Mercer 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 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, ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 110,652. 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 st ...

Mercer Mercer may refer to: Business * Mercer (car), a defunct American automobile manufacturer (1909–1925) * Mercer (consulting firm), a large human resources consulting firm headquartered in New York City * Mercer (occupation), a merchant or trader, ...

, and its largest city is Hermitage. The county was created in 1800 and later organized in 1803. Mercer County is included in the Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA Metropolitan Statistical Area.

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 (1.5%) is water. It 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''/''Dfb'') and average monthly temperatures in Sharon range from 27.1 °F in January to 72.2 °F in July, while in Mercer borough they range from 25.4 °F in January to 70.1 °F in July

Adjacent counties

* Crawford County, Pennsylvania, Crawford County (north) * Venango County (east) * Butler County (southeast) * Lawrence County (south) * Mahoning County, Ohio (southwest) * Trumbull County, Ohio (west)

Major highways

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

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 2000, there were 120,293 people, 46,712 households, and 32,371 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 179 people per square mile (69/km²). There were 49,859 housing units at an average density of 74 per square mile (29/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 93.13%

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 o ...

, 5.25%

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 ...

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 ...

, 0.11% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.02%

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 O ...

, 0.17% 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 0.91% from two or more races. 0.67% 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 forme ...

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. 37.7% 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 **Ge ...

, 20.0%

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 ...

, 14.9%

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 ...

, 12.0%

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 ...

, 6.4% American, 6.2%

Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...

, 3.7% Scotch-Irish, 3.3%

Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...

ancestry. There were 46,712 households, out of which 29.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.80% were married couples living together, 10.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.70% were non-families. 27.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.96. In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.40% under the age of 18, 8.90% from 18 to 24, 26.10% from 25 to 44, 23.50% from 45 to 64, and 18.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 94.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.80 males.

2020 Census

Government and politics

Voter Registration

As of November 7, 2022, there are 72,325 registered voters in the county. Republicans hold a plurality of voters by a margin of 9,387 voters (13% of the total registered). There are 35,980 registered Republicans, 26,593 registered Democrats, 7,551 registered non-affiliated voters, and 2,201 voters registered to third parties.

Political bellwether

Mercer County was previously considered a political bellwether for the state of Pennsylvania since its demographics, urban/rural ratio, and party affiliation once closely mirrored the state as a whole. In 2000,

Al Gore Albert Arnold Gore Jr. (born March 31, 1948) is an American politician, businessman, and environmentalist who served as the 45th vice president of the United States from 1993 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. Gore was the Democratic no ...

carried it against

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 ...

. This trend failed to hold true during 2004 Presidential election and 2008 Presidential election, in which Mercer County voted more conservatively than the rest of the state. In 2004,

won Mercer County with 51% of the vote. That year

John Kerry John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is an American attorney, politician and diplomat who currently serves as the first United States special presidential envoy for climate. A member of the Forbes family and the Democratic Party, he ...

won the state as a whole with 51% of the popular vote. In 2008, John McCain won Mercer County by fewer than 200 votes, as he and

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 ...

each received roughly 49% of the popular vote. Barack Obama won the state of Pennsylvania as a whole with 55% of the popular vote. Each of the three statewide office winners also carried Mercer in 2008. In 2016,

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of P ...

won Mercer County by 12,403 votes. Trump also won the state of Pennsylvania. Each of the three Republican candidates for statewide office carried Mercer County in 2016. In 2020, Trump again carried the county, despite Pennsylvania narrowly voting for Joe Biden. Trump carried 62% of the vote, the largest majority for any major party candidate since 1964, and the largest majority for a Republican since 1928.

County Officials

State Senate

State House of Representatives

United States House of Representatives

United States Senate

Education

Higher education

Butler County Community College (Pennsylvania) Butler County Community College (BC3) is a public community college in Butler Township, Pennsylvania. It also offers courses in Cranberry Township, as well as in Lawrence, Mercer, and Jefferson counties. More recently the college has begun to ...

(Hermitage) *

Grove City College Grove City College (GCC) is a private, conservative Christian liberal arts college in Grove City, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1876 as a normal school, the college emphasizes a humanities core curriculum and offers 60 majors and 6 pre-profession ...

(Grove City) *

Thiel College Thiel College (, ) is a private college in Greenville, Pennsylvania. It is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and is one of the smallest colleges or universities in the region with about 100 full-time and part time faculty ...

(Greenville) * Pennsylvania State University, Shenango Campus (Sharon)

Career-based education

* Laurel Technical Institute, Sharon * Mercer County Career and Technical Center, Mercer * Penn State Cosmetology Academy, Hermitage * Sharon Regional Health System Schools of Nursing and Radiology, Sharon

Public school districts

Map of Mercer County Pennsylvania School Districts

Crawford Central School District The Crawford Central School District is a midsized, public school district in Crawford County, Pennsylvania. It serves the City of Meadville, Borough of Cochranton and East Fairfield Township, Fairfield Township, Union Township, Vernon Town ...

Commodore Perry School District The Commodore Perry School District is a diminutive, rural public school district serving parts of Mercer County, Pennsylvania. The District encompasses the communities of Sheakleyville, Deer Creek Township, Sandy Creek Township, Salem Town ...

Farrell Area School District The Farrell Area School District is a diminutive, rural, public school district serving parts of Mercer County, Pennsylvania. Farrell Area School District encompasses approximately including: the communities of Farrell and Wheatland, both o ...

* Greenville Area School District *

Grove City Area School District The Grove City Area School District is a small, rural, public school district serving the south eastern region of Mercer County, Pennsylvania. It encompasses the communities of Grove City, Pine Township, Wolf Creek Township, Springfield Town ...

* Hermitage School District *

Jamestown Area School District The Jamestown Area School District is a small, rural, public school district serving parts of Mercer County, Pennsylvania and Crawford County, Pennsylvania. It encompasses including the communities of Jamestown and Greene Township in Merce ...

* Lakeview School District * Mercer Area School District * Reynolds School District *

Sharon City School District The Sharon City School District is a small, urban, public school district serving the city of Sharon, Pennsylvania on the western edge of the state. Sharon City School District encompasses approximately . According to 2000 federal census data, it ...

Sharpsville Area School District The Sharpsville Area School District is a small, suburban/rural, public school district serving parts of Mercer County, Pennsylvania. The district is one of the 500 public school districts of Pennsylvania. The district's attendance area encom ...

* West Middlesex Area School District * Wilmington Area School District

Charter schools

*Keystone Education Center Charter School, Greenville, PA. 256 pupils grades 7-12 Report Card 2010.

Private schools

* Kennedy Catholic High School, Hermitage, PA. * St Michael's Elementary School, Greenville, PA.

Recreation

There is one Pennsylvania state park in Mercer County. Maurice K. Goddard State Park, named for

Maurice K. Goddard Maurice K. Goddard (September 13, 1912 – September 14, 1995) was the driving force behind the creation of 45 Pennsylvania state parks during his 24 years as a cabinet officer for six governors of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Goddard wa ...

, former Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources, is just off exit 130 of Interstate 79 on

Pennsylvania Route 358 Pennsylvania Route 358 (PA 358) is located in Western Pennsylvania, running from the Ohio state line west of Greenville to Sandy Lake in Mercer County. Route description Heading east from the Ohio state line in Mercer County, PA 358 travels ...

near Stoneboro. The Wendell August Forge, the last remaining working forge in the state, was open to the public for tours, but it burned down on March 6, 2010. It has since reopened in new facilities. Mercer County Court House built in 1909.

Communities

Map of Mercer County Pennsylvania With Municipal and Township Labels

Under Pennsylvania law, there are four 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 ...

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, C ...

, and, in one case,

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 Mercer County:

Cities

Farrell Farrell (anglicization of the Irish ''Ó Fearghail'') is a surname and may refer to: * Farrell (surname) * Farrell Lines, shipping company (acquired by Maersk) * Farrell, Nevada, an American city * Farrell, Pennsylvania, an American city * Farr ...

* Hermitage (largest city in Mercer County) * Sharon

Towns

* Greenville

Boroughs

Clark Clark is an English language surname, ultimately derived from the Latin with historical links to England, Scotland, and Ireland ''clericus'' meaning "scribe", "secretary" or a scholar within a religious order, referring to someone who was educate ...

* Fredonia * Grove City * Jackson Center * Jamestown *

(county seat) * New Lebanon * Sandy Lake * Sharpsville * Sheakleyville * Stoneboro * West Middlesex * Wheatland

Townships

* Coolspring * Deer Creek *

Delaware Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent Del ...

* East Lackawannock * Fairview * Findley * French Creek *

Greene Greene may refer to: Places United States *Greene, Indiana, an unincorporated community *Greene, Iowa, a city *Greene, Maine, a town ** Greene (CDP), Maine, in the town of Greene *Greene (town), New York ** Greene (village), New York, in the town ...

* Hempfield *

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, Qu ...

* Jefferson * Lackawannock *

Lake A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much large ...

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 ...

* Mill Creek * New Vernon * Otter Creek *

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 mad ...

Pine A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. The World Flora Online created by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanical Garden accepts ...

* Pymatuning * Salem * Sandy Creek * Sandy Lake * Shenango * South Pymatuning * Springfield * Sugar Grove * West Salem * Wilmington * Wolf Creek * Worth

Census-designated places

* Lake Latonka * Reynolds Heights

Unincorporated communities

*Blacktown * Carlton * Clarks Mills * Fairview (village) * Hadley * Kennard *Kremis * Milledgeville * New Vernon (village) * Osgood * Petersburg *

Transfer Transfer may refer to: Arts and media * ''Transfer'' (2010 film), a German science-fiction movie directed by Damir Lukacevic and starring Zana Marjanović * ''Transfer'' (1966 film), a short film * ''Transfer'' (journal), in management studies ...

* Williams Corners

Former community

* Hickory Township-became the Municipality of Hermitage in 1976, and then the City of Hermitage in 1984.

Population ranking

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

References

External links

* Government - https://web.archive.org/web/20071006122227/http://www.mcc.co.mercer.pa.us/ * https://web.archive.org/web/20071007130714/http://www.mercercountypa.org/ {{Coord, 41.31, -80.25, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-PA_source:UScensus1990