Bradford County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, its population was 59,967. Its county seat is Towanda. The county was created on February 21, 1810, from parts of Lycoming and Luzerne Counties. Originally called Ontario County, it was reorganized and separated from Lycoming County on October 13, 1812, and renamed Bradford County for William Bradford, who had been a chief justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and United States Attorney General.Bradford County History , Bradford County, Pennsylvania. Accessed August 21, 2007 The county is part of the Northeast region of the commonwealth.
Bradford County comprises the Sayre, Pennsylvania micropolitan statistical area.
The county is not to be confused with the city of Bradford, which is in McKean County, 141 miles to the west via U.S. Route 6.
History As noted above, Bradford County was originally named Ontario County. The county was reorganized and renamed in 1812, but a section of north Philadelphia in which major east–west streets are named after Pennsylvania counties retains an Ontario Street, between Westmoreland and Tioga Streets. Two short Bradford Streets are in northeast Philadelphia, about 4 miles from Ontario Street.
Bradford County is the ancestral home of the Tehotitachsae indigenous people of North America. Their principal village, Gohontoto, was on the site of the present Borough of Wyalusing.
Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which are land and (1.2%) are covered by water. It is the second-largest county in Pennsylvania by land area and third-largest by total area.
Climate
Bradford has a warm-summer humid continental climate (Dfb) and average monthly temperatures in Towanda range from 24.5 °F in January to 70.6 °F in July.
Adjacent counties Chemung County, New York (northwest) Tioga County, New York (northeast) Susquehanna County (east) Wyoming County (southeast) Sullivan County (south) Lycoming County (southwest) Tioga County (west)
Bradford County is one of the few counties in the US to border two counties of the same name in different states (Tioga County in New York and Pennsylvania).
Demographics
Racial and ethnic composition +Bradford County, Pennsylvania – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 1980Pop 1990Pop 2000Pop 2010 Pop 2020% 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)62,39860,25361,21960,58455,71799.17%98.83%97.54%96.75%92.91%Black or African American alone (NH)791482492693940.13%0.24%0.40%0.43%0.66%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)641141871271170.10%0.19%0.30%0.20%0.20%Asian alone (NH)1192122833304600.19%0.35%0.45%0.53%0.77%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 Census2513xx0.00%0.01%0.02%Other race alone (NH)362229271330.06%0.04%0.05%0.04%0.22%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)x not an option in the 1980 Censusx not an option in the 1990 Census3945782,260xx0.63%0.92%3.77%Hispanic or Latino (any race)2232183987028730.35%0.36%0.63%1.12%1.46%Total62,91960,96762,76162,62259,967 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 59,967. The median age was 44.1 years. 21.7% of residents were under the age of 18 and 21.4% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 99.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 97.6 males age 18 and over.
The racial makeup of the county was 93.4% White, 0.7% Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.5% from some other race, and 4.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.5% of the population.
27.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 73.0% lived in rural areas.
There were 24,789 households in the county, of which 27.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 48.8% were married-couple households, 19.0% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 23.3% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 28.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 29,363 housing units, of which 15.6% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 71.9% were owner-occupied and 28.1% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.6% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.1%.
2000 census
As of the 2000 census, there were 62,761 people, 24,453 households, and 17,312 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 28,664 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 97.94% White, 0.40% Black or African American, 0.31% Native American, 0.45% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.19% from other races, and 0.69% from two or more races. 0.63% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 32.4% were of English, 19% German, 12.6% Irish and 6.4% Italian ancestry.
There were 24,453 households, out of which 31.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.40% were married couples living together, 8.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.20% were non-families. 24.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.50% under the age of 18, 6.80% from 18 to 24, 27.20% from 25 to 44, 24.70% from 45 to 64, and 15.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 95.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.10 males.
Micropolitan Statistical Area
The United States Office of Management and Budget has designated Bradford County as the Sayre, PA Micropolitan Statistical Area (μSA). As of the 2010 U.S. census the micropolitan area ranked 8th most populous in the State of Pennsylvania and the 131st most populous in the United States with a population of 62,622.
Law and government Bradford County is a Republican Party stronghold in presidential elections. The only two instances Republican presidential candidates have failed to win the county from 1880 to the present were when Theodore Roosevelt won it in 1912 by splitting the Republican vote & in 1964 when Lyndon B. Johnson won statewide & nationally in a landslide. Johnson is also the only Democrat to ever manage over forty percent of the county's vote. Even so, he won Bradford County only narrowly, by just over one percent.
Voter registration
As of February 7, 2024, there are 37,159 registered voters in the county. There are 23,988 registered Republicans, 8,258 registered Democrats, 3,264 voters registered non-affiliated voters, and 1,649 voters registered to other parties.
County commissioners Daryl Miller, Chairman, Republican Doug McLinko, Vice-chairman, Republican Zachary Gates, Democrat
Other county officials Auditors, Roxanne Gilbert-Wells, Todd Grater, Charlotte Parks Clerk of Courts and Prothonotary, Tammy Hart Coroner, James Bowen District Attorney, Richard Wilson Register of Wills and Recorder of Deeds, Sheila Johnson Sheriff, Clinton J. Walters Treasurer, Matthew Allen
State senate Gene Yaw, Republican, Pennsylvania's 23rd Senatorial District
State House of Representatives Clint Owlett, Republican, Pennsylvania's 68th Representative District Tina Pickett, Republican, Pennsylvania's 110th Representative District
United States House of Representatives Dan Meuser, Republican, Pennsylvania's 9th congressional district
United States Senate John Fetterman, Democrat Dave McCormick, Republican
Economy Major employers are the natural gas industry, farming, logging, DuPont, Global-Tungsten and Powders (formerly Sylvania), Jeld-Wen, and Cargill Regional Beef, Wyalusing.
Education
Public school districts Athens Area School District Canton Area School District (also in Lycoming and Tioga Counties) Northeast Bradford School District Sayre Area School District Towanda Area School District Troy Area School District Wyalusing Area School District (also in Wyoming County)
Other public school entities BLAST Intermediate Unit 17 Northern Tier Career Center Towanda Adult Ed Linkage Services – Troy Lackawanna College Towanda Center
Private schools Canton Country School – Canton Children's Place – Sayre Epiphany School (Catholic) Pre-K–6 – Sayre accepting OSTCP students Freedom Lane Academy – Milan G&G Learning Center – Rome Maranatha Mission Learning Community Branch 19 – Canton North Rome Christian School South Hill Amish School – Wyalusing St. Agnes Elementary School – Towanda accepting OSTCP students Union Valley Christian School – Ulster Valley View Amish School – Pike Township Wyalusing Valley Children's Center INC – Wyalusing
Data from EdNA database maintained by Pennsylvania Department of Education 2012
Libraries Allen F. Pierce Free Library – Troy Bradford County Library – Troy Bradford County Library System – Troy Green Free Library – Canton Mather Memorial Library – Ulster Monroeton Public Library – Monroeton New Albany Community Library Inc. Sayre Public Library Spalding Memorial Library – Athens Towanda Public Library Wyalusing Public Library
Transportation Public transportation is provided by BeST Transit.
Major highways (briefly crosses the NY-PA state border, but is maintained by NYSDOT)
Recreation There is one Pennsylvania state park in Bradford County. Mt. Pisgah State Park
Communities
Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: cities, boroughs, townships, and, in only one case (Bloomsburg, Columbia County), towns. The following boroughs and townships are located in Bradford County:
Boroughs
Alba Athens Burlington Canton Le Raysville Monroe New Albany Rome Sayre South Waverly Sylvania Towanda (county seat) Troy Wyalusing
Townships
Albany Armenia Asylum Athens Burlington Canton Columbia Franklin Granville Herrick Leroy Litchfield Monroe North Towanda Orwell Overton Pike Ridgebury Rome Sheshequin Smithfield South Creek Springfield Standing Stone Stevens Terry Towanda Troy Tuscarora Ulster Warren Wells West Burlington Wilmot Windham Wyalusing Wysox
Census-designated place Greens Landing
Unincorporated communities Berrytown Browntown Camptown Merryall
Population ranking The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Bradford County.
† county seat
RankCity/Town/etc.Population (2010 Census)Municipal typeIncorporated 1 Sayre 5,587 Borough 1891 2 Athens 3,367 Borough 1831 3 † Towanda 2,919 Borough 1828 4 Canton 1,976 Borough 1864 5 Troy 1,354 Borough 1845 6 South Waverly 1,027 Borough 1878 7 Greens Landing 894 CDP — 8 Wyalusing 596 Borough 1887 9 Monroe 554 Borough 1855 10 Rome 441 Borough 1860 11 New Albany 356 Borough 1879 12 Le Raysville 290 Borough 1863 13 Sylvania 219 Borough 1853 14 Alba 157 Borough 1864 15 Burlington 156 Borough 1854
See also National Register of Historic Places listings in Bradford County, Pennsylvania
References
External links
Bradford County official website Bradford County Historical Society Bradford County Tourism Promotion Agency Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Bureau of Planning and Research, Geographic Information Division, "2022 General Highway Map of Bradford County". Note: shows boroughs, townships, roads, villages, some streams. URL accessed on January 10, 2023.