Mercer County, Pennsylvania

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Mercer County
U.S. county
Mercer County Courthouse (1909)
Mercer County Courthouse (1909)
Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Mercer County
Location within the U.S. state of Pennsylvania
Map of the United States highlighting Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 41°19′N 80°15′W / 41.31°N 80.25°W / 41.31; -80.25
Country United States
State Pennsylvania
FoundedNovember 7, 1803
Named forHugh Mercer
SeatMercer
Largest cityHermitage
Area
 • Total683 sq mi (1,770 km2)
 • Land673 sq mi (1,740 km2)
 • Water10 sq mi (30 km2)  1.5%%
Population
 (2020)[1]
 • Total110,652
 • Density162/sq mi (63/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district16th
Websitewww.mcc.co.mercer.pa.us

Mercer County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 110,652.[2] Its county seat is Mercer,[3] and its largest city is Hermitage. The county was created in 1800 and later organized in 1803.[4]

Mercer County is included in the Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA Metropolitan Statistical Area.

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.[5] 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. [2]

Adjacent counties[]

  • Crawford County (north)
  • Venango County (east)
  • Butler County (southeast)
  • Lawrence County (south)
  • Mahoning County, Ohio (southwest)
  • Trumbull County, Ohio (west)

Major highways[]

Demographics[]

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
18003,228—
18108,277156.4%
182011,68141.1%
183019,72968.9%
184032,87366.6%
185033,1720.9%
186036,85611.1%
187049,97735.6%
188056,16112.4%
189055,744−0.7%
190057,3872.9%
191077,69935.4%
192093,78820.7%
193099,2465.8%
1940101,0391.8%
1950111,95410.8%
1960127,51913.9%
1970127,175−0.3%
1980128,2990.9%
1990121,003−5.7%
2000120,307−0.6%
2010116,638−3.0%
2020110,652−5.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[6]
1790-1960[7] 1900-1990[8]
1990-2000[9] 2010-2019[10]2020[11]

As of the census[12] of 2000, there were 120,293 people, 46,712 households, and 32,371 families residing in the county. The population density was 179 people per square mile (69/km2). There were 49,859 housing units at an average density of 74 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.

Government and politics[]

Presidential election results

Voter Registration[]

As of November 7, 2017, there were 70,587 registered voters in the county. Republicans hold a razor thin plurality of voters by a margin of 395 voters (0.56% of the total registered). There were 30,929 registered Republicans, 30,534 registered Democrats, 8,697 voters registered to other parties, 353 to the Libertarian Party and 74 voters registered to the Green Party.[15]

Chart of Voter Registration

  Republican (43.82%)
  Democratic (43.26%)
  NPA/Other Parties (12.32%)
  Libertarian (0.50%)
  Green (0.10%)
Voter registration and party enrollment
Party Number of voters Percentage
Republican 30,929 43.82
Democratic 30,534 43.26
Others 8,697 12.32
Libertarian 353 0.50
Green 74 0.10
Total 70,587 100%

Political bellwether[]

Mercer County was previously considered a political bellwether for the state of Pennsylvania since its demographics, urban/rural ratio, and party affiliation once closely mirrored the state as a whole. In 2000, Al Gore carried it against George W. Bush. This trend failed to hold true during 2004 Presidential election and 2008 Presidential election, in which Mercer County voted more conservatively than the rest of the state. In 2004, George W. Bush won Mercer County with 51% of the vote. That year John Kerry won the state as a whole with 51% of the popular vote. In 2008, John McCain won Mercer County by fewer than 200 votes, as he and Barack Obama each received roughly 49% of the popular vote. Barack Obama won the state of Pennsylvania as a whole with 55% of the popular vote. Each of the three statewide office winners also carried Mercer in 2008. In 2016, Donald Trump won Mercer County by 12,403 votes. Trump also won the state of Pennsylvania. Each of the three Republican candidates for statewide office carried Mercer County in 2016. In 2020, Trump again carried the county, despite Pennsylvania narrowly voting for Joe Biden. Trump carried 62% of the vote, the largest majority for any major party candidate since 1964, and the largest majority for a Republican since 1928.[citation needed]

Commissioner[clarification needed] Party Title
Matthew McConnell Republican Chairman
Scott Boyd Republican Vice Chairman
Timothy McGonigle Democrat

County officials[]

Office Official Party
President Judge of Court of Common Pleas Robert G. Yeatts Democrat
Judge of Court of Common Pleas Daniel P. Wallace Republican
Judge of Court of Common Pleas Vacant
Judge of Court of Common Pleas Vacant
Clerk of Courts/Register of Wills Kathleen M. Kloos Democrat
District Attorney Pete Acker Republican
Coroner John A. Libonati Republican
Sheriff Roni Shilling Republican
Treasurer Amber White Republican
Prothonotary Ruth Bice Democrat
Recorder of Deeds Dee Dee Zickar Republican

State Senate[]

District Senator Party
50 Michele Brooks Republican

State House of Representatives[]

District Representative Party
7 Mark Longietti Democrat
8 Tedd Nesbit Republican
17 Parke Wentling Republican

United States House of Representatives[]

District Representative Party
16 Mike Kelly Republican

United States Senate[]

Senator Party
Pat Toomey Republican
Bob Casey Democrat

Education[]

Higher education[]

  • Butler County Community College (Pennsylvania) (Hermitage)
  • Grove City College (Grove City)
  • Thiel College (Greenville)
  • Pennsylvania State University, Shenango Campus (Sharon)

Career-based education[]

  • , Sharon
  • , Mercer
  • , Hermitage
  • , Sharon

Public school districts[]

Map of Mercer County, Pennsylvania Public School Districts

Charter schools[]

  • Keystone Education Center Charter School,[16] Greenville, PA. 256 pupils grades 7-12 Report Card 2010.[17]

Private schools[]

  • Kennedy Catholic High School, Hermitage, 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.[18] 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[]

Boroughs[]

Townships[]

Census-designated places[]

Unincorporated communities[]

Former community[]

  • -became the Municipality of Hermitage in 1976, and then the City of Hermitage in 1984.[19]

Population ranking[]

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Mercer County.[20]

† county seat

Rank City/Town/etc. Municipal type Population (2010 Census)
1 Hermitage City 16,220
2 Sharon City 14,038
3 Grove City Borough 8,322
4 Greenville Borough 5,919
5 Farrell City 5,111
6 Sharpsville Borough 4,415
7 Reynolds Heights CDP 2,061
8 † Mercer Borough 2,002
9 Stoneboro Borough 1,051
10 Lake Latonka CDP 1,012
11 West Middlesex Borough 863
12 Sandy Lake Borough 659
13 Clark Borough 640
14 Wheatland Borough 632
15 Jamestown Borough 617
16 Fredonia Borough 502
17 Jackson Center Borough 224
18 New Lebanon Borough 188
19 Sheakleyville Borough 142

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "QuickFacts Mercer County, Pennsylvania". Census. Census.
  2. ^ "QuickFacts Mercer County, Pennsylvania". Census. Census.
  3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. ^ "Pennsylvania: Individual County Chronologies". Pennsylvania Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2008. Archived from the original on March 25, 2015. Retrieved March 13, 2015.
  5. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
  6. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
  7. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
  8. ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 24, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
  9. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
  10. ^ "QuickFacts Mercer County, Pennsylvania". Census. Census.
  11. ^ "QuickFacts Mercer County, Pennsylvania". Census. Census.
  12. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  13. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
  14. ^ "Our Campaigns - U.S. President". Retrieved January 22, 2021.
  15. ^ "Election statistics" (PDF). dos.pa.gov. November 7, 2017.
  16. ^ Pennsylvania Department of Education (2011). "Charter Schools".
  17. ^ [1][dead link]
  18. ^ "Landmark metal forge burns in Mercer County." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Online. March 06, 2010.
  19. ^ "RootsWeb.com Home Page". www.rootsweb.ancestry.com.
  20. ^ Promotions, Center for New Media and. "US Census Bureau 2010 Census". www.census.gov. Retrieved March 23, 2018.

External links[]

Coordinates: 41°19′N 80°15′W / 41.31°N 80.25°W / 41.31; -80.25

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