MERCER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA


'Mercer County' is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2000, the population was 120,293. Its county seat is Mercer6; Sharon is its largest city.
Mercer County was part of the Sharon MSA as designated by the U.S. Census Bureau until the 2000 census, when it was appended to the Youngstown-Warren, Ohio MSA.

Contents
Geography
Adjacent Counties
Demographics
Political bellwether
Municipalities
Cities
Boroughs
Townships
Education
Higher Education
Career-Based Education
Public School Districts
Recreation

Geography


According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,768 km² (683 mi²). 1,740 km² (672 mi²) of it is land and 28 km² (11 mi²) of it (1.58%) is water.
Adjacent Counties


Crawford County (north)

Venango County (east)

Butler County (southeast)

Lawrence County (south)

Mahoning County, Ohio (southwest)

Trumbull County, Ohio (west)

Demographics


As of the census² of 2000, there were 120,293 people, 46,712 households, and 32,371 families residing in the county. The population density was 69/km² (179/mi²). There were 49,859 housing units at an average density of 29/km² (74/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 93.13% White, 5.25% Black or African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.17% from other races, and 0.91% from two or more races. 0.67% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 46,712 households out of which 29.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.80% were married couples living together, 10.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.70% were non-families. 27.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the county, the population was spread out with 23.40% under the age of 18, 8.90% from 18 to 24, 26.10% from 25 to 44, 23.50% from 45 to 64, and 18.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 94.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.80 males.
Political bellwether

Mercer County is considered a political bellwether for the state of Pennsylvania since its demographics, urban/rural ratio, and party affiliation closly mirror the state as a whole. This failed to hold true during the 2004 Presidential election however when George W. Bush won Mercer County with 51% of the vote. That year John Kerry won the state as a whole with 51% of the popular vote.

Municipalities


Map of Mercer County, Pennsylvania with Municipal Labels showing Cities and Boroughs (red) and Townships (white).

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 Mercer County:
Cities


Farrell

Hermitage

Sharon
Boroughs


Clark
Fredonia
Greenville
Grove City
Jackson Center

Jamestown
Mercer
New Lebanon
Sandy Lake
Sharpsville

Sheakleyville
Stoneboro
West Middlesex
Wheatland

Townships


Coolspring Township
Deer Creek Township
Delaware Township
East Lackawannock Township
Fairview Township
Findley Township
French Creek Township
Greene Township
Hempfield Township
Jackson Township
Jefferson Township

Lackawannock Township
Lake Township
Liberty Township
Mill Creek Township
New Vernon Township
Otter Creek Township
Perry Township
Pine Township
Pymatuning Township
Salem Township

Sandy Creek Township
Sandy Lake Township
Shenango Township
South Pymatuning Township
Springfield Township
Sugar Grove Township
West Salem Township
Wilmington Township
Wolf Creek Township
Worth Township

Education


Higher Education


Grove City College (Grove City)

Thiel College (Greenville)

Pennsylvania State University, Shenango Campus (Sharon)
Career-Based Education


Business Institute of Pennsylvania, Sharon

Mercer County Career and Technical Center, Mercer

Penn State Cosmetology Academy, Hermitage

Sharon Regional Health System Schools of Nursing and Radiology, Sharon

Winner Institute of Arts and Sciences, Transfer
Map of Mercer County, Pennsylvania Public School Districts

Public School Districts


Commodore Perry School District

Farrell Area School District

Greenville Area School District

Grove City Area School District

Hermitage School District

Jamestown Area School District

Lakeview School District

Mercer Area School District

Reynolds School District

Sharon City School District

Sharpsville Area School District

West Middlesex Area School District

Recreation


There is one Pennsylvania state park in Mercer County. Maurice K. Goddard State Park, named for Maurice K. Goddard, former Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources, is just off exit 130 of Interstate 79 on Pennsylvania Route 358 near Stoneboro.

This article provided by Wikipedia. To edit the contents of this article, click here for original source.

psst.. try this: add to faves