Columbia County, Pennsylvania

Columbia County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States. It is located in Northeastern Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 64,727.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Its county seat is Bloomsburg.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> The county was created on March 22, 1813, from part of Northumberland County. It was named Columbia, alluding to the United States and Christopher Columbus. The county is part of the Central Pennsylvania region of the state.Template:Efn

Columbia County is part of the Bloomsburg–Berwick metropolitan area.

Geography

File:View of northern Columbia County, Pennsylvania from Kramer Hill Road 3.JPG

View of northern Columbia County, Pennsylvania from Kramer Hill Road in Fishing Creek Township. On the horizon (about 8-10 miles away) is North Mountain. The borough of Benton is in the center of the picture.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (1.4%) is water.<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref> The southern tip of Columbia County is part of the Coal Region. The area of the county from the Susquehanna River south to several miles south of Numidia consists mostly of farmland and state game lands. Several communities developed along the Susquehanna River, such as Bloomsburg and Catawissa. From the Susquehanna River north as far as Waller, the county is mostly farmland with several patches of forest. North of Waller, the county is mostly state game lands and mountains.<ref name = "Google maps">maps.google.com</ref>

The major streams in Columbia County are the Susquehanna River, Fishing Creek, Briar Creek, Catawissa Creek, and Roaring Creek.<ref name = "Google maps"/>

The county has a humid continental climate (Dfa/Dfb) and average monthly temperatures in Bloomsburg average from Template:Convert in January to Template:Convert in July.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Mountains

Note: Only mountains higher than Template:Convert are listed

Name	Height	Image
Red Rock Mountain	Template:Convert	File:Red rock mountain.jpg
Central Mountain	Template:Convert
Chimneystack Rock	Template:Convert
Buck Mountain	Template:Convert	File:Buck Mountain from Buck Mountain Road.JPG
Catawissa Mountain	Template:Convert	File:Northwestern edge of Catawissa Mountain.JPG
Big Mountain	Template:Convert
Knob Mountain	Template:Convert	File:Knob Mountain from the southwest 2.JPG
Nescopeck Mountain	Template:Convert	File:Nescopeck Mountain 1.JPG
Lee Mountain	Template:Convert	File:Lee Mountain in Briar Creek Township, Columbia County, Pennsylvania.JPG
McCauley Mountain	Template:Convert	File:McCauley Mountain 2.JPG

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Major highways

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Adjacent counties

• Sullivan County (north)
• Luzerne County (east)
• Schuylkill County (southeast)
• Northumberland County (southwest)
• Montour County (west)
• Lycoming County (northwest)

State park

Part of Ricketts Glen State Park is in the northern portion of Columbia County.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Demographics

As of the census<ref name="GR2">Template:Cite web</ref> of 2000, there were 64,151 people, 24,915 households, and 16,568 families residing in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 27,733 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 97.59% White, 0.80% Black or African-American, 0.15% Native American, 0.52% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.33% from other races, and 0.58% from two or more races. 0.95% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 33.2% were of German, 10.0% American, 9.4% Irish, 8.1% Italian, 6.7% Polish and 6.2% English ancestry.

There were 24,915 households, out of which 27.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.80% were married couples living together, 8.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.50% were non-families. 26.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.90.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 20.80% under the age of 18, 14.30% from 18 to 24, 25.90% from 25 to 44, 23.10% from 45 to 64, and 15.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.80 males.

2020 census

Columbia County Racial Composition<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Race	Num.	Perc.
White (NH)	58,831	91%
Black or African American (NH)	867	1.34%
Native American (NH)	71	0.11%
Asian (NH)	748	1.15%
Pacific Islander (NH)	17	0.03%
Other/Mixed (NH)	2,053	3.17%
Hispanic or Latino	2,140	3.31%

Metropolitan Statistical Area

The United States Office of Management and Budget<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> has designated Columbia County as the Bloomsburg-Berwick, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). As of the 2010 census<ref name="auto">Template:Cite web</ref> the metropolitan area ranked 20th most populous in the State of Pennsylvania and the 368th most populous in the United States with a population of 82,562. Columbia County is also a part of the larger Bloomsburg-Berwick-Sunbury, PA Combined Statistical Area (CSA), which combines the populations of Columbia County as well as Montour, Northumberland, Snyder and Union Counties in Pennsylvania. The Combined Statistical Area ranked 8th in the State of Pennsylvania and 115th most populous in the United States with a population of 264,739.

Politics and government

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Voter registration

As of February 6, 2024, there were 39,054 registered voters in Columbia County.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

• Republican: 20,820 (53.31%)
• Democratic: 12,268 (31.41%)
• Independent: 4,360 (11.16%)
• Third Party: 1,606 (4.11%)

While the county registration tends to be evenly matched between Democrats and Republicans, the county trends Republican in statewide elections. Donald Trump carried the county by more than 30 points in both 2016 and 2020. While John McCain received 51.6% of its vote to 47.1% for Barack Obama, this was a far-closer margin than the 20 points that George W. Bush carried it by in 2004. Each of the three row-office statewide winners carried Columbia in 2008. In 2006, Democrat Bob Casey Jr. received 51% of its vote when he unseated incumbent Republican US Senator Rick Santorum and Ed Rendell received 50.6% of the vote against Lynn Swann.

For many years Columbia County was represented in the State House by a conservative Democrat in the 109th district until John Gordner changed parties to Republican in 2001. He was elected to the State Senate in 2003 and succeeded by Republican David R. Millard. Columbia is in the 27th Senate district and 11th Congressional district.

County commissioners

Commissioners	Party
David Kovach	Democratic
Rich Ridgway	Republican
Chris Young	Republican

Other county officials

Office	Official	Party
Chief Judge	Thomas A. James	Democratic
Judge	Gary Norton	Republican
Chief Clerk	Gail Kipp	Democratic
Coroner	Jeremy Reese	Republican
Recorder of Deeds and Register of Wills	Beverly Michael	Democratic
Sheriff	Tim Chamberlain	Democratic
Treasurer	Shirley Turner	Republican
Clerk of Courts and Prothonotary	Tami B. Kline	Republican

State senate

District	Senator	Party
27	John Gordner	Republican

State House of Representatives

District	Representative	Party
109	Robert Leadbeter	Republican

United States House of Representatives

District	Representative	Party
9	Dan Meuser	Republican

United States Senate

Senator	Party
Dave McCormick	Republican
John Fetterman	Democratic

Education

File:Map of Columbia County Pennsylvania School Districts.png

Map of Columbia County, Pennsylvania School Districts

Colleges and universities

• Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania

Public school districts

School districts include:<ref>Template:Cite web - Text list</ref>

• Benton Area School District
• Berwick Area School District (also in Luzerne County)
• Bloomsburg Area School District
• Central Columbia School District
• Millville Area School District
• Mount Carmel Area School District (also in Northumberland County)
• North Schuylkill School District (also in Schuylkill County)
• Southern Columbia Area School District (also in Northumberland County)

Technical school

• Columbia-Montour Area Vocational-Technical School

Charter school

• SusQ Cyber Charter School - Bloomsburg

Private schools

• Bald Hill School - Millville
• Bloomsburg Christian School - Bloomsburg
• Bloomsburg University Special Education Institute
• Columbia Co Christian School - Bloomsburg
• Greenwood Friends School - Millville
• Heritage Christian Academy - Berwick
• Holy Family Consolidate - Berwick
• Keystone National High School - Bloomsburg
• New Story - Berwick
• Pennsylvania Institute For Conservation Education - Bloomsburg
• Rainbow Hill School - Benton
• St Columba School - Bloomsburg
• Saint Matthews - Bloomsburg
• Turkey Ridge School - Bloomsburg

Libraries

• Bloomsburg Public Library
• Columbia County Traveling Library
• McBride Memorial Library
• Orangeville Public Library

Communities

File:Map of Columbia County Pennsylvania With Municipal and Township Labels.png

Map of Columbia County, Pennsylvania with Municipal Labels showing Towns and Boroughs (red), Townships (white), and Census-designated places (blue).

Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: cities, boroughs, townships, and, in at most two cases, towns. The following town, boroughs and townships are located in Columbia County:

Town

• Bloomsburg (county seat)

Boroughs

• Ashland (mostly in Schuylkill County)
• Benton
• Berwick
• Briar Creek
• Catawissa
• Centralia
• Millville
• Orangeville
• Stillwater

Townships

• Beaver
• Benton
• Briar Creek
• Catawissa
• Cleveland
• Conyngham
• Fishing Creek
• Franklin
• Greenwood
• Hemlock
• Jackson
• Locust
• Madison
• Main
• Mifflin
• Montour
• Mount Pleasant
• North Centre
• Orange
• Pine
• Roaring Creek
• Scott
• South Centre
• Sugarloaf

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.

• Almedia
• Aristes
• Buckhorn
• Espy
• Eyers Grove
• Fernville
• Foundryville
• Iola
• Jamison City
• Jerseytown
• Jonestown
• Lightstreet
• Lime Ridge
• Locustdale (partially in Schuylkill County)
• Mainville
• Mifflinville
• Numidia
• Rohrsburg
• Rupert
• Slabtown
• Waller
• Wilburton Number One
• Wilburton Number Two

Unincorporated communities

• Central
• Elk Grove
• Mifflin Cross Roads

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Columbia County.<ref name="auto"/>

† county seat

Rank	City/Town/etc.	Municipal type	Population (2010 Census)
1	† Bloomsburg	Town	14,855
2	Berwick	Borough	10,477
3	Ashland (mostly in Schuylkill County)	Borough	2,817
4	Espy	CDP	1,642
5	Catawissa	Borough	1,552
6	Mifflinville	CDP	1,253
7	Lightstreet	CDP	1,093
8	Almedia	CDP	1,078
9	Millville	Borough	948
10	Lime Ridge	CDP	890
11	Benton	Borough	824
12	Briar Creek	Borough	660
13	Fernville	CDP	556
14	Orangeville	Borough	508
15	Buckhorn	CDP	318
16	Aristes	CDP	311
17	Foundryville	CDP	256
18	Numidia	CDP	244
19	Stillwater	Borough	209
20	Wilburton Number One	CDP	196
21	Jerseytown	CDP	184
22	Rupert	CDP	183
23	Locustdale (partially in Schuylkill County)	CDP	177
24	Slabtown	CDP	156
25	Rohrsburg	CDP	145
26	Iola	CDP	144
27	Jamison City	CDP	134
28	Mainville	CDP	132
29	Eyers Grove	CDP	105
30	Wilburton Number Two	CDP	96
31	Jonestown	CDP	64
32	Waller	CDP	48
33	Centralia	Borough	10

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Columbia County, Pennsylvania