Centre County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 158,172. Its county seat is Bellefonte. Centre County is composed of the State College, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county is part of the Central region of the commonwealth.
History The land of the future Centre County was first recorded by James Potter in 1764. Potter reached the top of Nittany Mountain and "seeing the prairies and noble forest beneath him, cried out to his attendant, 'By heavens, Thompson, I have discovered an empire!'" Centre County was created on February 13, 1800 by Act 2092 of the Pennsylvania Legislature from parts of Huntingdon, Lycoming, Mifflin, and Northumberland counties. The act said that its inhabitants "labour under great hardships, by reason of their great distance from the present seats of justice, and the public offices" of their current counties. Its population was 4,112. Centre was among ten new counties carved from the existing twenty-six in early 1800. The county was named after the Centre Furnace.
Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.3%) is water. Centre County is one of the 423 counties served by the Appalachian Regional Commission. It is the fifth-largest county in Pennsylvania by area and its area code is 814.
Centre County has a humid continental climate (Dfb/Dfa at lower elevations).
Features Bald Eagle Valley Bald Eagle Mountain Nittany Valley Mount Nittany Penns Valley Tussey Mountain
Adjacent counties Clinton County (north) Union County (east) Mifflin County (southeast) Huntingdon County (south) Blair County (south) Clearfield County (west)
Demographics
Racial and ethnic composition +Centre County, Pennsylvania – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 1980Pop 1990Pop 2000Pop 2010 Pop 2020% 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)108,690115,655123,055135,427129,66896.39%93.43%90.64%87.95%81.98%Black or African American alone (NH)1,4392,7263,4694,4565,3061.28%2.20%2.56%2.89%3.35%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)1131711551531200.10%0.14%0.11%0.10%0.08%Asian alone (NH)1,2013,8175,3547,93411,3731.07%3.08%3.94%5.15%7.19%Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)x included in the Asian category in the 1980 Censusx included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census914239xx0.07%0.03%0.02%Other race alone (NH)487671232025960.43%0.05%0.09%0.13%0.38%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)x not an option in the 1980 Censusx not an option in the 1990 Census1,2682,0865,419xx0.93%1.35%3.43%Hispanic or Latino (any race)8301,3502,2433,6905,6510.74%1.09%1.65%2.40%3.57%Total112,760123,786135,758153,990158,172 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%
2020 census As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 158,172. The median age was 31.5 years. 15.0% of residents were under the age of 18 and 15.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 107.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 108.6 males age 18 and over.
The racial makeup of the county was 83.0% White, 3.5% Black or African American, 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 7.2% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 1.3% from some other race, and 4.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 3.6% of the population.
65.4% of residents lived in urban areas, while 34.6% lived in rural areas.
There were 59,357 households in the county, of which 21.8% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 43.8% were married-couple households, 24.3% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 26.3% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 30.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 65,408 housing units, of which 9.3% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 57.7% were owner-occupied and 42.3% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.0% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.5%.
2010 census As of the 2010 census, there were 153,990 people, 57,573 households, and 31,256 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 63,297 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 89.4% White, 3.0% Black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 5.2% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.7% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. 2.4% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 57,573 households, out of which 23.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.6% were married couples living together, 3.3% had a male householder with no wife present, 6.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.7% were non-families. 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the county, 15.9% of the population was under the age of 18, 28.9% was from 18 to 24, 22.6% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 107.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 108.1 males.
Metropolitan statistical area
The United States Office of Management and Budget has designated Centre County as the State College, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). As of the 2010 U.S. census the metropolitan area ranked 13th most populous in Pennsylvania and the 259th most populous in the United States with a population of 155,403. Centre County is also a part of the larger State College–DuBois, PA Combined Statistical Area (CSA), which combines the populations of Centre County as well as Clearfield County to the west. The combined statistical area ranked ninth in Pennsylvania and 123rd most populous in the United States with a population of 236,577.
Law and government
County commissioners Mark Higgins, Chairman (Democrat) Amber Concepcion, Vice-chair (Democrat) Steven G. Dershem, Commissioner (Republican)
Other county offices Clerk of Courts and Prothonotary, Jeremy Breon, Democrat Controller, Jason Moser, Democrat Coroner, Scott Sayers, Democrat District Attorney, Bernie Cantorna, Democrat Recorder of Deeds, Joe Davidson, Republican Register of Wills, Christine Millinder, Republican Sheriff, Bryan Sampsel, Republican Treasurer, Colleen Kennedy, Democrat
State senate Cris Dush, Republican, Pennsylvania's 35th Senatorial District
State House of Representatives Scott Conklin, Democrat, Pennsylvania's 77th Representative District Paul Takac, Democrat, Pennsylvania's 82nd Representative District Kerry Benninghoff, Republican, Pennsylvania's 171st Representative District
United States House of Representatives Glenn "G.T." Thompson, Republican, Pennsylvania's 15th congressional district
United States Senate Dave McCormick, Republican John Fetterman, Democrat
Politics
Centre County for many years has been a strongly Republican county, like most of central Pennsylvania. By the 21st century however, it became more competitive, in line with college towns around the country. Democratic strength is largely around the Happy Valley (home of Penn State University Park) and county seat Bellefonte, with the rest of the county being Republican.
In 2000 George W. Bush defeated Al Gore with 52% of the vote to Gore's 43%. In 2004 Bush won the county by a much smaller margin. Bush won 51% to Kerry's 47%, a margin of only 4%. In 2006, Governor Ed Rendell and Bob Casey Jr. both carried Centre, and Democrat Scott Conklin decisively won the State House seat left open by the retirement of Republican Lynn Herman in the 77th district. In 2008, Democrats captured the countywide registration edge, Barack Obama carried the county with 55% of the vote to McCain's 44%, and Democratic statewide winners (Rob McCord for Treasurer and Jack Wagner for Auditor General also carried Centre).
In 2012, Barack Obama won the county in his reelection campaign by a very narrow margin, 48.9% to 48.65%, a difference of just 175 votes. In 2016, Democrat Hillary Clinton beat Republican nominee Donald Trump 47.76% to 45.86%. In the same election, incumbent Republican Senator Pat Toomey beat Democratic opponent Katie McGinty 47.91% to 46.2% in the county.
Voter registration As of August 27, 2025, there were 101,604 registered voters in Centre County. Democratic: 41,194 (40.54%) Republican: 42,011 (41.34%) Non-affiliated: 15,567 (15.32%) Third Parties: 2,724 (0.026%)
Education
Colleges and universities Pennsylvania State University
Community, junior, and technical colleges South Hills School of Business & Technology Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology, public Vo Tech in Pleasant Gap
Public school districts
School districts include: - Text list Bald Eagle Area School District Bellefonte Area School District Keystone Central School District (also in Clinton County) Penns Valley Area School District Philipsburg-Osceola Area School District (also in Clearfield County) State College Area School District Tyrone Area School District (also in Blair County and Huntingdon County)
Public charter schools Young Scholars of Central PA Charter School Centre Learning Community Charter School Nittany Valley Charter School There are 13 public cyber charter schools in Pennsylvania that are available for free statewide, to children K-12. See: Education in Pennsylvania.
Private schools As reported by the Pennsylvania Department of Education 2010.
Bower Hollow Parochial School – Woodward Elk Creek School – Rebersburg Faith Christian Academy – Philipsburg Grace Prep – Ferguson Hill Side School – Rebersburg Hubler Ridge School – Bellefonte Kramer Gap School – Spring Mills Little Nittany Amish Parochial School – Howard Mountain View School – Rebersburg Nittany Christian School – State College Our Lady of Victory School – State College Park Forest Montessori School - Patton Peach Lane Amish School – Madisonburg Penns Valley Amish Paroch School – Woodward Rockville School – Rebersburg Spring Bank School – Rebersburg St John Evangelist School – Bellefonte St. Joseph's Academy – Boalsburg State College Friends School – State College Sunny Meadow Parochial School – Howard Sunset View School – Howard Sunset View School – Rebersburg Windy Poplars School – Centre Hall Woodside Amish School – Spring Mills
Libraries Centre County Libraries Centre County Library & Historical Museum – Bellefonte Centre Hall Area Branch Library – Centre Hall Holt Memorial Library – Philipsburg Centre County Bookmobile American Philatelic Research Library Schlow Centre Region Library
Pennsylvania State University libraries Pattee Library Paterno Library Architecture and Landscape Architecture Library Earth and Mineral Sciences Library Engineering Library Physical and Mathematical Sciences Library
Transportation Airport State College Regional Airport offers daily commercial and general aviation flights. United Express and American Eagle service the airport currently with nonstop flights to Philadelphia, Washington-Dulles, and Chicago-O'Hare.
Major highways
Recreation
There are six Pennsylvania state parks in Centre County. Bald Eagle State Park is the largest state park in Centre County with . It is on Pennsylvania Route 150 between Milesburg and Lock Haven. Black Moshannon State Park, west of State College has a bog with three species of carnivorous plants and 17 orchid varieties. McCalls Dam State Park is a small park on a dirt road in the easternmost area of the eastern tip of the county. Penn-Roosevelt State Park is the site of a former segregated CCC camp for African American men. Poe Paddy State Park is at the confluence of Big Poe Creek and Penns Creek.