York 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 ...

: Yarrick Kaundi) is a county 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 ...

of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 456,438. Its county seat is York. The county was created on August 19, 1749, from part of Lancaster County and named either after the

Duke of York Duke of York is a title of nobility in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. Since the 15th century, it has, when granted, usually been given to the second son of English (later British) monarchs. The equivalent title in the Scottish peerage was Du ...

, an early patron of the Penn family, or for the

city 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 ...

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

Articles of Confederation The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union was an agreement among the 13 Colonies of the United States of America that served as its first frame of government. It was approved after much debate (between July 1776 and November 1777) by ...

having been adopted in York by the

Second Continental Congress The Second Continental Congress was a late-18th-century meeting of delegates from the Thirteen Colonies that united in support of the American Revolutionary War. The Congress was creating a new country it first named "United Colonies" and in 1 ...

on November 15, 1777, the local government and business community began referring to York in the 1960s as the first capital of the United States of America. The designation has been debated by historians ever since. Congress considered York and the borough of Wrightsville on the eastern side of York County along the

Susquehanna River 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 ...

as the nation's permanent capital before Washington, D.C. was selected.

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 (0.7%) is water. The county is bound to its eastern border by the

. Its southern border is the Mason–Dixon line, which separates Pennsylvania and Maryland. Within the U.S. piedmont region, York County is generally hilly and rises to the Blue Ridge Mountains in the northwest, where it is bordered by Yellow Breeches Creek. Interior waterways include Codorus and Conewago Creeks, and Lakes Lehman, Kiwanis, Marburg, Pahagaco, Pinchot, Redman, and Williams.

Adjacent counties

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 ...

(north) * Dauphin County (northeast) * Lancaster County (east) *

Harford County, Maryland Harford County is located in the U.S. state of Maryland. As of the 2020 census, the population was 260,924. Its county seat is Bel Air. Harford County is included in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is al ...

(southeast) *

Baltimore County, Maryland Baltimore County ( , locally: or ) is the third-most populous county in the U.S. state of Maryland and is part of the Baltimore metropolitan area. Baltimore County (which partially surrounds, though does not include, the independent City of ...

(south) *

Carroll County, Maryland Carroll County is located in the U.S. state of Maryland. As of the 2020 census, the population was 172,891. Its county seat is Westminster. Carroll County is included in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is ...

(southwest) * Adams County (west)

Major roads and highways

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

Climate

Most of York County has a hot-summer humid continental climate (''Dfa'') and 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 ...

s are 6b and 7a. The latest temperature averages show some low-lying eastern areas of the county 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''.)

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 381,751 people, 148,219 households, and 105,531 families residing in the county. The population density was 422 people per square mile (163/km²). There were 156,720 housing units at an average density of 173 per square mile (67/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 92.76% White, 3.69% African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.86%

Asian 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, 1.39% from other races, and 1.10% from two or more races. Hispanic or

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 were 2.96% of the population. 42.0% 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 ...

, 12.6%

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 ...

, 7.7% Irish, 6.4% English and 5.1% Italian ancestry. 94.8% spoke English and 2.9% Spanish as their first language. There were 148,219 households, out of which 32.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.30% were

married couples 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, 9.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.80% were non-families. 23.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 2.98. In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.60% under the age of 18, 7.50% from 18 to 24, 30.30% from 25 to 44, 24.00% from 45 to 64, and 13.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 96.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.80 males. As of 2006, the York-Hanover Metropolitan Statistical Area was the fastest-growing metro area in the Northeast region, and was ranked among the fastest-growing in the nation, according to the "2006 Population Estimates for Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas" (U.S. Census Bureau). The estimates listed York-Hanover as the 95th fastest-growing metro area in the nation, increasing 9.1 percent between 2000 and 2006. York city had a 77.3 percent increase in the number of residents of Hispanic or Latino origin, based on a comparison of the 2000 and 2010 U.S. census results. The city's 30.9 percent Hispanic population (as of December 2017) is more than that of other places in the area. York County is home to Martin's Potato Chips in Thomasville,

Utz Quality Foods, Inc. Utz Brands, Inc. , more commonly known as Utz, is a large American snack food company based in Hanover, Pennsylvania. The company produces a wide variety of potato chips, pretzels, and other snacks, with most of its products primarily sold u ...

in Hanover,

Snyder's of Hanover Snyder's of Hanover is an American bakery and pretzel brand distribution company based in Hanover, Pennsylvania, specializing in German traditional pretzels. Its products are sold throughout the United States, Canada, many European nations, Asia, ...

in Hanover, Hanover Foods in Hanover, Gibble's Potato Chips in York, Wolfgang Candy in York, The Bon-Ton in York, Dentsply in York, and a major manufacturing branch of Harley-Davidson Motor Company.

2020 Census

Dialect

The

Central Pennsylvania accent Western Pennsylvania English, known more narrowly as Pittsburgh English or popularly as Pittsburghese, is a dialect of American English native primarily to the western half of Pennsylvania, centered on the city of Pittsburgh, but potentially ap ...

and the Susquehanna dialect are the two most commonly heard speech patterns in the county, however there are numerous Mennonites and other persons of

descent that inhabit the county, who tend to speak with dialects similar to Pennsylvania Dutch English.

Metropolitan Statistical Area

The

U.S. 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 York County as the York–Hanover, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area. The United States Census Bureau ranked the York–Hanover, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area as the 9th most populous in the state of Pennsylvania, and 115th most populous Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) in the United States as of July 1, 2012. The Office of Management and Budget has further designated the York–Hanover MSA as a component of the more extensive Harrisburg–York–Lebanon, PA Combined Statistical Area, the 43rd most populous Combined Statistical Area (CSA) and the 49th most populous primary statistical area of the United States as of July 1, 2012. As of the 2017 estimates, the CSA's 1.26 million people ranks 5th in the state of Pennsylvania.

Politics and government

Prior to 1952, York County was a

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 ...

stronghold in presidential elections, voting majority Republican only four times before then. Between the founding of the party in

1828 Events January–March * January 4 – Jean Baptiste Gay, vicomte de Martignac succeeds the Comte de Villèle, as Prime Minister of France. * January 8 – The Democratic Party of the United States is organized. * January 22 – Arthu ...

and

1900 As of March 1 ( O.S. February 17), when the Julian calendar acknowledged a leap day and the Gregorian calendar did not, the Julian calendar fell one day further behind, bringing the difference to 13 days until February 28 ( O.S. February 15), 2 ...

, the county voted Democratic every time, one of only a handful of counties in Pennsylvania to do so. Starting with the 1952 election, it has become a Republican stronghold with

Lyndon Johnson Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), often referred to by his initials LBJ, was an American politician who served as the 36th president of the United States from 1963 to 1969. He had previously served as the 37th vice ...

being the lone Democrat to win the county since. Since then, Jimmy Carter in 1976 and Barack Obama in 2008 are the only Democratic presidential candidates who have received over 40% of the county's vote, and

George H. W. Bush George Herbert Walker BushSince around 2000, he has been usually called George H. W. Bush, Bush Senior, Bush 41 or Bush the Elder to distinguish him from his eldest son, George W. Bush, who served as the 43rd president from 2001 to 2009; pr ...

in 1992 is the only Republican not to win a majority. The only real pockets of Democratic support are in the city of York, which has long sent Democrats to the state house. According to the Secretary of State's office, a majority of voters in York County are registered as Republicans. As of November 7, 2022, there are 311,917 registered voters in the county. * Republican: 160,902 (51.58%) *

: 99,216 (31.81%) * Independent: 42,293 (13.56%) * Third Party: 9,506 (3.05%)

County commissioners

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

Other county offices

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

State House of Representatives

State Senate

United States House of Representatives

United States Senate

Education

Public school districts

Vocational school

York County School of Technology York County School of Technology (YCST, formerly York County Area Vocational-Technical School) is a public vocational high school in York, Pennsylvania, United States. The school accepts students from 14 sending school districts within York Coun ...

Public charter schools

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

Independent schools

Intermediate Unit

Lincoln Intermediate Unit (IU#12) region includes: Adams County, Franklin County and York County. The agency offers school districts, home schooled students and private schools many services including: special education services, combined purchasing, and instructional technology services. It runs Summer Academy which offers both art and academic strands designed to meet the individual needs of gifted, talented and high achieving students. Additional services include: Curriculum Mapping, Professional Development for school employees,

Adult Education Adult education, distinct from child education, is a practice in which adults engage in systematic and sustained self-educating activities in order to gain new forms of knowledge, skills, attitudes, or values. Merriam, Sharan B. & Brockett, Ralp ...

, Nonpublic School Services, Business Services, Migrant & ESL (English as a Second Language), Instructional Services, Management Services, and Technology Services. It also provides a GED program to adults who want to earn a high school diploma and literacy programs. The Lincoln Intermediate Unit is governed by a 13-member Board of Directors, each a member of a local school board from the 25 school districts. Board members are elected by school directors of all 25 school districts for three-year terms that begin the first day of July. There are 29 intermediate units in Pennsylvania. They are funded by school districts, state and federal program specific funding and grants. IUs do not have the power to tax.

Colleges and universities

Adult education

* YTI Career Institute * Motorcycle Technology Center *

York Time Institute The York Time Institute is a school in York, Pennsylvania providing instruction in the conservation, restoration, and repair of traditional and modern time-keeping devices. It was founded in 2008 by Daniel Nied, former Director of the School of ...

Communities

Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: cities, boroughs, townships, and, in only 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 ...

. York County has 72 of these. The following cities, boroughs and townships are in York County:

City

* York (county seat)

Boroughs

* Cross Roads * Dallastown *

Delta Delta commonly refers to: * Delta (letter) (Δ or δ), a letter of the Greek alphabet * River delta, at a river mouth * D (NATO phonetic alphabet: "Delta") * Delta Air Lines, US * Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19 Delta may also re ...

Dillsburg Dillsburg is a borough in York County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,643 as of the 2020 census. Geography Dillsburg is surrounded by Carroll Township in northwestern York County. According to the United States Census Bureau, ...

Dover Dover () is a town and major ferry port in Kent, South East England. It faces France across the Strait of Dover, the narrowest part of the English Channel at from Cap Gris Nez in France. It lies south-east of Canterbury and east of Maidstone ...

* East Prospect * Fawn Grove * Felton * Franklintown * Glen Rock * Goldsboro * Hallam * Hanover *

Jacobus A Jacobus is an English gold coin of the reign of James I, worth 25 shillings. The name of the coin comes from the Latin inscription surrounding the King's head on the obverse of the coin, IACOBUS D G MAG BRIT FRA ET HI REX ("James, by the grace o ...

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 ...

* Lewisberry * Loganville * Manchester * Mount Wolf * New Freedom * New Salem *

North York North York is one of the six administrative districts of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located directly north of York, Old Toronto and East York, between Etobicoke to the west and Scarborough to the east. As of the 2016 Census, it had a popu ...

* Railroad * Red Lion *

Seven Valleys ''The Seven Valleys'' ( fa, ''Haft-Vádí'') is a book written in Persian language, Persian by Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of the Baháʼí Faith. ''The Seven Valleys'' follows the structure of the Persian poem ''The Conference of the Birds''. ...

Shrewsbury Shrewsbury ( , also ) is a market town, civil parish, and the county town of Shropshire, England, on the River Severn, north-west of London; at the 2021 census, it had a population of 76,782. The town's name can be pronounced as either 'Sh ...

* Spring Grove * Stewartstown * Wellsville * West York * Windsor * Winterstown * Wrightsville * Yoe * York Haven * Yorkana

Townships

* Carroll *

Chanceford Chanceford is an 18th-century building in Maryland located at 209, West Federal Street, Snow Hill, Worcester County, Maryland. It is an early example of a neo-classical temple-fronted dwelling on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Built in 1792 ...

* Codorus * Conewago *

* East Hopewell * East Manchester * Fairview *

Fawn Deer or true deer are hoofed ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. The two main groups of deer are the Cervinae, including the muntjac, the elk (wapiti), the red deer, and the fallow deer; and the Capreolinae, including the reindeer ...

Franklin Franklin may refer to: People * Franklin (given name) * Franklin (surname) * Franklin (class), a member of a historical English social class Places Australia * Franklin, Tasmania, a township * Division of Franklin, federal electoral d ...

* Heidelberg * Hellam * Hopewell * Jackson * Lower Chanceford * Lower Windsor * Manchester * Manheim *

Monaghan Monaghan ( ; ) is the county town of County Monaghan, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It also provides the name of its Civil parishes in Ireland, civil parish and Monaghan (barony), barony. The population of the town as of the 2016 census was 7 ...

* Newberry * North Codorus * North Hopewell * Paradise * Peach Bottom * Penn *

* Spring Garden * Springettsbury *

Springfield Springfield may refer to: * Springfield (toponym), the place name in general Places and locations Australia * Springfield, New South Wales (Central Coast) * Springfield, New South Wales (Snowy Monaro Regional Council) * Springfield, Queenslan ...

* Warrington * Washington * West Manchester * West Manheim * Windsor * York

Census-designated places

Census-designated places are unincorporated communities designated by the

for the purposes of compiling demographic data. They are not actual jurisdictions under Pennsylvania law.

Other unincorporated communities

* Accomac * Admire *

Airville Airville is a historic home located near Gloucester, Gloucester County, Virginia. It consists of two sections. The earliest section dates to the last half of the 18th century, and has a central-passage plan and gambrel roof. The second section ...

* Ambau *

Andersontown Andersontown is a populated place on Maryland's Eastern Shore in Caroline County, Maryland, United States. It is situated near the Delaware Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to i ...

* Bandanna * Bermudian * Big Mountain * Blackrock * Bridgeville *

Brogue Brogue may refer to: Footwear * Brogue boot, a type of dress boot * Brogue shoe Language * Brogue (accent) * Mission brogue, an accent spoken in the Mission District of San Francisco * Ottawa Valley Brogue Other * ''Brogue'' (video game) * Br ...

* Bryansville * Cly * Craley * Codorus Furnace * Conewago Heights * Davidsburg * Detters Mill * Etters * Fayfield * Fireside Terrace * Foustown * Fuhrmans Mill * Gatchellville * Glades * Glenville * Gnatstown * Hametown *

Hanover Junction Doswell is an unincorporated community in Hanover County in the Central Region of the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia. Originally called Hanover Junction, it was located on the Virginia Central Railroad (later, part of the C&O) at a crossing of ...

* Hopewell Center * Kralltown * Leaders Heights * Leibharts Corner * Lockport (under Lake Clarke) * Mackey Ford * Mount Royal * Muddy Creek Forks * New Bridgeville * New Park * Nauvoo *

Ore Valley Ore is a large suburb of the urban area of the town and borough of Hastings in East Sussex, England. Formerly a village, it is still known and advertised locally as "Ore Village". It is located to the north-east of Hastings town centre, on th ...

* Porters Sideling * Reesers Summit * Rossville * Saginaw * Shenks Ferry * Siddonsburg * Spring Forge *

Starview Rediffusion Starview was an early premium cable television channel in the United Kingdom, operated by Rediffusion. History Operation The Home Office had granted several experimental licenses to broadcast subscription television services, of which ...

* Stoverstown * Strickler * Strinestown * Sunnyburn * Thomasville * Tolna * Valley Forge *

Violet Hill "Violet Hill" is a song by British rock band Coldplay. It was written by all members of the band for their fourth album, ''Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends'' (2008). Built around a repeating guitar sound, it utilises a marching tempo, ...

* Wago Junction * Woodbine * Yocumtown * York Furnace

Population ranking

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

Airports

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

Lancaster County Airport Lancaster County Airport , also known as McWhirter Field, is a county-owned, public-use airport located four nautical miles (7 km) west of the central business district of Lancaster, in Lancaster County, South Carolina, United States. A ...

, and BWI.

Notable people

References

External links

York County official website
{{coord, 39.92, -76.73, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-PA_source:UScensus1990 1749 establishments in Pennsylvania Populated places established in 1749