kids encyclopedia robot

York County, Pennsylvania facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
York County
York County Courthouse
York County Courthouse
Official seal of York County
Seal
Map of Pennsylvania highlighting York 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 August 19, 1749
Named for Duke of York
Seat York
Largest city York
Area
 • Total 911 sq mi (2,360 km2)
 • Land 904 sq mi (2,340 km2)
 • Water 6.5 sq mi (17 km2)  0.7%%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 456,438
 • Density 481.1/sq mi (185.8/km2)
Time zone UTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional districts 10th, 11th

York County is a county in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 456,438. Its county seat is York. The county was created on August 19, 1749, from part of Lancaster County and named either after the Duke of York, an early patron of the Penn family, or for the city and county of York in England.

York County comprises the York-Hanover, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Harrisburg-York-Lebanon, Pennsylvania Combined Statistical Area. It is in the Susquehanna Valley, a large fertile agricultural region in South Central Pennsylvania.

Based on the Articles of Confederation having been adopted in York by the Second Continental Congress on November 15, 1777, the local government and business community began referring to York in the 1960s as the first capital of the United States of America. The designation has been debated by historians ever since. Congress considered York, and the borough of Wrightsville, on the eastern side of York County along the Susquehanna River, as a permanent capital of the United States before Washington, D.C., was selected.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 911 square miles (2,360 km2), of which 904 square miles (2,340 km2) is land and 6.5 square miles (17 km2) (0.7%) is water. The county is bound to its eastern border by the Susquehanna River. Its southern border is the Mason–Dixon line, which separates Pennsylvania and Maryland.

Adjacent counties

Major Highways

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1790 37,535
1800 25,643 −31.7%
1810 31,958 24.6%
1820 38,759 21.3%
1830 42,859 10.6%
1840 47,010 9.7%
1850 57,450 22.2%
1860 68,200 18.7%
1870 76,134 11.6%
1880 87,841 15.4%
1890 99,489 13.3%
1900 116,413 17.0%
1910 136,405 17.2%
1920 144,521 5.9%
1930 167,135 15.6%
1940 178,022 6.5%
1950 202,737 13.9%
1960 238,336 17.6%
1970 272,603 14.4%
1980 312,963 14.8%
1990 339,574 8.5%
2000 381,751 12.4%
2010 434,972 13.9%
2020 456,438 4.9%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790–1960 1900–1990
1990–2000 2010–2019
Countryside in York County PA
A farm in York County, Pennsylvania

As of the census of 2000, there were 381,751 people, 148,219 households, and 105,531 families residing in the county. The population density was 422 people per square mile (163/km2). There were 156,720 housing units at an average density of 173 per square mile (67/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 92.76% White, 3.69% African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.86% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.39% from other races, and 1.10% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.96% of the population. 42.0% were of German, 12.6% American, 7.7% Irish, 6.4% English and 5.1% Italian ancestry. 94.8% spoke English and 2.9% Spanish as their first language.

There were 148,219 households, out of which 32.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.30% were married couples living together, 9.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.80% were non-families. 23.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.60% under the age of 18, 7.50% from 18 to 24, 30.30% from 25 to 44, 24.00% from 45 to 64, and 13.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 96.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.80 males.

As of 2006, the York-Hanover Metropolitan Statistical Area was the fastest-growing metro area in the Northeast region, and was ranked among the fastest-growing in the nation, according to the "2006 Population Estimates for Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas" (U.S. Census Bureau). The estimates listed York-Hanover as the 95th fastest-growing metro area in the nation, increasing 9.1 percent between 2000 and 2006.

York city had a 77.3 percent increase in the number of residents of Hispanic or Latino origin, based on a comparison of the 2000 and 2010 U.S. census results. The city's 30.9 percent Hispanic population (as of December 2017) is more than that of other places in the area.

York County is home to Martin's Potato Chips in Thomasville, Utz Quality Foods, Inc. in Hanover, Snyder's of Hanover in Hanover, Hanover Foods in Hanover, Gibble's Potato Chips in York, Wolfgang Candy in York, The Bon-Ton in York, Dentsply in York, and a major manufacturing branch of Harley-Davidson Motor Company.

Dialect

The Central Pennsylvania accent and the Susquehanna dialect are the two most commonly heard speech patterns in the county, however there are numerous Mennonites and other persons of Pennsylvania Dutch descent that inhabit the county, who tend to speak with dialects similar to Pennsylvania Dutch English.

Metropolitan Statistical Area

The United States Office of Management and Budget has designated York County as the York-Hanover, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area. The United States Census Bureau ranked the York-Hanover, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area as the 9th most populous in the state of Pennsylvania, and 115th most populous metropolitan statistical area in the United States as of July 1, 2012.

The Office of Management and Budget has further designated the York-Hanover Metropolitan Statistical Area as a component of the more extensive Harrisburg-York-Lebanon, PA Combined Statistical Area, the 43rd most populous combined statistical area and the 49th most populous primary statistical area of the United States as of July 1, 2012. The CSA ranks 5th in the state of Pennsylvania.

Communities

Map of York County Pennsylvania With Municipal and Township Labels
Map of York 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, in at most two cases, towns. The following cities, boroughs and townships are in York County:

City

Boroughs

Townships

  • Carroll
  • Chanceford
  • Codorus
  • Conewago
  • Dover
  • East Hopewell
  • East Manchester
  • Fairview
  • Fawn
  • Franklin
  • Heidelberg
  • Hellam
  • Hopewell
  • Jackson
  • Lower Chanceford
  • Lower Windsor
  • Manchester
  • Manheim
  • Monaghan
  • Newberry
  • North Codorus
  • North Hopewell
  • Paradise
  • Peach Bottom
  • Penn
  • Shrewsbury
  • Spring Garden
  • Springettsbury
  • Springfield
  • Warrington
  • Washington
  • West Manchester
  • West Manheim
  • Windsor
  • York

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.

Unincorporated communities

Population ranking

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

county seat

Rank City/Town/etc. Municipal type Population (2010 Census)
1 York City 43,718
2 Hanover Borough 15,289
3 Weigelstown CDP 12,875
4 Shiloh CDP 11,218
5 East York CDP 8,777
6 Parkville CDP 6,706
7 Red Lion Borough 6,373
8 Spry CDP 4,891
9 West York Borough 4,617
10 New Freedom Borough 4,464
11 Dallastown Borough 4,049
12 Shrewsbury Borough 3,823
13 Grantley CDP 3,628
14 Valley Green CDP 3,429
15 Valley View CDP 2,817
16 Manchester Borough 2,763
17 Hallam Borough 2,673
18 Emigsville CDP 2,672
19 Dillsburg Borough 2,563
20 Stonybrook CDP 2,384
21 Wrightsville Borough 2,310
22 Susquehanna Trails CDP 2,264
23 Spring Grove Borough 2,167
24 Stewartstown Borough 2,089
25 Glen Rock Borough 2,025
26 Dover Borough 2,007
27 Pennville CDP 1,947
28 North York Borough 1,914
29 Yorklyn CDP 1,912
30 Tyler Run CDP 1,901
31 Jacobus Borough 1,841
32 Queens Gate CDP 1,464
33 Mount Wolf Borough 1,393
34 Windsor Borough 1,319
35 Loganville Borough 1,240
36 Yoe Borough 1,018
37 Goldsboro Borough 952
38 East Prospect Borough 905
39 New Market CDP 816
40 Jefferson Borough 733
41 Delta Borough 728
42 York Haven Borough 709
43 Winterstown Borough 632
44 New Salem CDP 579
45 Seven Valleys Borough 517
46 Cross Roads Borough 512
47 Felton Borough 506
48 Franklintown Borough 489
49 Fawn Grove Borough 452
50 Lewisberry Borough 362
51 Railroad Borough 278
52 Wellsville Borough 242
53 Yorkana Borough 229

Education

More Color Map of York County Pennsylvania School Districts
Map of York County, Pennsylvania School Districts

Public school districts

  • Central York School District
  • Dallastown Area School District
  • Dover Area School District
  • Eastern York School District
  • Hanover Public School District
  • Northeastern York School District
  • Northern York County School District
  • Red Lion Area School District
  • South Eastern School District
  • South Western School District
  • Southern York County School District
  • Spring Grove Area School District
  • West Shore School District
  • West York Area School District
  • York City School District
  • York Suburban School District

Vocational school

  • York County School of Technology

Public charter schools

  • Crispus Attucks Youthbuild Charter School (K–6) – York
  • Helen Thackston Charter School (6–12) – York
  • Lincoln Charter School (K–5) – York
  • New Hope Academy Charter School (K–6) – York
  • York Academy Regional Charter School
  • York Adams Academy (formerly York County High School)

Independent schools

  • Christian School of York (PreK–12)
  • Keystone Christian Academy York (K–8)
  • Logos Academy York (K–12)
  • St. Joseph School Hanover (PreK–8)
  • St. Joseph School (PreK–6)
  • St. John the Baptist Catholic School New Freedom (PreK–6)
  • Shrewsbury Christian Academy New Freedom (PreK–8)
  • Tidings of Peace Christian School York (K–12)
  • York Catholic High School (7–12)
  • York Country Day School (PreK–12)

Intermediate Unit

Lincoln Intermediate Unit (IU#12) region includes: Adams County, Franklin County and York County. The agency offers school districts, home schooled students and private schools many services including: special education services, combined purchasing, and instructional technology services. It runs Summer Academy which offers both art and academic strands designed to meet the individual needs of gifted, talented and high achieving students. Additional services include: Curriculum Mapping, Professional Development for school employees, Adult Education, Nonpublic School Services, Business Services, Migrant & ESL (English as a Second Language), Instructional Services, Management Services, and Technology Services. It also provides a GED program to adults who want to earn a high school diploma and literacy programs. The Lincoln Intermediate Unit is governed by a 13-member Board of Directors, each a member of a local school board from the 25 school districts. Board members are elected by school directors of all 25 school districts for three-year terms that begin the first day of July. There are 29 intermediate units in Pennsylvania. They are funded by school districts, state and federal program specific funding and grants. IUs do not have the power to tax.

Colleges and universities

  • Pennsylvania State University, Penn State York campus
  • Harrisburg Area Community College – York Campus
  • The Art Institute of York (Closed September 23, 2017)
  • York College of Pennsylvania
  • YTI Career Institute (YTI = York Technical Institute)
  • Yorktowne Business Institute (Closed 2015)

Adult education

  • YTI Career Institute
  • Motorcycle Technology Center
  • York Time Institute

Notable people

Images for kids

See also

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

kids search engine
York County, Pennsylvania Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.