Northampton County, Pennsylvania facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Northampton County
U.S. county
1905 illustration of Northampton County Courthouse in Easton
Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
Founded	March 11, 1752
Named for	Northamptonshire
Seat	Easton
Largest city	Bethlehem
Area
• Total	377 sq mi (980 km2)
• Land	370 sq mi (1,000 km2)
• Water	7.7 sq mi (20 km2)  2.0%%
Population  (2020)
• Total	312,951
• Density	830/sq mi (320/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	7th

Northampton County is a county in the northeastern section of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 312,951. Its county seat is Easton. The county was formed in 1752 from parts of Bucks County. Its namesake was Northamptonshire, England. The county seat of Easton was named for the country house Easton Neston in that shire.

Northampton County is part of the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ Metropolitan Statistical Area. It borders Carbon County and the Poconos to the north, Lehigh County to the west, Bucks County and the Delaware Valley to the south, and the Delaware River, which divides Pennsylvania and New Jersey, to the east. It is part of the Lehigh Valley and is included in the Philadelphia media market, the fourth largest media market in the nation.

The county is industrially oriented, producing cement and other industrial products. It was a center for global cement production with the world's then-largest cement producer Atlas Portland Cement Company operating in the county for nearly a century from 1895 until 1982. Bethlehem Steel, once one of the world's largest manufacturers of steel, was located in the county prior to its dissolution in 2003.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 377 square miles (980 km²), of which 370 square miles (960 km²) is land and 7.7 square miles (20 km²) (2.0%) is water.

Adjacent counties

• Monroe County (north)
• Warren County, New Jersey (east)
• Bucks County (south)
• Lehigh County (west)
• Carbon County (northwest)

National protected areas

• Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area (part)
• Middle Delaware National Scenic River (part)

Demographics

As of the 2010 census, the county was 81.0% White Non-Hispanic, 5.0% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American or Alaskan Native, 2.4% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian, 2.2% were two or more races, and 3.8% were some other race. 10.5% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry.

As of the census of 2000, there were 267,066 people, 101,541 households, and 71,078 families residing in the county. The population density was 714 people per square mile (276/km²). There were 106,710 housing units at an average density of 286 per square mile (110/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 91.23% White, 2.77% Black or African American, 0.15% Native American, 1.37% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 3.06% from other races, and 1.39% from two or more races. 6.69% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 24.0% were of German, 14.0% Italian, 8.8% Irish, 5.1% English and 5.1% American ancestry. 89.3% spoke English and 5.5% Spanish as their first language.

There were 101,541 households, out of which 31.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.40% were married couples living together, 9.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.00% were non-families. 24.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.30% under the age of 18, 9.20% from 18 to 24, 28.30% from 25 to 44, 23.40% from 45 to 64, and 15.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 94.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.70 males.

Transportation

Air transportation

Air transport to and from Northampton County is available through Lehigh Valley International Airport (IATA: ABE, ICAO: KABE).

Bus transportation

Public bus service in Northampton County is available through the Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority, known as LANTA. A shuttle bus service, The Bethlehem Loop, also operates in Bethlehem. NJ Transit provides service from Easton's Centre Square to the Phillipsburg area.

Major highways

Telecommunications

Northampton County was once served only by the 215 area code from 1947 (when the North American Numbering Plan of the Bell System went into effect) until 1994. With the county's growing population, however, Northampton County was afforded area code 610 in 1994. Today, Northampton County is covered by 610. An overlay area code, 484, was added to the 610 service area in 1999. A plan to introduce area code 835 as an additional overlay was rescinded in 2001.

Recreation

There are 2 Pennsylvania state parks in Northampton County.

• Delaware Canal State Park follows the course of the old Delaware Canal along the Delaware River from Easton in Northampton County to Bristol in Bucks County.
• Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center

Communities

Map of Northampton County, Pennsylvania with Municipal Labels showing Cities and Boroughs (red), Townships (white), and Census-designated places (blue).

Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: cities, boroughs, townships, and two towns. The following cities, boroughs and townships are located in Northampton County:

Cities

• Bethlehem (partly in Lehigh County)
• Easton (county seat)

Boroughs

• Bangor
• Bath
• Chapman
• East Bangor
• Freemansburg
• Glendon
• Hellertown
• Nazareth
• North Catasauqua
• Northampton
• Pen Argyl
• Portland
• Roseto
• Stockertown
• Tatamy
• Walnutport
• West Easton
• Wilson
• Wind Gap

Townships

Census-designated places

Census-designated places are geographical areas designated by the U.S. Census Bureau for the purposes of compiling demographic data. They are not actual jurisdictions under Pennsylvania law. Other unincorporated communities, such as villages, may be listed here as well.

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Northampton County.

† county seat

Education

Colleges and universities

Map of Northampton County, Pennsylvania school districts

• Lafayette College, Easton
• Lehigh University, Bethlehem
• Moravian College, Bethlehem
• Northampton County Area Community College, Bethlehem Township
• Respect Graduate School, Bethlehem

Public school districts

Bangor Area School District

• Bangor Area High School, Upper Mount Bethel Township

Bethlehem Area School District

• Freedom High School, Bethlehem
• Liberty High School, Bethlehem

Catasauqua Area School District

• Catasauqua High School, Northampton

Easton Area School District

• Easton Area High School, Palmer Township

Nazareth Area School District

• Nazareth Area High School, Nazareth

Northampton Area School District

• Northampton Area High School, Northampton

Pen Argyl Area School District

• Pen Argyl Area High School, Pen Argyl

Saucon Valley School District

• Saucon Valley High School, Hellertown

Wilson Area School District

• Wilson Area High School, Wilson

Public charter schools

Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts, Bethlehem

Private high schools

Notable people

Images for kids

• 

  The Easton–Phillipsburg Toll Bridge, connecting Easton in Northampton County with Phillipsburg and northwestern New Jersey in the Lehigh Valley, October 2009

• 

  Alumni Memorial Building at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, August 2005

• 

  Freedom High School, one of two large public high schools in Bethlehem, November 2008

• 

  Lehigh Valley International Airport in Hanover Township, March 2014

• 

  Larry Holmes Drive, an Easton street named in honor of Easton resident and former boxing heavyweight champion Larry Holmes, who fought under the nickname "The Easton Assassin".

• 

  Easton, the county seat of Northampton County, May 2009

• 

  Dery Silk Mill in Catasauqua, October 2012

• 

  Tatamy at sundown, November 2021

• 

  Allen Township, November 2011

• 

  East Allen Township, February 2013

• 

  Lake Poco Dam in Upper Mount Bethel Township, November 2011

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Northampton (Pensilvania) para niños