Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

"Huntingdon County" redirects here. For the former county in Canada, see Huntingdon County, Quebec. For the former county in England, see Huntingdonshire.

Quick facts for kids

Huntingdon County

U.S. county

Jacks Mountain viewed from Shirleysburg

Flag

Seal

Location within the U.S. state of Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania's location within the U.S.

Country

United States

State

Pennsylvania

Founded

September 20, 1787

Named for

Selina Hastings, Countess of Huntingdon

Seat

Huntingdon

Largest borough

Huntingdon

Area

• Total

889 sq mi (2,300 km²)

• Land

875 sq mi (2,270 km²)

• Water

15 sq mi (40 km²) 1.6%

Population

(2020)

• Total

44,092

• Density

50/sq mi (20/km²)

Time zone

UTC−5 (Eastern)

• Summer (DST)

UTC−4 (EDT)

Congressional district

13th

Huntingdon County is a county located in the state of Pennsylvania. In 2020, about 44,092 people lived there. The main town and county seat is Huntingdon.

The county was formed on September 20, 1787. It was mostly made from the northern part of Bedford County. Some land from Cumberland County was also added. Huntingdon County is part of the Southwest Pennsylvania region.

Huntingdon County Geography

Huntingdon County covers a total area of 889 square miles. Most of this area, 875 square miles, is land. The remaining 15 square miles (1.6%) is water.

The county has a humid continental climate. This means it has warm summers and cold winters. Average monthly temperatures in Huntingdon town range from about 28°F in January to 72°F in July.

Huntingdon County is part of a larger area called "Greater Appalachia." This region is known for its unique culture and history.

Natural Features to Explore

Raystown Lake is a large lake popular for boating and fishing.
Tussey Mountain is a mountain ridge that runs through the county.

Neighboring Counties

Huntingdon County shares borders with several other counties:

Centre County (north)
Mifflin County (east)
Juniata County (east)
Franklin County (southeast)
Fulton County (south)
Bedford County (southwest)
Blair County (west)

People of Huntingdon County

The population of Huntingdon County has changed over the years. Here's how it has grown:

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1790	7,558	—
1800	13,008	72.1%
1810	14,778	13.6%
1820	20,142	36.3%
1830	27,145	34.8%
1840	35,484	30.7%
1850	24,786	−30.1%
1860	28,100	13.4%
1870	31,251	11.2%
1880	33,954	8.6%
1890	35,751	5.3%
1900	34,650	−3.1%
1910	38,304	10.5%
1920	39,848	4.0%
1930	39,021	−2.1%
1940	41,836	7.2%
1950	40,872	−2.3%
1960	39,457	−3.5%
1970	39,108	−0.9%
1980	42,253	8.0%
1990	44,164	4.5%
2000	45,586	3.2%
2010	45,913	0.7%
2020	44,092	−4.0%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2017

In 2010, there were 45,913 people living in Huntingdon County. There were 17,280 households. The county had about 52 people per square mile.

Most people in the county were White (92.50%). About 5.21% were Black or African American. Other groups included Native American, Asian, and Pacific Islander people. About 1.58% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

Many people in Huntingdon County have German (33.9%), American (17.1%), or Irish (11.1%) backgrounds. English (7.5%) and Italian (5.7%) ancestry are also common.

Households and Age Groups

Out of 16,759 households, 30.10% had children under 18 living there. Most households (58.10%) were married couples. About 25.80% of households were individuals living alone.

The average household had 2.44 people. The average family had 2.92 people.

The population was spread out by age. About 21.70% were under 18. About 10.10% were 18 to 24 years old. People aged 25 to 44 made up 29.40% of the population. The median age was 38 years.

Languages Spoken

Most people in Huntingdon County speak English. The local way of speaking English is called the Central Pennsylvania accent.

In some parts of the county, like Kishacoquillas Valley, many Amish and Mennonite people live. They often speak a German language called Pennsylvania Dutch.

2020 Census Overview

The 2020 census showed the following racial makeup for Huntingdon County:

Huntingdon County Racial Composition
Race	Num.	Perc.
White (NH)	39,420	89.4%
Black or African American (NH)	2,267	5.14%
Native American (NH)	49	0.11%
Asian (NH)	210	0.47%
Pacific Islander (NH)	9	0.02%
Other/Mixed (NH)	1,285	3%
Hispanic or Latino	852	2%

Huntingdon, PA Micropolitan Area

Huntingdon County is known as the Huntingdon, PA Micropolitan Statistical Area (μSA). This means it's a smaller urban area with a central city and surrounding communities.

In 2010, this micropolitan area had 45,913 people. It was the 11th most populated micropolitan area in Pennsylvania.

Education in Huntingdon County

Map of Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania School Districts

Huntingdon County offers many educational options for students. These include public schools, charter schools, private schools, and colleges.

Public School Districts

Students in Huntingdon County attend schools in several public school districts:

Huntingdon Area School District
Juniata Valley School District
Mount Union Area School District (also in Mifflin County)
Southern Huntingdon County School District
Tussey Mountain School District (also in Bedford County)
Tyrone Area School District (also in Blair and Centre Counties)

Other Education Centers

Huntingdon County Career and Technology Center: This center in Mill Creek helps students learn job skills.
Tuscarora Intermediate Unit 11: This organization supports local schools.

Charter Schools

Charter schools are public schools that have more freedom in how they operate.

New Day Charter School (grades 7–12): Located in Huntingdon.
Stone Valley Community Charter School (grades K–5): Located in McAlevy's Fort.

Private Schools

Private schools in the county include:

Calvary Christian Academy: Huntingdon
Class School: Mill Creek
Grier School: Birmingham
Huntingdon Christian Academy: Huntingdon
Huntingdon County Child & Adult Development Center
Meadow Green Mennonite School: Three Springs
Shavers Creek Christian School: Petersburg
West Penn F Grace Brethren: Saxton
Woodcock Valley Center on Children: Huntingdon

Colleges and Universities

Juniata College: A small, independent college in Huntingdon.
Pennsylvania Highlands Community College: Has a center in Walker Township.

Libraries

Local libraries provide resources for learning and reading:

Huntingdon County Library
Memorial Public Library of the Borough of Alexandria
Mount Union Community Library

Transportation in Huntingdon County

Major roads help people travel through Huntingdon County.

I-76 / Penna Turnpike
US 22
US 522
PA 26
PA 26 Truck
PA 35
PA 45
PA 103
PA 305
PA 350
PA 453
PA 475
PA 550
PA 641
PA 655
PA 747
PA 829
PA 913
PA 994

Media in Huntingdon County

Residents of Huntingdon County can stay informed through various media.

Radio Stations

AM Stations

ESPN RADIO 1150 AM: Huntingdon (Sports)
WIEZ 670 AM: Lewistown (News/Talk)
WMAJ 1450 AM: State College (Sports)
WVAM 1430 AM: Altoona (Sports)
WFBG 1290 AM: Altoona (News/Talk)

FM Stations

WHUN 103.5 FM: Huntingdon (Oldies)
WDBF 106.3 FM: Selinsgrove (Country)
WKVR 92.3 FM: Huntingdon (College)
W273BE 102.5 FM: Huntingdon (Public Radio)
WFGY 98.1 FM: Altoona (Country)

Newspapers

The Daily News: A local newspaper for the county.

Television Channels

CBS: WTAJ-TV, Altoona
ABC: WATM-TV, Johnstown
Fox: WWCP-TV, Johnstown
NBC: WJAC-TV, Johnstown
PBS: WPSU-TV, State College
CW: WPKD-TV, Jeannette

Communities of Huntingdon County

Map of Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania with Municipal Labels showing Boroughs (red) and Townships (white).

Huntingdon County has different types of communities. These include boroughs, townships, and other smaller places.

Boroughs

Boroughs are like small towns with their own local governments.

Townships

Townships are larger areas that often include rural land and smaller communities.

Barree
Brady
Carbon
Cass
Clay
Cromwell
Dublin
Franklin
Henderson
Hopewell
Jackson
Juniata
Lincoln
Logan
Miller
Morris
Oneida
Penn
Porter
Shirley
Smithfield
Springfield
Spruce Creek
Tell
Todd
Union
Walker
Warriors Mark
West
Wood

Census-Designated Places (CDPs)

CDPs are areas identified by the U.S. Census Bureau for statistical purposes. They are not officially incorporated towns.

Unincorporated Communities

These are smaller places that are not officially part of a borough or CDP.

Calvin
Entriken
Nossville

Population Ranking of Communities (2010)

This table shows the population of the largest communities in Huntingdon County based on the 2010 census. † county seat

Rank	City/Town/etc.	Municipal type	Population (2010 Census)
1	† Huntingdon	Borough	7,093
2	Mount Union	Borough	2,447
3	McConnellstown	CDP	1,194
4	Allenport	CDP	648
5	Petersburg	Borough	480
6	Broad Top City	Borough	452
7	Three Springs	Borough	444
8	Mapleton	Borough	441
9	Orbisonia	Borough	428
10	Rockhill	Borough	371
T-11	Alexandria	Borough	346
T-11	Saltillo	Borough	346
12	Mill Creek	Borough	328
13	Marklesburg	Borough	204
14	Dudley	Borough	184
15	Shirleysburg	Borough	150
16	Cassville	Borough	143
17	Coalmont	Borough	106
18	Shade Gap	Borough	105
19	Birmingham	Borough	90

Notable People from Huntingdon County

Many interesting people have connections to Huntingdon County:

Scott Beatty (born 1969): An author and comic book writer. He was raised in Petersburg.
Hugh Brady (1768–1851): A U.S. Army general. He was born in Standingstone.
Martin Grove Brumbaugh (1862–1930): He served as the 26th Governor of Pennsylvania.
Dylan Lane (born 1977): A game show host, known for hosting Chain Reaction. He spent his life in Huntingdon.
Horace Porter (1837–1921): A Civil War general and a US diplomat.
John Purdue (1802–1876): The main person who helped start Purdue University. He was born in Huntingdon County.
Robert Elliott Speer (1867–1947): An important American religious leader.

Images for kids

Jacks Mountain viewed from Shirleysburg
Flag of Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania
Seal of Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania