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Jefferson County, Pennsylvania facts for kids

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Jefferson County
Jefferson County Courthouse
Jefferson County Courthouse
Flag of Jefferson County
Flag
Official seal of Jefferson County
Seal
Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Jefferson County
Location within the U.S. state of Pennsylvania
Map of the United States highlighting Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Pennsylvania
Founded October 1, 1830
Named for Thomas Jefferson
Seat Brookville
Largest borough Punxsutawney
Area
 • Total 657 sq mi (1,700 km2)
 • Land 652 sq mi (1,690 km2)
 • Water 4.4 sq mi (11 km2)  0.7%%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 44,492
 • Estimate 
(2024)
43,367 Decrease
 • Density 66.5/sq mi (25.7/km2)
Time zone UTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district 15th

Jefferson County is a place in Pennsylvania. It is called a county. In 2020, about 44,492 people lived there. The main town, or county seat, is Brookville.

The county was created on March 26, 1804. It was officially set up in 1830. It is named after Thomas Jefferson, who was a President of the United States. Jefferson County is famous for Punxsutawney Phil. This groundhog predicts when spring will arrive every year on February 2, also known as Groundhog Day. The county is in the North Central part of Pennsylvania.

Exploring Jefferson County's Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Jefferson County covers about 657 square miles. Most of this area, 652 square miles, is land. Only a small part, about 4.4 square miles, is water.

The weather here is a warm-summer humid continental climate. This means it has warm summers and cold winters. For example, in Brookville, the average temperature in January is about 24.8°F. In July, it's around 68.8°F.

Neighboring Counties

Jefferson County shares its borders with several other counties.

Main Roads and Highways

Many important roads run through Jefferson County. These highways help people travel around the county and to other parts of Pennsylvania.

  • I-80
  • US 119
  • US 219
  • US 322
  • PA 28
  • PA 36
  • PA 310
  • PA 410
  • PA 536
  • PA 830
  • PA 899
  • PA 949
  • PA 950

Rivers and Streams

Jefferson County has many streams. Most of these streams flow into the Allegheny River. One exception is Bear Run in the southeast, which flows into the Susquehanna River.

Here are some of the main streams and the area they drain within the county:

People and Population in Jefferson County

Historical population
Census Pop.
1810 161
1820 561 248.4%
1830 2,025 261.0%
1840 7,253 258.2%
1850 13,518 86.4%
1860 18,270 35.2%
1870 21,656 18.5%
1880 27,935 29.0%
1890 44,005 57.5%
1900 59,113 34.3%
1910 63,090 6.7%
1920 62,104 −1.6%
1930 52,114 −16.1%
1940 54,090 3.8%
1950 49,147 −9.1%
1960 46,792 −4.8%
1970 43,695 −6.6%
1980 48,303 10.5%
1990 46,083 −4.6%
2000 45,932 −0.3%
2010 45,200 −1.6%
2020 44,492 −1.6%
2024 (est.) 43,367 −4.1%
Source:

In 2000, there were 45,932 people living in Jefferson County. The county had about 70 people per square mile. Most people (98.97%) were White. About 0.41% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

Many families lived in the county. About 30.30% of households had children under 18. The average family had about 2.96 people. The median age in the county was 40 years old.

Population Makeup in 2020

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

Jefferson County Racial Composition
Race Num. Perc.
White (NH) 42,317 95.1%
Black or African American (NH) 125 0.3%
Native American (NH) 45 0.1%
Asian (NH) 100 0.2%
Pacific Islander (NH) 8 0.02%
Other/Mixed (NH) 1,500 3.4%
Hispanic or Latino 397 1%

How Jefferson County is Governed

Jefferson County tends to vote for the Republican Party. This party has won almost all presidential elections in the county.

Voter Registration Details

As of July 22, 2024, there are 27,731 registered voters in Jefferson County.

Chart of Voter Registration      Republican (67.86%)     Democratic (20.94%)     Independent (7.56%)     Third Party (3.64%)

Local and State Leaders

The county is led by three county commissioners:

  • Mark Humes (Republican)
  • Scott E. North (Republican)
  • Jeffrey E. Pisarcik (Democrat)

For the state government, Jefferson County is represented by:

  • State Senate: Cris Dush (District 25) and Joey Pittman (District 41)
  • State House of Representatives: Brian Smith (Republican, 66th Representative District)

For the national government, Jefferson County is represented by:

  • United States House of Representatives: G.T. Thompson (Republican, 15th congressional district)
  • United States Senate: David McCormick (Republican) and John Fetterman (Democratic)

Learning and Education in Jefferson County

Map of Jefferson County Pennsylvania School Districts
Map of Jefferson County, Pennsylvania Public School Districts

Colleges and Universities

Students in Jefferson County can attend several colleges and universities nearby:

Public School Districts

Children in Jefferson County attend schools in these public school districts:

  • Brockway Area School District
  • Brookville Area School District
  • Clarion-Limestone Area School District
  • DuBois Area School District
  • Punxsutawney Area School District

Libraries for Everyone

The county has a library system that helps people find books and information.

  • Jefferson County Library System - Brockway
  • Mengle Memorial Library - Brockway
  • Punxsutawney Memorial Library - Punxsutawney
  • Rebecca M Arthurs Memorial Library - Brookville
  • Reynoldsville Public Library - Reynoldsville
  • Summerville Public Library - Summerville
  • Sykesville Public Library - Sykesville

Fun and Recreation

Jefferson County is home to two Pennsylvania state parks. These parks are great places for outdoor activities like hiking and camping.

Every July, the Jefferson County Fair is held. It's a popular event for families and visitors.

Towns and Communities

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

Pennsylvania has different types of towns. In Jefferson County, you'll find boroughs and townships.

Boroughs (Towns)

Townships (Larger Rural Areas)

  • Barnett
  • Beaver
  • Bell
  • Clover
  • Eldred
  • Gaskill
  • Heath
  • Henderson
  • Knox
  • McCalmont
  • Oliver
  • Perry
  • Pine Creek
  • Polk
  • Porter
  • Ringgold
  • Rose
  • Snyder
  • Union
  • Warsaw
  • Washington
  • Winslow
  • Young

Other Communities

There are also many smaller, unincorporated communities throughout the county.

Largest Communities by Population (2020 Census)

county seat

Rank City/Town/etc. Municipal type Population
(2020 Census)
1 Punxsutawney Borough 5,769
2 Brookville Borough 3,995
3 Reynoldsville Borough 2,549
4 Brockway Borough 2,276
5 Sykesville Borough 1,115
6 Falls Creek (partially in Clearfield County) Borough 994
7 Big Run Borough 647
8 Summerville Borough 504
9 Crenshaw CDP 468
10 Corsica Borough 319
11 Timblin Borough 147
12 Worthville Borough 80

Famous People from Jefferson County

Many notable people have come from Jefferson County, including:

  • John T. Morrison, who was the sixth Governor of Idaho.
  • Sparky Lyle, a professional baseball player.
  • Chuck Daly, a famous American basketball coach.
  • George Jenks, a politician.
  • Florence Parry Heide, an author.
  • Wilbur Good, a professional baseball player.
  • Andy Hastings, a professional football player.
  • Mal Eason, a professional baseball player.
  • John Mizerock, a professional baseball player.
  • Devin Mesoraco, a professional baseball player.
  • Jim Pittsley, a professional baseball player.
  • Britt Baker, a professional wrestler and dentist.
  • Laura Temple, a missionary teacher and archaeologist.

More to Explore

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Jefferson (Pensilvania) para niños

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