Mercer County, Pennsylvania facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids

Mercer County

U.S. county

Mercer County Courthouse (1909)

Seal

Location within the U.S. state of Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania's location within the U.S.

Country

United States

State

Pennsylvania

Founded

November 7, 1803

Largest city

Area

• Total

683 sq mi (1,770 km²)

• Land

673 sq mi (1,740 km²)

• Water

10 sq mi (30 km²) 1.5%%

Population

(2020)

• Total

110,652

• Density

162/sq mi (63/km²)

Time zone

UTC−5 (Eastern)

• Summer (DST)

UTC−4 (EDT)

Congressional district

16th

Mercer County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 110,652. Its county seat is Mercer, and its largest city is Hermitage. The county is part of the Northwest Pennsylvania region of the state.

Mercer County compromises the Hermitage, PA Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Greater Pittsburgh area.

History

Mercer County was created in 1800 and later organized in 1803.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 683 square miles (1,770 km²), of which 673 square miles (1,740 km²) is land and 10 square miles (26 km²) (1.5%) is water. It has a humid continental climate (Dfa/Dfb) and average monthly temperatures in Sharon range from 27.1 °F in January to 72.2 °F in July, while in Mercer borough they range from 25.4 °F in January to 70.1 °F in July. Mercer County is one of the 423 counties served by the Appalachian Regional Commission, and it is identified as part of the "Midlands" by Colin Woodard in his book American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America.

Adjacent counties

Major highways

I-79
I-80
I-376
US 19
US 62
US 322
PA 18
PA 58
PA 158
PA 173
PA 208
PA 258
PA 318
PA 358
PA 418
PA 518
PA 718
PA 760
PA 846
PA 965

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1800	3,228	—
1810	8,277	156.4%
1820	11,681	41.1%
1830	19,729	68.9%
1840	32,873	66.6%
1850	33,172	0.9%
1860	36,856	11.1%
1870	49,977	35.6%
1880	56,161	12.4%
1890	55,744	−0.7%
1900	57,387	2.9%
1910	77,699	35.4%
1920	93,788	20.7%
1930	99,246	5.8%
1940	101,039	1.8%
1950	111,954	10.8%
1960	127,519	13.9%
1970	127,175	−0.3%
1980	128,299	0.9%
1990	121,003	−5.7%
2000	120,307	−0.6%
2010	116,638	−3.0%
2020	110,652	−5.1%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2019 2020

As of the census of 2000, there were 120,293 people, 46,712 households, and 32,371 families residing in the county. The population density was 179 inhabitants per square mile (69 inhabitants/km²). There were 49,859 housing units at an average density of 74 units per square mile (29/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 93.13% White, 5.25% Black or African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.17% from other races, and 0.91% from two or more races. 0.67% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 37.7% were of German, 20.0% Irish, 14.9% Italian, 12.0% English, 6.4% American, 6.2% Polish, 3.7% Scotch-Irish, 3.3% Dutch ancestry.

There were 46,712 households, out of which 29.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.80% were married couples living together, 10.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.70% were non-families. 27.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.96.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.40% under the age of 18, 8.90% from 18 to 24, 26.10% from 25 to 44, 23.50% from 45 to 64, and 18.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 94.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.80 males.

2020 census

Mercer County Racial Composition
Race	Num.	Perc.
White (NH)	96,998	87.6%
Black or African American (NH)	6,289	5.7%
Native American (NH)	116	0.1%
Asian (NH)	683	0.6%
Pacific Islander (NH)	14	0.01%
Other/Mixed (NH)	4,943	4.5%
Hispanic or Latino	1,609	1.5%

Education

Higher education

Grove City College (Grove City)
Thiel College (Greenville)
Pennsylvania State University, Shenango Campus (Sharon)
Butler County Community College, BC3 @ Linden Pointe (Hermitage)

Career-based education

Laurel Technical Institute, Sharon
Mercer County Career and Technical Center, Mercer
Penn State Cosmetology Academy, Hermitage
Sharon Regional Health System Schools of Nursing and Radiology, Sharon

Public school districts

Map of Mercer County, Pennsylvania Public School Districts

Crawford Central School District
Commodore Perry School District
Farrell Area School District
Greenville Area School District
Grove City Area School District
Hermitage School District
Jamestown Area School District
Lakeview School District
Mercer Area School District
Reynolds School District
Sharon City School District
Sharpsville Area School District
West Middlesex Area School District
Wilmington Area School District

Charter schools

Keystone Education Center Charter School, Greenville, PA. 256 pupils grades 7–12 Report Card 2010.

Private schools

Kennedy Catholic High School, Hermitage, PA.
St Michael's Elementary School, Greenville, PA.

Recreation

There is one Pennsylvania state park in Mercer County. Maurice K. Goddard State Park, named for Maurice K. Goddard, former Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources, is just off exit 130 of Interstate 79 on Pennsylvania Route 358 near Stoneboro.

The Wendell August Forge, the last remaining working forge in the state, was open to the public for tours, but it burned down on March 6, 2010. It has since reopened in new facilities.

Mercer County Court House built in 1909.

Communities

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

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

Cities

Farrell
Hermitage (largest city in Mercer County)
Sharon

Boroughs

Townships

Coolspring
Deer Creek
Delaware
East Lackawannock
Fairview
Findley
French Creek
Greene
Hempfield
Jackson
Jefferson
Lackawannock
Lake
Liberty
Mill Creek
New Vernon
Otter Creek
Perry
Pine
Pymatuning
Salem
Sandy Creek
Sandy Lake
Shenango
South Pymatuning
Springfield
Sugar Grove
West Salem
Wilmington
Wolf Creek
Worth

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Blacktown
Briscoe Springs
Carlton
Charleston
Clarks Mills
Delaware Grove
Fairview (village)
Hadley
Kennard
Kremis
London
Maysville
Milledgeville
New Vernon
North Liberty
Oniontown
Osgood
Petersburg
Shenango (village)
Transfer
Williams Corners

Former community

Hickory Township-became the Municipality of Hermitage in 1976, and then the City of Hermitage in 1984.
Wheatland-annexed by the City of Hermitage in 2024.

Mixed Nomenclature

Borough of Greenville is also interchangeably designated as Town of Greenville with exact municipal designation currently unclear.

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census and 2020 census of Mercer County.

† county seat

Rank	City/Town/etc.	Municipal type	Population (2010 Census)	Population (2020 Census)
1	Hermitage	City	16,413	16,231
2	Sharon	City	14,021	13,150
3	Grove City	Borough	8,334	7,884
4	Greenville	Borough	5,953	5,540
5	Farrell	City	4,953	4,259
6	Sharpsville	Borough	4,417	4,252
7	† Mercer	Borough	2,042	1,985
8	Reynolds Heights	CDP	2,061	1,974
9	Lake Latonka	CDP	1,012	951
10	Stoneboro	Borough	1,051	947
11	West Middlesex	Borough	863	816
12	Sandy Lake	Borough	657	650
13	Wheatland	Borough	632	583
14	Jamestown	Borough	617	582
15	Clark	Borough	640	575
16	Fredonia	Borough	494	435
17	Jackson Center	Borough	224	191
18	New Lebanon	Borough	189	185
19	Sheakleyville	Borough	142	150