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'Dauphin County' is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and is one of the four counties comprising the greater Harrisburg metropolitan area. As of 2004, the population was estimated at 253,282. The county includes the city of Harrisburg, which has served as the state capital since 1812.
Dauphin 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 Louis XVI. Louis-Joseph's title of Dauphin signified that he was the heir apparent to the throne of France. The county seat is Harrisburg.⁶

Contents

Geography

Adjacent counties

Major Highways

Demographics

Politics

Municipalities in Dauphin County

Cities

Boroughs

Townships

Unincorporated and Census-designated places

Education

Colleges and universities

Public School Districts

Recreation

External links

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,444 km² (558 mi²). 1,360 km² (525 mi²) of it is land and 84 km² (32 mi²) of it (5.78%) is water. The county is bound to its western border by the Susquehanna River.

Adjacent counties

★ Northumberland County (north)

★ Schuylkill County (northeast)

★ Lebanon County (east)

★ Lancaster County (south)

★ York County (southwest)

★ Cumberland County (west)

★ Perry County (west)

Major Highways

★ Interstate 76 (Pennsylvania Turnpike) ★ Interstate 81 ★ Interstate 83 ★ Interstate 283/Pennsylvania Route 283 ★ U.S. Route 22

★ U.S. Route 322 ★ U.S. Route 422 ★ Pennsylvania Route 39 ★ Pennsylvania Route 230 ★ Pennsylvania Route 743

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there were 251,798 people, 102,670 households, and 66,119 families residing in the county. The population density was 185/km² (479/mi²). There were 111,133 housing units at an average density of 82/km² (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 according to Census 2000.
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.^[1]
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.

Politics

As of May 2007, there are 176,760 registered voters in Dauphin County [1].

★ Democratic: 69,676 (39.42%)

★ Republican: 83,567 (47.28%)

★ Other Parties: 23,517 (13.30%)

Municipalities in Dauphin County

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

Cities

★ Harrisburg is the only incorporated city in Dauphin County.

Boroughs

★ Berrysburg ★ Dauphin ★ Elizabethville ★ Gratz

★ Halifax ★ Highspire ★ Hummelstown ★ Lykens

★ Middletown ★ Millersburg ★ Paxtang ★ Penbrook

★ Pillow ★ Royalton ★ Steelton ★ Williamstown

Townships

★ Conewago Township ★ Derry Township ★ East Hanover Township ★ Halifax Township ★ Jackson Township ★ Jefferson Township

★ Londonderry Township ★ Lower Paxton Township ★ Lower Swatara Township ★ Lykens Township ★ Middle Paxton Township ★ Mifflin Township

★ Reed Township ★ Rush Township ★ South Hanover Township ★ Susquehanna Township ★ Swatara Township ★ Upper Paxton Township

★ Washington Township ★ Wayne Township ★ West Hanover Township ★ Wiconisco Township ★ Williams Township

Unincorporated and 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-Enhaut-Oberlin ★ Colonial Park ★ Grantville ★ Hershey

★ Lawnton ★ Linglestown ★ Paxtonia ★ Progress

★ Rutherford ★ Skyline View

Education

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

★ Central Dauphin School District

★ Derry Township School District

★ Halifax Area School District

★ Harrisburg School District

★ 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)

Recreation

There are two Pennsylvania state parks in Dauphin County.

★ Boyd Big Tree Preserve

★ Joseph E. Ibberson Conservation Area
Both of the these parks are among the newest state parks in Pennsylvania.

External links

★ County of Dauphin (official website)

★ The Historical Society of Dauphin County