List of counties in Pennsylvania

The following is a list of the 67 counties of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The city of Philadelphia is coterminous with Philadelphia County, the municipalities having been consolidated in 1854, and all remaining county government functions having been merged into the city after a 1951 referendum.[1][2] Eight of the ten most populous counties are in the southeastern portion of the state, including four out of the top five, and eight of the top ten most populous counties are in either the Greater Philadelphia or Greater Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Areas.

Counties of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania counties (clickable map)Adams CountyAllegheny CountyArmstrong CountyBeaver CountyBedford CountyBerks CountyBlair CountyBradford CountyBucks CountyButler CountyCameron CountyCambria CountyCarbon CountyCentre CountyClarion CountyChester CountyClearfield CountyClinton CountyColumbia CountyCrawford CountyCumberland CountyDauphin CountyDelaware CountyElk CountyErie CountyFayette CountyForest CountyFranklin CountyFulton CountyGreene CountyHuntingdon CountyIndiana CountyJefferson CountyJuniata CountyLackawanna CountyLancaster CountyLawrence CountyLebanon CountyLehigh CountyLuzerne CountyLycoming CountyMcKean CountyMercer CountyMifflin CountyMonroe CountyMontgomery CountyMontour CountyNorthampton CountyNorthumberland CountyPerry CountyPhiladelphia  CountyPike CountyPotter CountySchuylkill CountySnyder CountySomerset CountySullivan CountySusquehanna CountyTioga CountyUnion CountyVenango CountyWarren CountyWashington CountyWayne CountyWestmoreland CountyWyoming CountyYork County
Pennsylvania counties (clickable map)
LocationPennsylvania
Number67
Populations4,380 (Cameron) – 1,550,542 (Philadelphia)
Areas132 square miles (340 km2) (Montour) – 1,244 square miles (3,220 km2) (Lycoming)
Government

FIPS code

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An 1836 map of Pennsylvania's counties

The Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) code, used by the U.S. government to uniquely identify counties, is provided with each entry. FIPS codes are five-digit numbers; for Pennsylvania the codes start with 42 and are completed with the three-digit county code. The FIPS code for each county in the table links to census data for the specific county.[3]

County list

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County
FIPS code[4] County seat[5] Established[5] Origin Etymology[6] Population[7] Area[5] Map
Adams County 001 Gettysburg 1800 Parts of York County John Adams, second U.S. President 106,748 522 sq mi
(1,352 km2)
 
Allegheny County 003 Pittsburgh 1788 Parts of Washington and Westmoreland Counties Delaware word for the Allegheny River, which possibly translates to "beautiful river" 1,224,825 745 sq mi
(1,930 km2)
 
Armstrong County 005 Kittanning 1800 Parts of Allegheny, Lycoming, and Westmoreland Counties John Armstrong, Revolutionary War general 64,074 664 sq mi
(1,720 km2)
 
Beaver County 007 Beaver 1800 Parts of Allegheny and Washington Counties Beaver River, itself named for the eponymous animal that was sighted along its banks 165,631 444 sq mi
(1,150 km2)
 
Bedford County 009 Bedford 1771 Parts of Cumberland County Fort Bedford, which is named for John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford 47,350 1,015 sq mi
(2,629 km2)
 
Berks County 011 Reading 1752 Parts of Chester, Lancaster and Philadelphia Counties The English county of Berkshire 432,821 866 sq mi
(2,243 km2)
 
Blair County 013 Hollidaysburg 1846 Parts of Huntingdon and Bedford Counties John Blair (1766-1832) a local pioneer farmer, merchant, and public servant[8] 120,273 527 sq mi
(1,365 km2)
 
Bradford County 015 Towanda 1810 Parts of Luzerne and Lycoming Counties; originally called Ontario County, renamed as Bradford County in 1812. William Bradford, second U.S. Attorney General 59,695 1,161 sq mi
(3,007 km2)
 
Bucks County 017 Doylestown 1682 One of the original counties at the formation of Pennsylvania The English county of Buckinghamshire 645,984 622 sq mi
(1,611 km2)
 
Butler County 019 Butler 1800 Parts of Allegheny County Richard Butler, Revolutionary War general 198,413 795 sq mi
(2,059 km2)
 
Cambria County 021 Ebensburg 1804 Parts of Somerset and Huntingdon Counties Cambria, the traditional name for Wales 130,668 693 sq mi
(1,795 km2)
 
Cameron County 023 Emporium 1860 Parts of Clinton, Elk, McKean, and Potter Counties Simon Cameron, U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania 4,380 399 sq mi
(1,033 km2)
 
Carbon County 025 Jim Thorpe 1843 Parts of Monroe and Northampton Counties Carbon, the element found in coal 65,458 387 sq mi
(1,002 km2)
 
Centre County 027 Bellefonte 1800 Parts of Lycoming, Mifflin, Northumberland, and Huntingdon Counties Centre Furnace, the first industrial facility in the area 157,795 1,112 sq mi
(2,880 km2)
 
Chester County 029 West Chester 1682 One of the original counties at the formation of Pennsylvania The English city of Chester in the county of Cheshire 549,784 760 sq mi
(1,968 km2)
 
Clarion County 031 Clarion 1839 Parts of Venango and Armstrong Counties Clarion River, itself so named for its clarity 36,970 609 sq mi
(1,577 km2)
 
Clearfield County 033 Clearfield 1804 Parts of Lycoming and Huntingdon Counties; Clearfield functioned as a part of Centre County for judiciary purposes until 1822. The cleared fields from logging in the area 77,090 1,154 sq mi
(2,989 km2)
 
Clinton County 035 Lock Haven 1839 Parts of Lycoming and Centre Counties DeWitt Clinton, New York Governor and prominent statesman 37,607 898 sq mi
(2,326 km2)
 
Columbia County 037 Bloomsburg 1813 Parts of Northumberland and Luzerne Counties Columbia, the first popular and poetic name for the United States 65,439 490 sq mi
(1,269 km2)
 
Crawford County 039 Meadville 1800 Parts of Allegheny County William Crawford, surveyor who helped to open trans-Appalachian lands to settlement 82,001 1,038 sq mi
(2,688 km2)
 
Cumberland County 041 Carlisle 1750 Parts of Lancaster County The historic English county of Cumberland 270,738 551 sq mi
(1,427 km2)
 
Dauphin County 043 Harrisburg 1785 Parts of Lancaster County Louis-Joseph, Dauphin of France 289,234 558 sq mi
(1,445 km2)
 
Delaware County 045 Media 1789 Parts of Chester County Delaware River, itself named for Lord De La Warr 576,720 191 sq mi
(495 km2)
 
Elk County 047 Ridgway 1843 Parts of Jefferson, McKean, and Clearfield Counties Elk, which inhabit the forested county 30,198 832 sq mi
(2,155 km2)
 
Erie County 049 Erie 1800 Parts of Allegheny County; attached to Crawford County until 1803. Lake Erie 267,571 799 sq mi
(2,069 km2)
 
Fayette County 051 Uniontown 1783 Parts of Westmoreland County The Marquis de Lafayette, French-born Revolutionary War general 123,915 798 sq mi
(2,067 km2)
 
Forest County 053 Tionesta 1848 Parts of Jefferson County; attached to Jefferson County until 1857. Chief natural feature 6,449 431 sq mi
(1,116 km2)
 
Franklin County 055 Chambersburg 1784 Parts of Cumberland County Benjamin Franklin, key Founding Father of the United States 157,854 771 sq mi
(1,997 km2)
 
Fulton County 057 McConnellsburg 1850 Parts of Bedford County Robert Fulton, inventor of the steamboat 14,468 438 sq mi
(1,134 km2)
 
Greene County 059 Waynesburg 1796 Parts of Washington County Nathanael Greene, Revolutionary War general 34,357 578 sq mi
(1,497 km2)
 
Huntingdon County 061 Huntingdon 1787 Parts of Bedford County The historic English county of Huntingdonshire 43,514 889 sq mi
(2,302 km2)
 
Indiana County 063 Indiana 1803 Parts of Lycoming and Westmoreland Counties; it was attached to Westmoreland County until 1806. From the Indiana Grant of 1768, that the Iroquois Six Nations were forced to make to "suffering traders" under the Fort Stanwix Treaty of 1768. 83,094 834 sq mi
(2,160 km2)
 
Jefferson County 065 Brookville 1804 Parts of Lycoming County Attached to Westmoreland County until 1806 and to Indiana County until 1830. Thomas Jefferson, third U.S. President 43,612 657 sq mi
(1,702 km2)
 
Juniata County 067 Mifflintown 1831 Parts of Mifflin County Juniata River, itself named for the Iroquoian word Onayutta, meaning "Standing Stone" 23,243 394 sq mi
(1,020 km2)
 
Lackawanna County 069 Scranton 1878 Parts of Luzerne County Lackawanna River, itself named for the Delaware word meaning "stream that forks" 216,123 465 sq mi
(1,204 km2)
 
Lancaster County 071 Lancaster 1729 Parts of Chester County The English city of Lancaster 558,589 984 sq mi
(2,549 km2)
 
Lawrence County 073 New Castle 1849 Parts of Beaver and Mercer Counties James Lawrence, War of 1812 captain 84,472 363 sq mi
(940 km2)
 
Lebanon County 075 Lebanon 1813 Parts of Dauphin and Lancaster Counties Lebanon, the Biblical term for "White Mountain", which references the piety of the county's Moravian founders 144,252 363 sq mi
(940 km2)
 
Lehigh County 077 Allentown 1812 Parts of Northampton County Lehigh River, from the Lenape Lechewuekink, "where there are forks". 377,754 349 sq mi
(904 km2)
 
Luzerne County 079 Wilkes-Barre 1786 Parts of Northumberland County Anne-César, Chevalier de la Luzerne, French ambassador to the U.S. who aided republican causes 327,388 907 sq mi
(2,349 km2)
 
Lycoming County 081 Williamsport 1795 Parts of Northumberland County Lycoming Creek, itself named for the Delaware word iacomic meaning "great steam" 112,724 1,244 sq mi
(3,222 km2)
 
McKean County 083 Smethport 1804 Parts of Lycoming County; Attached to Centre County until 1814 and to Lycoming County until 1826 for judicial and elective purposes. McKean was fully organized only in 1826. Thomas McKean, second Governor of Pennsylvania 39,519 984 sq mi
(2,549 km2)
 
Mercer County 085 Mercer 1800 Parts of Allegheny County Hugh Mercer, Revolutionary War general 108,503 683 sq mi
(1,769 km2)
 
Mifflin County 087 Lewistown 1789 Parts of Cumberland and Northumberland Counties Thomas Mifflin, first Governor of Pennsylvania 45,922 415 sq mi
(1,075 km2)
 
Monroe County 089 Stroudsburg 1836 Parts of Pike and Northampton Counties James Monroe, fifth U.S President 166,053 617 sq mi
(1,598 km2)
 
Montgomery County 091 Norristown 1784 Parts of Philadelphia County The historic Welsh county of Montgomeryshire or Richard Montgomery, a general killed in the 1775 Battle of Quebec 868,742 487 sq mi
(1,261 km2)
 
Montour County 093 Danville 1850 Parts of Columbia County Madame Montour, colonial ambassador to the Native Americans 17,860 132 sq mi
(342 km2)
 
Northampton County 095 Easton 1752 Parts of Bucks County The English town of Northampton 319,091 377 sq mi
(976 km2)
 
Northumberland County 097 Sunbury 1772 Parts of Lancaster, Berks, Bedford, Cumberland, and Northampton Counties The English county of Northumberland 90,120 477 sq mi
(1,235 km2)
 
Perry County 099 New Bloomfield 1820 Parts of Cumberland County Oliver Hazard Perry, War of 1812 commodore 46,083 556 sq mi
(1,440 km2)
 
Philadelphia County 101 Philadelphia 1682 One of the original counties at the formation of Pennsylvania "Brotherly love" from Greek philos ("love") and adelphos ("brother") 1,550,542 143 sq mi
(370 km2)
 
Pike County 103 Milford 1814 Parts of Wayne County Zebulon Pike, explorer of the American West 61,247 567 sq mi
(1,469 km2)
 
Potter County 105 Coudersport 1804 From Lycoming county Attached to Lycoming County until 1826 and to McKean County until 1835 for judicial purposes, Potter was not fully organized until 1835. James Potter, Revolutionary War general 15,999 1,081 sq mi
(2,800 km2)
 
Schuylkill County 107 Pottsville 1811 Parts of Berks and Northampton Counties Schuylkill River, itself a Dutch corruption of a Delaware word possibly meaning "hidden river" 143,786 778 sq mi
(2,015 km2)
 
Snyder County 109 Middleburg 1855 Parts of Union County Simon Snyder, third Governor of Pennsylvania 39,717 332 sq mi
(860 km2)
 
Somerset County 111 Somerset 1795 Parts of Bedford County The historic English county of Somerset 72,197 1,081 sq mi
(2,800 km2)
 
Sullivan County 113 Laporte 1847 Parts of Lycoming County; attached to Lycoming until 1848. John Sullivan, Revolutionary War general 5,834 452 sq mi
(1,171 km2)
 
Susquehanna County 115 Montrose 1810 Parts of Luzerne County ; attached to Luzerne County until 1812. Susquehanna River, itself named after an Algonquin word for "muddy current" 38,109 832 sq mi
(2,155 km2)
 
Tioga County 117 Wellsboro 1804 Parts of Lycoming County; attached to Lycoming until 1812. Tioga River, itself named for the Delaware word for "forks of the stream" 40,840 1,137 sq mi
(2,945 km2)
 
Union County 119 Lewisburg 1813 Parts of Northumberland County The federal union of the states 42,042 317 sq mi
(821 km2)
 
Venango County 121 Franklin 1800 Parts of Allegheny and Lycoming Counties; attached to until 1805. A corruption of the Delaware word onenge, meaning "otter" 49,431 683 sq mi
(1,769 km2)
 
Warren County 123 Warren 1800 Parts of Allegheny and Lycoming counties; attached to Crawford County until 1805 and then to Venango until Warren was formally organized in 1819. Joseph Warren, Revolutionary War general 37,572 898 sq mi
(2,326 km2)
 
Washington County 125 Washington 1781 Parts of Westmoreland County George Washington, first U.S. President 210,232 861 sq mi
(2,230 km2)
 
Wayne County 127 Honesdale 1798 Parts of Northampton County Anthony Wayne, Revolutionary War general 51,262 751 sq mi
(1,945 km2)
 
Westmoreland County 129 Greensburg 1773 Parts of Bedford County The historic English county of Westmorland 351,163 1,036 sq mi
(2,683 km2)
 
Wyoming County 131 Tunkhannock 1842 Parts of Luzerne County The Delaware word xwéːwaməŋk, meaning "at the big river flat" 25,902 405 sq mi
(1,049 km2)
 
York County 133 York 1749 Parts of Lancaster County The English city of York 464,640 910 sq mi
(2,357 km2)
 

Former counties

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The Province of Pennsylvania's Three Lower Counties had been transferred from New York Colony in 1682. In 1701 these counties became a separate colony called Delaware Colony, although it shared the same colonial governor as Pennsylvania until independence in 1776.

County
FIPS code[4] County seat[9][10] Est.[9][10] History[9][11] Etymology[11] Population[12] Area[10] Map
Kent County 001 Dover 1680 Created from Whorekill (Hoarkill) District. Formerly known as St. Jones County. Named in 1682 by William Penn for the English county of Kent. 189,789 800 sq mi
(2,072 km2)
 
New Castle County 003 Wilmington 1664 Original County (Formally New Amstel) Named in 1673 by Dutch Governor Anthony Colve for the town of New Castle, Delaware as an Anglicization of Nieuw Amstel. 578,592 494 sq mi
(1,279 km2)
 
Sussex County 005 Georgetown 1664 Created from Whorekill (Hoarkill) District. Formerly known as Deale County Named in 1682 by William Penn for the English county of Sussex, which was his home county. 263,509 1,196 sq mi
(3,098 km2)
 

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Petshek, Kirk R. (1973). The Challenge of Urban Reform. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Temple University Press. p. 39. ISBN 978-0-87722-058-9.
  2. ^ "City and County Merger Believed OK'd by Voters". The Philadelphia Inquirer. November 7, 1951 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "EPA County FIPS Code Listing". US Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved July 24, 2007.
  4. ^ a b "EPA County FIPS Code Listing". EPA.gov. Retrieved February 23, 2008.
  5. ^ a b c National Association of Counties. "NACo – Find a county". Archived from the original on October 25, 2007. Retrieved April 30, 2008.
  6. ^ "Pennsylvania Counties". Pennsylvania State Archives. Archived from the original on March 6, 2009. Retrieved September 14, 2009.
  7. ^ Bureau, U.S. Census. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 19, 2024. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  8. ^ "John Blair Historical Marker". The Historical Marker Database. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
  9. ^ a b c Delaware Genealogical Society (1997). "Delaware Counties and Hundreds". Delaware Genealogical Society. Archived from the original on June 13, 2006. Retrieved June 1, 2006.
  10. ^ a b c National Association of Counties. "NACo - Find a county". Archived from the original on April 10, 2005. Retrieved April 30, 2008.
  11. ^ a b The Historical Society of Delaware (1997). "Delaware Counties". Archived from the original on July 19, 2006. Retrieved June 1, 2006.
  12. ^ Delaware Census Data Archived December 31, 2016, at the Wayback Machine