royalton * Steelton * Williamstown

Townships

* Conewago *

Derry Derry, officially Londonderry (), is the second-largest city in Northern Ireland and the fifth-largest city on the island of Ireland. The name ''Derry'' is an anglicisation of the Old Irish name (modern Irish: ) meaning 'oak grove'. The ...

* East Hanover * Halifax *

Jackson Jackson may refer to: People and fictional characters * Jackson (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the surname or given name Places Australia * Jackson, Queensland, a town in the Maranoa Region * Jackson North, Q ...

Jefferson Jefferson may refer to: Names * Jefferson (surname) * Jefferson (given name) People * Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), third president of the United States * Jefferson (footballer, born 1970), full name Jefferson Tomaz de Souza, Brazilian foo ...

* Londonderry * Lower Paxton * Lower Swatara * Lykens * Middle Paxton * Mifflin *

Reed Reed or Reeds may refer to: Science, technology, biology, and medicine * Reed bird (disambiguation) * Reed pen, writing implement in use since ancient times * Reed (plant), one of several tall, grass-like wetland plants of the order Poales * Re ...

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 ...

* South Hanover * Susquehanna * Swatara * Upper Paxton *

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered on ...

* Wayne *

West Hanover West Hanover Township is a township (Pennsylvania), township in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 10,693 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, an increase over the figure of 9,3 ...

* Wiconisco * Williams

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, such ...

s are geographical areas designated by the

for the purposes of compiling demographic data. They are not actual jurisdictions under Pennsylvania law. Other unincorporated communities, such as

villages A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to ...

, may be listed here as well. * Bressler * Colonial Park * Enhaut * Hershey * Lawnton * Lenkerville * Linglestown * Oberlin *

Palmdale Palmdale is a city in northern Los Angeles County in the U.S. state of California. The city lies in the Antelope Valley region of Southern California. The San Gabriel Mountains separate Palmdale from the Los Angeles Basin to the south. On Aug ...

* Paxtonia *

Progress Progress is the movement towards a refined, improved, or otherwise desired state. In the context of progressivism, it refers to the proposition that advancements in technology, science, and social organization have resulted, and by extension wi ...

* Rutherford * Skyline View * Union Deposit * Wiconisco

Unincorporated communities

* Bachmanville *

Cartin Cartin is the surname of: * Carlos Durán Cartín (1852–1924), Vice President and acting President of Costa Rica and a doctor * Paul Cartin (born 1981), Irish Gaelic footballer See also * Cartan (disambiguation) * Carton (surname) Carton i ...

Chambers Hill Chambers Hill is a community in Swatara Township in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. It is located in the area between 40 degrees 15'41 North and 76 degrees 48'42 West, between Harrisburg and Hershey. With ranges in elevation from 415–660 feet ...

Clifton Clifton may refer to: People *Clifton (surname) *Clifton (given name) Places Australia * Clifton, Queensland, a town **Shire of Clifton *Clifton, New South Wales, a suburb of Wollongong *Clifton, Western Australia Canada *Clifton, Nova Scotia ...

* Dietrich * Deodate *

Dayton Dayton () is the sixth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County. A small part of the city extends into Greene County. The 2020 U.S. census estimate put the city population at 137,644, while Greater Da ...

* Carsonville *

Ebenezer Ebenezer may refer to: Bible * Eben-Ezer, a place mentioned in the Books of Samuel People * Ebenezer (given name), a male given name Places Australia * Ebenezer, New South Wales * Ebenezer, Queensland, a locality in the City of Ipswich * Ebene ...

* Edgemont * Ellendale Forge *

Enders Enders or Ender's may refer to: Literature and film * ''Ender's Game'' (series), a series of science fiction books by Orson Scott Card, also known as the Ender saga ** ''Ender's Game'', a 1985 military science fiction novel ** ''Ender's Shadow'' ...

* Enterline *

Erdman Erdman is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Andrew L. Erdman (born 1965), American author, journalist, and scholar * Charles Erdman Petersdorff (1800–1886), legal writer * Charles R. Erdman Sr. (1866–1960), American Presbyte ...

* Estherton * Freys Grove *

Fort Hunter Fort Hunter is a hamlet in the Town of Florida in Montgomery County, New York, United States, west of the capital at Albany, on the south bank of the Mohawk River and on the northeast bank of Schoharie Creek. The hamlet developed around a fort of ...

* Grantville * Greenfield * Hanoverdale * Heckton * Hockersville * Hoernerstown *

Inglenook An inglenook or chimney corner is a recess that adjoins a fireplace. The word comes from "ingle", an old Scots word for a domestic fire (derived from the Gaelic ''aingeal''), and "nook". The inglenook originated as a partially enclosed heart ...

* Jednota * Killinger * Loyalton *

Lucknow Lucknow (, ) is the capital and the largest city of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and it is also the second largest urban agglomeration in Uttar Pradesh. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of the eponymous district and division ...

* Manada Gap * Manada Hill * Matamoras * Matterstown * Montrose Park * Oakleigh * Oakmont * Oberlin Gardens *Paxtang Manor * Piketown * Powells Valley * Rockville *

Sand Beach A beach is a landform alongside a body of water which consists of loose particles. The particles composing a beach are typically made from rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles, etc., or biological sources, such as mollusc shel ...

* Shellsville * Singersville * Speeceville * Swatara * Vaughn * Waynesville

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Dauphin County. † ''county seat''

Notable people

Milton S. Hershey Milton Snavely Hershey (September 13, 1857 – October 13, 1945) was an American chocolatier, businessman, and philanthropist. Trained in the confectionery business, Hershey pioneered the manufacture of caramel, using fresh milk. He launched t ...

(1857–1945), founder of

The Hershey Company The Hershey Company, commonly known as Hershey's, is an American multinational company and one of the largest chocolate manufacturers in the world. It also manufactures baked products, such as cookies and cakes, and sells beverages like milksh ...

and the town of Hershey *

H.B. Reese Harry Burnett Reese Sr (May 24, 1879 – May 16, 1956) was an American inventor and businessman known for creating the number one-selling candy brand in the United States Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and founding the H. B. Reese Candy Company ...

(1879–1956), inventor of

Reese's Peanut Butter Cups Reese's Peanut Butter Cups are an American candy consisting of a chocolate cup filled with peanut butter, marketed by The Hershey Company. They were created on November 15, 1928, by H. B. Reese, a former dairy farmer and shipping foreman for Mil ...

Samuel B. Garver Samuel Boyer Garver (August 21, 1839–September 14, 1911) was an American farmer and politician. Garver was born in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. In 1855, he moved to Piatt County, Illinois and was involved with farming. Garver served in the ...

(1839–1911), an Illinois state representative, businessman, and farmer, was born in Dauphin County. * Nicholas H. Heck (1882–1953), a

geophysicist Geophysics () is a subject of natural science concerned with the physical processes and physical properties of the Earth and its surrounding space environment, and the use of quantitative methods for their analysis. The term ''geophysics'' som ...

seismologist Seismology (; from Ancient Greek σεισμός (''seismós'') meaning "earthquake" and -λογία (''-logía'') meaning "study of") is the scientific study of earthquakes and the propagation of elastic waves through the Earth or through other ...

oceanographer Oceanography (), also known as oceanology and ocean science, is the scientific study of the oceans. It is an Earth science, which covers a wide range of topics, including ecosystem dynamics; ocean currents, waves, and geophysical fluid dynamics ...

hydrographic survey Hydrographic survey is the science of measurement and description of features which affect maritime navigation, marine construction, dredging, offshore oil exploration/offshore oil drilling and related activities. Strong emphasis is placed ...

or, and

United States Coast and Geodetic Survey The United States Coast and Geodetic Survey (abbreviated USC&GS), known from 1807 to 1836 as the Survey of the Coast and from 1836 until 1878 as the United States Coast Survey, was the first scientific agency of the United States Government. It ...

officer, was born in Dauphin County in Heckton Mills, near Heckton. *

Michelle Wolf Michelle Wolf (born June 21, 1985) is an American comedian, writer, producer, and television host. She worked as a contributor and writer for '' Late Night with Seth Meyers'' and ''The Daily Show with Trevor Noah''. She spoke as the featured per ...

(1985–), comedian, was born and lived in Dauphin County

Notes

References

External links

Dauphin County official website
{{Coord, 40.41, -76.79, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-PA_source:UScensus1990 1785 establishments in Pennsylvania Harrisburg–Carlisle metropolitan statistical area Populated places established in 1785 Susquehanna Valley