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| Dauphin County, Pennsylvania | |
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| Map | |
 Location in the state of Pennsylvania |
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 Pennsylvania's location in the U.S. |
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| Statistics | |
| Founded | March 4, 1785 |
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| Seat | Harrisburg |
| Largest city | Harrisburg |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
558 sq mi (1,445 km²) 525 sq mi (1,360 km²) 32 sq mi (83 km²), |
| Population - (2000) - Density |
251,798 479/sq mi (185/km²) |
| Website: www.dauphincounty.org | |
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Dauphin County (pronounced /ˈdȯ-fən/) is a county in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and is one of the three counties comprising the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2004, the population was estimated at 253,282. The county includes the city of Harrisburg, which has served as the state capital since 1812.
Dauphin County was created on March 4, 1785, from part of Lancaster County and was named after Louis-Joseph, Dauphin of France the first son of Louis XVI. Louis-Joseph's title of Dauphin signified that he was the heir apparent to the throne of France. The county seat is Harrisburg.1
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Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 558 square miles (1,450 km2), of which, 525 square miles (1,360 km2) of it is land and 32 square miles (83 km2) of it (5.78%) is water. The county is bound to its western border by the Susquehanna River.
Adjacent counties
- Northumberland County (north)
- Schuylkill County (northeast)
- Lebanon County (east)
- Lancaster County (south)
- York County (southwest)
- Cumberland County (west)
- Perry County (west)
Major Highways
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 251,798 people, 102,670 households, and 66,119 families residing in the county. The population density was 479 people per square mile (185/km²). There were 111,133 housing units at an average density of 212 per square mile (82/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 77.11% White, 16.91% Black or African American, 0.16% Native American, 1.96% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.97% from other races, and 1.85% from two or more races. 4.13% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 29.2% were of German, 7.5% Irish, 7.3% American and 7.2% Italian ancestry according to Census 2000. 91.8% spoke English and 3.9% Spanish as their first language.
According to 2005 estimates, 73.9% of the county's population was non-Hispanic whites. 17.8% of the population was African-Americans. 2.5% were Asians. Latinos now were 5.0% of the population.3
In 2000 there were 102,670 households out of which 29.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.60% were married couples living together, 12.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.60% were non-families. 30.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the county, the population was spread out with 24.30% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 30.10% from 25 to 44, 23.80% from 45 to 64, and 14.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 92.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.80 males.
Politics
As of April 2008, there are 185,699 registered voters in Dauphin County [1].
- Democratic: 79,665 (43.00%)
- Republican: 83,269 (45.04%)
- Other Parties: 22,765 (12.31%)
Like most of the rest of the Susquehanna Valley, Dauphin County was once reliably Republican. However, there has been a decided shift toward the Democrats in recent years. In 2008, Barack Obama became the first Democratic presidential candidate to carry Dauphin County since 1964.
Municipalities in Dauphin County
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 located in Dauphin County:
Cities
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Boroughs
Townships
Unincorporated and 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.
Education
Colleges and universities
- Dixon University Center
- Harrisburg Area Community College
- Harrisburg University of Science and Technology
- Penn State Harrisburg
- Penn State Hershey Medical Center
- Temple University Harrisburg Campus
- Widener University School of Law
Public School Districts
- Central Dauphin School District
- Derry Township School District
- Halifax Area School District
- Harrisburg School District
- Lower Dauphin School District
- Middletown Area School District
- Millersburg School District
- Steelton-Highspire School District
- Susquehanna Township School District
- Susquenita School District (also in Perry County)
- Upper Dauphin School District
- Williams Valley School District (also in Schuylkill County)
Library system
The Dauphin County Library System provides library service to the residents of the county through a main library in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and seven branch libraries. DCLS is a private, non-profit corporation. It is governed by a 17-member Board of Trustees, five appointed annually by the Dauphin County Commissioners, and twelve elected for three-year terms. The library is a member of the Pennsylvania library system.
Recreation
There are two Pennsylvania state parks in Dauphin County.
Both of the these parks are among the newest state parks in Pennsylvania.
See also
References
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ Dauphin County QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau
External links
- County of Dauphin (official website)
- The Historical Society of Dauphin County
- Dauphin County Library System
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