Clarion County, Pennsylvania

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Clarion County, Pennsylvania
Clarion County Pennsylvania Courthouse.jpg
Clarion County Courthouse
Seal of Clarion County, Pennsylvania
Seal
Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Clarion County
Location in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania
Map of the United States highlighting Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania's location in the U.S.
Founded March 11, 1839
Seat Clarion
Largest borough Clarion
Area
 • Total 610 sq mi (1,580 km2)
 • Land 601 sq mi (1,557 km2)
 • Water 9.0 sq mi (23 km2), 1.5%
Population (est.)
 • (2014) 38,821
 • Density 65/sq mi (25/km²)
Congressional districts 3rd, 5th
Time zone Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Website www.co.clarion.pa.us
Footnotes:
Designated April 26, 1982[1]

Clarion County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 39,988.[2] Its county seat is Clarion.[3] The county was formed on March 11, 1839, from parts of Venango and Armstrong counties. Clarion county is entirely defined as part of the Pittsburgh media market.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 610 square miles (1,600 km2), of which 601 square miles (1,560 km2) is land and 9.0 square miles (23 km2) (1.5%) is water.[4]

Adjacent counties

State Park

Part of Cook Forest State Park is in Clarion County.

County Parks

The Clarion County Park is located in Paint Township. Clarion County Veterans Memorial Park is located near the Clarion County Courthouse in the center of the Borough of Clarion.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1850 23,565 —
1860 24,988 6.0%
1870 26,537 6.2%
1880 40,328 52.0%
1890 36,802 −8.7%
1900 34,283 −6.8%
1910 36,683 7.0%
1920 36,170 −1.4%
1930 34,531 −4.5%
1940 38,410 11.2%
1950 38,334 −0.2%
1960 37,480 −2.2%
1970 38,414 2.5%
1980 43,362 12.9%
1990 41,699 −3.8%
2000 41,765 0.2%
2010 39,988 −4.3%
Est. 2014 38,821 [5] −2.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[6]
1790-1960[7] 1900-1990[8]
1990-2000[9] 2010-2013[2]

As of the census[10] of 2000, there were 41,765 people, 16,052 households, and 10,738 families residing in the county. The population density was 69 people per square mile (27/km²). There were 19,426 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile (12/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.16% White, 0.79% Black or African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.34% Asian, 0.08% from other races, and 0.52% from two or more races. 0.41% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 45.0% were of German, 10.3% American, 9.8% Irish, 6.7% Italian and 6.2% English ancestry according to Census 2000.

There were 16,052 households out of which 28.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.90% were married couples living together, 8.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.10% were non-families. 26.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the county, the population was spread out with 21.60% under the age of 18, 15.40% from 18 to 24, 25.20% from 25 to 44, 22.70% from 45 to 64, and 15.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 93.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.40 males.

Government

County Commissioners

  • Wayne Brosius; Republican
  • George "Butch" Campbell; Republican
  • Greg Faller; Democrat

Other county officials

  • Hon. James G. Arner, president judge, Pennsylvania Courts of Common Pleas
  • Duane L. Quinn (18-3-01), district judge
  • Timothy P. Schill (18-3-02), district judge
  • Amy Long Turk (18-3-03), district judge
  • Jeffery C. Miller (18-3-04), district judge
  • Mark T. Aaron; Republican, District Attorney
  • Rex Munsee; Republican, sheriff
  • Theresa Snyder, treasurer

State Senate

District Senator Party
21 Scott E. Hutchinson Republican

State House of Representatives

District Representative Party
63 Donna Oberlander Republican

United States House of Representatives

District Representative Party
5 Glenn W. Thompson Republican

United States Senate

Senator Party
Pat Toomey Republican
Bob Casey Democrat

Education

File:Map of Clarion County Pennsylvania School Districts.png
Map of Clarion County, Pennsylvania Public School Districts

Colleges and universities

Public school districts

The eight school districts of Clarion County have low enrollment. The Pennsylvania Department of Education projects that they will continue to experience steadily declining enrollment through 2019. A new school district composed of Clarion Area School District, Clarion-Limestone Area School District and North Clarion County School District would have a student population of 2500 with declining enrollment projected in all three former districts through 2019. A new district composed of Union School District (Pennsylvania), Keystone School District and adding Perry Township and Richland Township would have a student population under 2000 pupils. Consolidation would bring the elimination of costly main office, administrator positions. This would assist the district residents with the rising school administrator, employee and teachers' pension costs by controlling the need to raise taxes.

Over the next 10 years, rural Pennsylvania school enrollment is projected to decrease 8 percent. The most significant enrollment decline is projected to be in western Pennsylvania, where rural school districts may have a 16 percent decline. More than 40 percent of elementary schools and more than 60 percent of secondary schools in western Pennsylvania are projected to experience significant enrollment decreases (15 percent or greater).[11] As the enrollment declines, per pupil administrative costs of the schools will continue to rise.

Pennsylvania has one of the highest numbers of school districts in the nation. In Pennsylvania, 80% of the school districts serve student populations under 5,000, and 40% serve less than 2,000. Less than 95 of Pennsylvania's 501 school districts have enrollment below 1250 students, in 2007.[12] This results in excessive school administration bureaucracy and not enough course diversity.[13] In a survey of 88 superintendents of small districts, 42% of the 49 respondents stated that they thought consolidation would save money without closing any schools.[14]

Property taxes in Pennsylvania are relatively high on a national scale. According to the Tax Foundation, Pennsylvania ranked 11th in the U.S. in 2008 in terms of property taxes paid as a percentage of home value (1.34%) and 12th in the country in terms of property taxes as a percentage of income (3.55%).[15]

Intermediate unit

Public school districts and private schools in the county are served by Riverview Intermediate Unit IU6 which provides special education and professional development services.

Technical school

Clarion County Career Center, located along State Route 66 in Marianne (Shippenville address).

Private schools

  • Alexander Amish School - Venus
  • Bear Run School - Knox
  • Christs Dominion Academy - Summerville
  • Clarion Center School - Clarion
  • County Corner - Knox
  • Deer View School - Mayport
  • Immaculate Conception School - Clarion
  • Little Bird Preschool - New Bethlehem
  • Meadow View Amish School - Knox
  • New Bethlehem Mennonite School - New Bethlehem
  • Shady Nook Amish School - Sligo
  • St Josephs School - Lucinda
  • Zacheral Amish School - Venus

Communities

File:Map of Clarion County Pennsylvania With Municipal and Township Labels.png
Map of Clarion County, Pennsylvania with Municipal Labels showing Boroughs (red) and Townships (white).

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

Boroughs

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Townships

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Census-designated places

Notable people

See also

References

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  11. ↑ "Research Analyzes Rural School District Enrollment and Building Capacity", The Center for Rural Pennsylvania. October 2009
  12. ↑ Pennsylvania Legislative Budget and Finance Committee, Study of the Cost Effectiveness of Consolidating Pennsylvania School Districts, 2007.
  13. ↑ Rendell, E. & Soderberg, M. (2009). Pennsylvania school district consolidation. 2009-10 Executive Budget Fast Facts. Pennsylvania Office of the Governor.
  14. ↑ Study of the cost-effectiveness of consolidating Pennsylvania districts. New York: Standard & Poor’s School Evaluation Services. 2007, p. 6.
  15. ↑ New Census Data on Property Taxes on Homeowners, Tax Foundation, September 22, 2009.
  16. ↑ The Pennsylvania Manual 1963-1964

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