Cumberland County, Pennsylvania facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cumberland County
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Old Cumberland County Courthouse in Carlisle in April 2011
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Location within the U.S. state of Pennsylvania
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 Pennsylvania's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  Pennsylvania |
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| Founded | January 27, 1750 | ||
| Named for | Cumberland, England | ||
| Seat | Carlisle | ||
| Largest borough | Carlisle | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 550 sq mi (1,400 km2) | ||
| • Land | 545 sq mi (1,410 km2) | ||
| • Water | 4.8 sq mi (12 km2) 0.9%% | ||
| Population
(2022)
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| • Total | 268,579 | ||
| • Density | 488/sq mi (188.5/km2) | ||
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | ||
| Congressional districts | 10th, 13th | ||
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Pennsylvania Historical Marker
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| Designated: | May 17, 1982 | ||
Cumberland County is a county located in Pennsylvania, a state in the United States. As of the 2020 census, about 259,469 people lived here. The main town and county seat is Carlisle. This county is part of the South Central Pennsylvania area.
Cumberland County is also part of a larger area called the Harrisburg–Carlisle metropolitan statistical area. This means it's connected to Harrisburg, the state capital, for things like jobs and services.
Contents
History of Cumberland County
Cumberland County was first settled around 1730. Most of the early settlers were from Scotland and Ireland. Some English and German settlers also came.
At first, people mainly farmed the land. Later, they started other businesses. In 1738, settlers built the Middle Spring Presbyterian Church. It is one of the oldest churches in central Pennsylvania.
On January 27, 1750, the Pennsylvania colony officially created Cumberland County. It was named after Cumberland, England. Carlisle became its main town. The county is in the Cumberland Valley. It stretches about 42 miles from Shippensburg in the west to the Susquehanna River in the east.
The oldest towns are Shippensburg and Carlisle. Shippensburg is home to Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania. Carlisle has Dickinson College, founded in 1773. It also has the Penn State Dickinson School of Law.
The United States Army War College is in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. It's on the historic Carlisle Barracks. This military post has been around since the 1770s. The college trains high-level military and civilian leaders. It is the most important military school for the U.S. Army.
During the American Civil War in 1863, Confederate soldiers marched through the county. They briefly took control of much of the area.
In the 1900s, towns near Harrisburg grew a lot. These suburbs expanded into eastern Cumberland County. Carlisle also saw its own suburbs grow.
Geography and Climate
Cumberland County covers about 550 square miles. Most of this (545 square miles) is land. About 4.8 square miles (0.9%) is water. The area code for phones is 717, with 223 as an overlay.
Blue Mountain forms the northern border. Yellow Breeches Creek makes up part of the southeastern border. The Susquehanna River flows along the eastern edge. A large stream called Conodoguinet Creek flows across the county. It eventually empties into the Susquehanna River.
Climate in Cumberland County
Most of Cumberland County has a hot-summer humid continental climate. This means it has warm summers and cold winters. Average temperatures in January are around 29-30°F. In July, they are around 74-75°F. Some lower areas in the east have a humid subtropical climate, which is a bit warmer.
| Climate data for Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (Harrisburg Capital City Airport) 1991-2020 normals (Records 1939-2021) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 73 (23) |
83 (28) |
86 (30) |
93 (34) |
97 (36) |
100 (38) |
107 (42) |
101 (38) |
102 (39) |
97 (36) |
84 (29) |
75 (24) |
107 (42) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 40.3 (4.6) |
43.2 (6.2) |
52.6 (11.4) |
64.9 (18.3) |
74.7 (23.7) |
83.2 (28.4) |
87.6 (30.9) |
85.4 (29.7) |
78.6 (25.9) |
66.7 (19.3) |
55.1 (12.8) |
44.4 (6.9) |
64.7 (18.2) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 32.6 (0.3) |
34.7 (1.5) |
43.2 (6.2) |
54.1 (12.3) |
64.0 (17.8) |
73.0 (22.8) |
77.5 (25.3) |
75.4 (24.1) |
68.5 (20.3) |
56.7 (13.7) |
46.0 (7.8) |
37.0 (2.8) |
55.2 (12.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 24.9 (−3.9) |
26.2 (−3.2) |
33.9 (1.1) |
43.3 (6.3) |
53.2 (11.8) |
62.8 (17.1) |
67.4 (19.7) |
65.5 (18.6) |
58.4 (14.7) |
46.7 (8.2) |
37.0 (2.8) |
29.5 (−1.4) |
45.7 (7.6) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −9 (−23) |
−5 (−21) |
2 (−17) |
19 (−7) |
31 (−1) |
40 (4) |
49 (9) |
45 (7) |
30 (−1) |
23 (−5) |
13 (−11) |
−8 (−22) |
−9 (−23) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 2.64 (67) |
2.36 (60) |
3.35 (85) |
3.70 (94) |
3.48 (88) |
3.72 (94) |
4.30 (109) |
3.68 (93) |
4.12 (105) |
3.68 (93) |
2.80 (71) |
3.15 (80) |
40.98 (1,041) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 9 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 127 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
Neighboring Counties
- Perry County (north)
- Dauphin County (east)
- York County (southeast)
- Adams County (south)
- Franklin County (southwest)
Main Roads
I-76 / Penna Turnpike
I-81
I-83
US 11
US 15
PA 34
PA 74
PA 94
PA 114
PA 174
PA 233
PA 465
PA 533
PA 581
PA 641
PA 696
PA 944
PA 997
State Parks and Natural Areas
- Colonel Denning State Park
- Kings Gap Environmental Education and Training Center
- Pine Grove Furnace State Park
People of Cumberland County (Demographics)
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1790 | 18,208 | — | |
| 1800 | 25,386 | 39.4% | |
| 1810 | 26,757 | 5.4% | |
| 1820 | 23,606 | −11.8% | |
| 1830 | 29,226 | 23.8% | |
| 1840 | 30,953 | 5.9% | |
| 1850 | 34,327 | 10.9% | |
| 1860 | 40,098 | 16.8% | |
| 1870 | 43,912 | 9.5% | |
| 1880 | 45,977 | 4.7% | |
| 1890 | 47,271 | 2.8% | |
| 1900 | 50,344 | 6.5% | |
| 1910 | 54,479 | 8.2% | |
| 1920 | 58,578 | 7.5% | |
| 1930 | 68,236 | 16.5% | |
| 1940 | 74,806 | 9.6% | |
| 1950 | 94,457 | 26.3% | |
| 1960 | 124,816 | 32.1% | |
| 1970 | 158,177 | 26.7% | |
| 1980 | 178,541 | 12.9% | |
| 1990 | 195,257 | 9.4% | |
| 2000 | 213,670 | 9.4% | |
| 2010 | 235,406 | 10.2% | |
| 2020 | 259,469 | 10.2% | |
| 2022 (est.) | 268,579 | 14.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2019 |
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In 2000, there were 213,674 people living in the county. Most people (94.40%) were White. About 2.36% were Black or African American. Around 1.67% were Asian.
Many people had German (35.3%), Irish (10.1%), or English (7.5%) backgrounds. Most people (94.7%) spoke English at home.
The average age in the county was 38 years old. About 22% of the population was under 18. The county's average income per person is $31,627. This makes it one of the wealthiest counties in Pennsylvania.
2020 Census Information
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 211,990 | 81.7% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 10,581 | 4.1% |
| Native American (NH) | 318 | 0.12% |
| Asian (NH) | 13,836 | 5.33% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 113 | 0.04% |
| Other/Mixed (NH) | 10,656 | 4.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 11,975 | 4.62% |
Metropolitan Area Connections
Cumberland County is part of the Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). This area includes Harrisburg and Carlisle. In 2010, it was the 6th largest metropolitan area in Pennsylvania.
The county is also part of an even bigger area. This is called the Harrisburg–York–Lebanon combined statistical area (CSA). This larger area includes Cumberland and several other nearby counties. It was the 5th largest in Pennsylvania in 2010.
Education in Cumberland County
Colleges and Universities
- Central Pennsylvania College
- Dickinson College
- Messiah University
- Penn State Dickinson Law
- Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania
- U.S. Army War College
Community and Technical Colleges
- ITT Technical Institute
Public School Districts
- Big Spring School District
- Camp Hill School District
- Carlisle Area School District
- Cumberland Valley School District
- East Pennsboro Area School District
- Mechanicsburg Area School District
- Shippensburg Area School District (also in Franklin County)
- South Middleton School District
- West Shore School District (also in York County)
Public Charter Schools
- Commonwealth Connections Academy Charter School - Mechanicsburg
Technical Schools
- Cumberland-Perry Area Vocational Technical School
Private Schools
- Allen Mennonite School - Dillsburg
- Berean Christian Day School - Newville
- Best Friends - New Cumberland
- Bethel Christian Academy - Carlisle
- Blue Ridge Mennonite School - Carlisle
- Brookside Montessori School - Camp Hill
- Chesterbrook Academy - Camp Hill
- Chestnut Groove School - Shippensburg
- Children's School of New Cumberland - New Cumberland
- Dickinson College Children's Center - Carlisle
- Emmanuel Baptist Christian Academy - Mechanicsburg
- Faith Tabernacle School - Mechanicsburg
- Good Shepherd Elementary School - Camp Hill
- Harrisburg Academy - Wormleysburg
- Hickory Lane School - Newburg
- Hidden Valley School - Carlisle
- Kindercare Learning Center - Mechanicsburg
- Learning and Sharing - New Cumberland
- Logos School - Carlisle
- Living Faith School - Shippensburg
- Meadow Run - Newburg
- Mechanicsburg Learning Center - Mechanicsburg
- Middle Run Parochial School - Shippensburg
- Oak Grove Parochial School - Shippensburg
- Oakwood Baptist Day School - Camp Hill
- Otterbein School - Newburg
- Quarry Hill School - Newville
- Rocky View School Parochial - Newville
- South Mountain Parochial School - Shippensburg
- South Mountain Parochial School - Newville
- Spring Hill Parochial School - Shipensburg
- St. Joseph School - Mechanicsburg
- St Patrick School - Carlisle
- St Theresa Elementary School - New Cumberland
- Sunset Amish School - Newburg
- The Children's Garden of St Johns Lutheran Church - Shiremanstown
- The Christian School of Grace Baptist Church - Carlisle
- The Goddard School - Enola
- The Goddard School - Mechanicsburg
- The Learning Center - Camp Hill
- Trinity High School (Camp Hill, Pennsylvania)
- West Shore Christian Academy - Shiremanstown
- Yellow Breeches Education Center - Boiling Springs
Public Libraries
- Cumberland County Library System
- Amelia S. Givin Free Library
- Bosler Memorial Library
- East Pennsboro Branch Library
- Cleve J. Fredricksen Public Library
- John Graham Public Library
- New Cumberland Public Library
- Shippensburg Public Library
- Joseph T. Simpson Public Library
Towns and Areas (Communities)
In Pennsylvania, there are different types of towns. These include cities, boroughs, and townships. Here are the boroughs and townships in Cumberland County:
Boroughs
- Camp Hill
- Carlisle (county seat)
- Lemoyne
- Mechanicsburg
- Mount Holly Springs
- New Cumberland
- Newburg
- Newville
- Shippensburg (partly in Franklin County)
- Shiremanstown
- Wormleysburg
Townships
- Cooke
- Dickinson
- East Pennsboro
- Hampden
- Hopewell
- Lower Allen
- Lower Frankford
- Lower Mifflin
- Middlesex
- Monroe
- North Middleton
- North Newton
- Penn
- Shippensburg
- Silver Spring
- South Middleton
- South Newton
- Southampton
- Upper Allen
- Upper Frankford
- Upper Mifflin
- West Pennsboro
Census-Designated Places (CDPs)
CDPs are special areas the U.S. Census Bureau uses to collect data. They are not official towns.
- Boiling Springs
- Carlisle Barracks
- Enola
- Lower Allen
- Messiah College
- New Kingstown
- Plainfield
- Schlusser
- Shippensburg University
- West Fairview
Other Small Communities
- Bloserville
- Grantham
- Hogestown
- Huntsdale
- Lisburn
- Summerdale
- West Hill
Largest Communities by Population (2010 Census)
† county seat
| Rank | City/Town/etc. | Municipal type | Population (2010 Census) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | † Carlisle | Borough | 18,682 |
| 2 | Mechanicsburg | Borough | 8,981 |
| 3 | Camp Hill | Borough | 7,888 |
| 4 | New Cumberland | Borough | 7,277 |
| 5 | Lower Allen | CDP | 6,694 |
| 6 | Enola | CDP | 6,111 |
| 7 | Shippensburg (partially in Franklin County) | Borough | 5,492 |
| 8 | Schlusser | CDP | 5,265 |
| 9 | Lemoyne | Borough | 4,553 |
| 10 | Boiling Springs | CDP | 3,225 |
| 11 | Wormleysburg | Borough | 3,070 |
| 12 | Shippensburg University | CDP | 2,625 |
| 13 | Messiah College | CDP | 2,215 |
| 14 | Mount Holly Springs | Borough | 2,030 |
| 15 | Shiremanstown | Borough | 1,569 |
| 16 | Newville | Borough | 1,326 |
| 17 | West Fairview | CDP | 1,282 |
| 18 | New Kingstown | CDP | 495 |
| 19 | Plainfield | CDP | 399 |
| 20 | Newburg | Borough | 336 |
Fun Things to Do (Recreation)
Many annual events happen at the Carlisle Fairgrounds in downtown Carlisle. You can also visit the Capital City Mall in Lower Allen Township. It serves the West Shore and Carlisle areas.
For racing fans, Williams Grove Speedway is a half-mile auto-racing track. The famous Appalachian Trail also goes through the middle of Cumberland County. The county has two state parks for outdoor fun:
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Cumberland (Pensilvania) para niños
