Dauphin County, Pennsylvania

Dauphin County (Pennsylvania Dutch: Daffin Kaundi) is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 286,401. The county seat is Harrisburg, Pennsylvania's state capital and ninth-most populous city. The 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 King Louis XVI. The county is part of the South Central Pennsylvania region of the state.

Dauphin County is included in the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Located within the county is Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station, site of the 1979 nuclear core meltdown. The nuclear power plant closed in 2019.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 558 sqmi, of which 525 sqmi is land and 33 sqmi (5.9%) is water. The county is bound to its western border by the Susquehanna River (with the exception of a small peninsula next to Duncannon). The area code is 717 with an overlay of 223.

Adjacent counties

 * Northumberland County (north)
 * Schuylkill County (northeast)
 * Lebanon County (east)
 * Lancaster County (south)
 * York County (southwest)
 * Cumberland County (west)
 * Perry County (west)
 * Juniata County (northwest)

Major roads and highways

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Climate
Most of the county by area has a humid continental climate (Dfa except for some Dfb in highlands.) The inclusion of temperature numbers for the past decade shows some lower-lying areas, including Harrisburg, to have a humid subtropical climate (Cfa.) The hardiness zone is 7a except in some higher northern areas where it is 6b and a few very small areas along the river below the city including the airport where it is 7b. 

Demographics
As of the 2010 census, the county was 72.7% White, 18.0% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 3.2% Asian, and 3.1% were two or more races. 7.0% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry.

As of the census of 2000, there were 251,798 people, 102,670 households, and 66,119 families residing in the county. The population density was 479 PD/sqmi. There were 111,133 housing units at an average density of 212 /mi2. 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. 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.

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.

A study by Echelon Insights found Dauphin County to be the most typical county in America, with its 2016 presidential vote, median income, higher education rate, and religiosity all very close to the national averages.

Amish community
Dauphin County is home to an Amish community that resides in the Lykens Valley in the northern part of the county, consisting of eight church districts. The community was settled by Amish from Lancaster County seeking cheaper land.

Metropolitan Statistical Area
The United States Office of Management and Budget has designated Dauphin County as the Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). As of the 2010 U.S. Census the metropolitan area ranked 5th most populous in the State of Pennsylvania and the 96th most populous in the United States with a population of 549,475. Dauphin County is also a part of the larger Harrisburg–York–Lebanon combined statistical area (CSA), which combines the populations of Dauphin County as well as Adams, Cumberland, Lebanon, Perry and York Counties in Pennsylvania. The combined statistical area ranked the 5th most populous in Pennsylvania and 43rd most populous in the nation with a population of 1,219,422.

Politics and government

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Dauphin County was historically a Republican stronghold, like most of south-central Pennsylvania. It was long one of the more conservative urban counties in the nation, having only supported a Democrat for president twice from 1880 to 2004. However, there has been a decided shift toward the Democrats in national and statewide elections in recent years. This culminated when the Democrats overtook the Republicans in countywide registration during the summer of 2008.

Bob Casey Jr. carried the county in the 2006 Senate election when he unseated Rick Santorum. According to the Dauphin County Board of Elections, in 2008 Barack Obama became the first Democratic presidential candidate to carry Dauphin County since 1964, receiving 9.0% more of the vote than John McCain. It was also only the third time Dauphin County had supported a Democrat for president since 1936. Obama won Dauphin with a slightly reduced majority in 2012, while Hillary Clinton won it with a narrow plurality in 2016. It is now the only blue county in the traditionally powerfully Republican Susquehanna Valley.

In 2023, with the election of newcomer Justin Douglas to join George Hartwick, III, the Democrats took the majority of the County Commissioners for the first time in nearly 100 years. That same year, Democrat Bridget Whitley was elected Clerk of Courts as the first Democratic row officer, while the remaining row offices remained Republican. Three of the state house seats are held by Democrats. Republicans control two state house seats as well as both of the state senate seats and the congressional seat. Most local elected officials are also Republican, by a margin of 3 to 1. This is because most of the Democratic gains have been in already heavily Democratic Harrisburg, which has had a Democratic mayor since 1982 and has been represented in the state house by a Democrat since 1975. In contrast, the suburbs and rural areas have continued to lean Republican.

Voter registration
As of February 5, 2024, 44.56% of registered voters in the county were Democrats, 38.74% Republicans, 12.54% non-affiliated, and 4.16% other party.

Party registration stats according to the Secretary of State's office:

County commissioners

 * George P. Hartwick III, Chairman, Democrat
 * Justin Douglas, Vice Chairman, Democrat
 * Mike Pries, Secretary, Republican

Other county offices

 * Clerk of Courts, Bridget Whitley, Democrat
 * Controller, Mary Bateman, Republican
 * Coroner, Graham Hetrick, Republican
 * District Attorney, Fran Chardo, Republican
 * Prothonotary, Matt Krupp, Republican
 * Recorder of Deeds, Jim Zugay, Republican
 * Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphans' Court, Jean Marfizo King, Republican
 * Sheriff, Nick Chimienti, Republican
 * Treasurer, Nick DiFrancesco, Republican
 * Solicitor, Fred Lighty, Esquire

State representatives

 * Patty Kim, Democrat, 103rd district
 * Dave Madsen, Democrat, 104th district
 * Justin Fleming, Democrat, 105th district
 * Tom Mehaffie, Republican, 106th district
 * Joseph Kerwin, Republican, 125th district

State senate

 * John DiSanto, Republican, 15th district
 * Greg Rothman, Republican, 34th district

United States House of Representatives

 * Scott Perry, Republican, 10th district

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
School districts include:


 * Central Dauphin School District
 * Derry Township School District
 * Halifax Area School District
 * Harrisburg School District (Pennsylvania)
 * 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)

Public charter schools
Several public charter schools are established in Dauphin County
 * Infinity Charter School
 * Sylvan Heights Science Charter School
 * Capital Area School for the Arts
 * Premier Arts and Science Charter School

Intermediate unit
The Capital Area Intermediate Unit 15 is a state approved education agency that offers: school districts, charter schools, private schools, and home school students, a variety of services including: a completely developed K–12 curriculum that is mapped and aligned with the Pennsylvania Academic Standards (available online), shared services, a group purchasing program and a wide variety of special education and special needs services.

Library system
The Dauphin County Library System provides library service to the residents of the county through a main central library in the state capital and county seat of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and eight 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.

Private schools
As reported by the National Center for Educational Statistics


 * Armstrong Valley Christian School – Halifax
 * Berrysburg Christian Academy – Elizabethvile
 * Bishop McDevitt High School – Harrisburg
 * Cathedral Consolidated School – Harrisburg
 * Covenant Christian Academy – Harrisburg
 * East Shore Montessori School – Harrisburg
 * Emmanuel Wesleyan Academy – Gratz
 * Garden Spot Amish School – Millersburg
 * Garden Spot School – Millersburg
 * Goddard School – Harrisburg
 * Hansel and Gretel Early Learning Centers – Harrisburg
 * Harrisburg Adventist School – Harrisburg
 * Harrisburg Christian School – Harrisburg
 * Hillside Amish School – Harrisville
 * Hillside Seventh Day Adventist School – Harrisburg
 * Keystone Math and Science Academy – Harrisburg
 * Kinder-Care Learning Center – Harrisburg
 * KinderCare Learning Center – Hershey
 * Londonderry School – Harrisburg
 * Mahantango School – Lykens
 * Matterstown School – Millersburg
 * Middletown Christian School – Middletown
 * Milton Hershey School – Hershey
 * North Mountain View Amish – Millersburg
 * Northern Dauphin Christian School – Millersburg
 * Pride of the Neighborhood Academies – Harrisburg
 * Rakers Mill School – Elizabethville
 * Rolling Acres School – Lykens
 * Seven Sorrows of BMV School – Middletown
 * Sonshine Learning Station – Middletown
 * South Mountain View School – Spring Glen
 * Specktown School – Lykens
 * St. Catherine Laboure School – Harrisburg
 * St Joan of Arc Elementary School – Hershey
 * St. Margaret Mary School – Harrisburg
 * St. Stephen's Episcopal School – Harrisburg
 * Tender Years Inc. – Hershey
 * The Nativity School of Harrisburg – Harrisburg
 * Windy Knoll School – Spring Glen
 * Wordsworth Academy – Harrisbrug
 * Yeshiva Academy – Harrisburg

Economy
The largest employers in Dauphin County in 2019 were:


 * Commonwealth Government
 * Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
 * The Hershey Company
 * Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Co.
 * UPMC Pinnacle Hospitals
 * Federal Government
 * Pennsylvania State University
 * PHEAA – Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency
 * United Parcel Service Inc
 * TYCO Electronics Corp.

Recreation
There are two Pennsylvania state parks in Dauphin County.
 * Boyd Big Tree Preserve Conservation Area
 * Joseph E. Ibberson Conservation Area

Communities


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:

City

 * Harrisburg (county seat)

Boroughs

 * Berrysburg
 * Dauphin
 * Elizabethville
 * Gratz
 * Halifax
 * Highspire
 * Hummelstown
 * Lykens
 * Middletown
 * Millersburg
 * Paxtang
 * Penbrook
 * Pillow
 * Royalton
 * Steelton
 * Williamstown

Townships

 * Conewago
 * Derry
 * East Hanover
 * Halifax
 * Jackson
 * Jefferson
 * Londonderry
 * Lower Paxton
 * Lower Swatara
 * Lykens
 * Middle Paxton
 * Mifflin
 * Reed
 * Rush
 * South Hanover
 * Susquehanna
 * Swatara
 * Upper Paxton
 * Washington
 * Wayne
 * West Hanover
 * Wiconisco
 * Williams

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.


 * Bressler
 * Colonial Park
 * Enhaut
 * Hershey
 * Lawnton
 * Lenkerville
 * Linglestown
 * Oberlin
 * Palmdale
 * Paxtonia
 * Progress
 * Rutherford
 * Skyline View
 * Union Deposit
 * Wiconisco

Unincorporated communities

 * Bachmanville
 * Cartin
 * Chambers Hill
 * Clifton
 * Dietrich
 * Deodate
 * Dayton
 * Carsonville
 * Ebenezer
 * Edgemont
 * Ellendale Forge
 * Enders
 * Enterline
 * Erdman
 * Estherton
 * Freys Grove
 * Fort Hunter
 * Grantville
 * Greenfield
 * Hanoverdale
 * Heckton
 * Hockersville
 * Hoernerstown
 * Inglenook
 * Jednota
 * Killinger
 * Loyalton
 * Lucknow
 * Manada Gap
 * Manada Hill
 * Matamoras
 * Matterstown
 * Montrose Park
 * Oakleigh
 * Oakmont
 * Oberlin Gardens
 * Paxtang Manor
 * Piketown
 * Powells Valley
 * Rockville
 * Sand Beach
 * Shellsville
 * Singersville
 * Speeceville
 * Swatara
 * Vaughn
 * Waynesville

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

† county seat

Notable people

 * Milton S. Hershey (1857–1945), founder of The Hershey Company and the town of Hershey
 * H.B. Reese (1879–1956), inventor of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
 * Samuel B. Garver (1839–1911), an Illinois state representative, businessman, and farmer, was born in Dauphin County.
 * Nicholas H. Heck (1882–1953), a geophysicist, seismologist, oceanographer, hydrographic surveyor, and United States Coast and Geodetic Survey officer, was born in Dauphin County in Heckton Mills, near Heckton.
 * Newt Gingrich (1943–), former speaker of the United States House of Representatives, was born in Harrisburg and lived in Hummelstown.
 * Michelle Wolf (1985–), comedian, was born and lived in Dauphin County.
 * Christian Pulisic (1998–), soccer player who plays for Chelsea F.C. of England's Premier League and the United States men's national team was born in Hershey.
 * Micah Parsons (1999–), football linebacker.
 * Richard L. Schlegel (1927–2006), LGBT rights activist; born in Berrysburg and lived in Harrisburg.