Blair County, Pennsylvania

Blair County
County
Blair County Courthouse in Hollidaysburg
Blair County Courthouse in Hollidaysburg
Flag of Blair County
Flag
Official seal of Blair County
Seal
Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Blair County
Location within the U.S. state of Pennsylvania
Map of the United States highlighting Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 40°28′N 78°21′W / 40.47°N 78.35°W / 40.47; -78.35
Country United States
State Pennsylvania
FoundedFebruary 26, 1846
SeatHollidaysburg
Largest cityAltoona
Area
 • Total
527 sq mi (1,360 km2)
 • Land526 sq mi (1,360 km2)
 • Water1.3 sq mi (3 km2)  0.2%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
122,822
 • Density234/sq mi (90/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district13th
Websitewww.blairco.org
DesignatedApril 13, 1982[1]

Blair County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 122,822.[2] Its county seat is Hollidaysburg, and its largest city is Altoona.[3] The county was created on February 26, 1846, from parts of Huntingdon and Bedford counties. The county is part of the Southwest Pennsylvania region of the state.[a]

Blair County comprises the Altoona, PA metropolitan statistical area. It is also part of the Altoona-Huntingdon, PA Combined Statistical Area, which includes Blair and Huntingdon counties.[4]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 527 square miles (1,360 km2), of which 526 square miles (1,360 km2) is land and 1.3 square miles (3.4 km2) (0.2%) is water.[5] Blair County is one of the 423 counties served by the Appalachian Regional Commission,[6] and it is identified as part of "Greater Appalachia" by Colin Woodard in his book American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America.[7]

Features

Adjacent counties

National protected area

Major highways

Climate

Blair has a warm-summer humid continental climate (Dfb).

Climate data for Altoona
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 78
(26) 		76
(24) 		85
(29) 		91
(33) 		94
(34) 		97
(36) 		103
(39) 		102
(39) 		96
(36) 		90
(32) 		82
(28) 		12
(−11) 		103
(39)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 31.9
(−0.1) 		34.6
(1.4) 		44.7
(7.1) 		57.8
(14.3) 		67.6
(19.8) 		77.1
(25.1) 		81.4
(27.4) 		80.3
(26.8) 		72.3
(22.4) 		61.3
(16.3) 		49.4
(9.7) 		37.1
(2.8) 		57.9
(14.4)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 15.6
(−9.1) 		17.7
(−7.9) 		25.5
(−3.6) 		36.6
(2.6) 		46.8
(8.2) 		54.9
(12.7) 		60.2
(15.7) 		58.4
(14.7) 		51.3
(10.7) 		41.4
(5.2) 		32.1
(0.1) 		21.9
(−5.6) 		38.5
(3.6)
Record low °F (°C) −29
(−34) 		−25
(−32) 		−7
(−22) 		8
(−13) 		20
(−7) 		32
(0) 		38
(3) 		34
(1) 		26
(−3) 		15
(−9) 		0
(−18) 		−13
(−25) 		−29
(−34)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 2.64
(67) 		2.43
(62) 		3.48
(88) 		3.63
(92) 		4.30
(109) 		4.08
(104) 		4.14
(105) 		3.50
(89) 		3.85
(98) 		3.43
(87) 		3.71
(94) 		3.11
(79) 		42.64
(1,083)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 11.2
(28) 		14.3
(36) 		16.9
(43) 		2.5
(6.4) 		0.1
(0.25) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0.2
(0.51) 		3.3
(8.4) 		12.1
(31) 		60.6
(154)
Source: Pennsylvania State Climatologist[8]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
185021,777—
186027,82927.8%
187038,05136.7%
188052,74038.6%
189070,86634.4%
190085,09920.1%
1910108,85827.9%
1920128,33417.9%
1930139,8409.0%
1940140,3580.4%
1950139,519−0.6%
1960137,270−1.6%
1970135,356−1.4%
1980136,6210.9%
1990130,542−4.4%
2000129,144−1.1%
2010127,089−1.6%
2020122,822−3.4%
[9]

As of the census[10] of 2000, there were 127,089 people and 52,159 households within the county. The population density was 246 people per square mile (95 people/km2). There were 55,061 housing units at an average density of 105 units per square mile (41/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 96.18% White, 1.68% Black or African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.56% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.23% from other races, and 1.22% from two or more races. 0.97% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 40.0% were of German, 12.2% Irish, 10.7% Italian, 9.9% American, and 6.0% English ancestry.

There were 52,159 households, out of which 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.60% were married couples living together, 11.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.30% were non-families. 27.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.96.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 21.1% under the age of 18, 3.5% from 18 to 19, 5.9% from 20 to 24, 11.1% from 25 to 34, 19.3% from 35 to 49, 21.4% from 50 to 64, and 17.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. The population was 48.55% male and 51.45% female.

2020 census

Blair County Racial Composition[11]
Race Num. Perc.
White (NH) 113,016 92%
Black or African American (NH) 2,463 2%
Native American (NH) 134 0.1%
Asian (NH) 868 0.7%
Pacific Islander (NH) 12 0.01%
Other/Mixed (NH) 4,621 3.76%
Hispanic or Latino 1,708 1.4%

Law and government

Blair County has been a Republican Party stronghold since the party was founded. Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1936 and Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964 are the only Democratic presidential candidates to date to win the county (with neither taking more than 52% of the county's vote), although Theodore Roosevelt won it as the candidate of the Progressive Party in 1912.

United States presidential election results for Blair County, Pennsylvania[12][13]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 46,352 71.16% 18,127 27.83% 661 1.01%
2020 45,306 71.07% 17,636 27.67% 806 1.26%
2016 39,135 70.72% 13,958 25.22% 2,248 4.06%
2012 33,319 66.16% 16,276 32.32% 770 1.53%
2008 32,708 61.37% 19,813 37.17% 777 1.46%
2004 35,751 65.99% 18,105 33.42% 322 0.59%
2000 28,376 62.86% 15,774 34.94% 990 2.19%
1996 21,282 52.30% 15,036 36.95% 4,373 10.75%
1992 21,447 47.92% 14,857 33.19% 8,454 18.89%
1988 25,623 61.50% 15,588 37.42% 451 1.08%
1984 30,104 65.52% 15,651 34.06% 190 0.41%
1980 28,931 62.41% 15,014 32.39% 2,414 5.21%
1976 28,290 59.73% 18,397 38.84% 679 1.43%
1972 33,126 75.10% 10,023 22.72% 961 2.18%
1968 28,780 59.59% 15,803 32.72% 3,713 7.69%
1964 24,301 48.09% 26,157 51.76% 73 0.14%
1960 35,297 64.40% 19,445 35.48% 67 0.12%
1956 33,623 65.68% 17,503 34.19% 65 0.13%
1952 32,113 65.44% 16,851 34.34% 106 0.22%
1948 22,382 60.68% 14,050 38.09% 454 1.23%
1944 24,925 57.82% 18,003 41.76% 178 0.41%
1940 26,639 55.11% 21,573 44.63% 125 0.26%
1936 24,711 46.98% 27,038 51.41% 848 1.61%
1932 19,553 56.95% 13,709 39.93% 1,073 3.13%
1928 34,356 73.53% 12,104 25.90% 266 0.57%
1924 20,313 65.93% 4,244 13.78% 6,251 20.29%
1920 15,035 56.97% 5,668 21.48% 5,689 21.56%
1916 9,893 55.16% 7,002 39.04% 1,040 5.80%
1912 3,138 18.16% 4,108 23.78% 10,030 58.06%
1908 10,583 63.01% 4,981 29.66% 1,232 7.34%
1904 12,482 73.46% 3,675 21.63% 835 4.91%
1900 9,749 65.81% 4,528 30.57% 537 3.62%
1896 10,382 65.50% 4,840 30.53% 629 3.97%
1892 7,407 56.75% 5,265 40.34% 380 2.91%
1888 7,311 56.95% 5,175 40.31% 351 2.73%
1884 6,396 55.96% 4,649 40.67% 385 3.37%
1880 5,808 53.95% 4,728 43.92% 230 2.14%

County commissioners

  • David Kessling, chair, Republican
  • Laura Burke, Vice-chair, Democrat
  • Amy Webster, Secretary, Republican

Other county offices

  • Clerk of Courts and Prothonotary, Robin Patton, Republican
  • Controller, A.C. Stickel, Republican
  • Coroner, Patricia Ross, Republican
  • District Attorney, Pete Weeks, Republican
  • Register of Wills and Recorder of Deeds, Anita Terchanik, Republican
  • Sheriff, James Ott, Republican
  • Treasurer, James Carothers, Republican

Police agencies

State senate

State House of Representatives

United States House of Representatives

United States Senate

Politics

Voter registration

Chart of Voter Registration

  Republican (61.87%)
  Democratic (25.40%)
  Independent (9.12%)
  Other Parties (3.61%)

As of April 29, 2024, there are 77,491 registered voters in Blair County.[14]

Education

Map of Blair County, Pennsylvania School Districts

Colleges and universities

Community, junior and technical colleges

Public school districts

School districts include:[15]

Charter schools

Technology school

Private schools

  • Alternative Education Program - Hollidaysburg
  • Holy Trinity Middle School - Altoona
  • Holy Trinity Elementary School - Altoona Campus
  • Holy Trinity Elementary School - Hollidaysburg Campus
  • Altoona Hospital School of Nursing
  • Bishop Guilfoyle Catholic High School - Altoona
  • Blair County Christian School - Duncansville
  • Champion Life Christian Academy - Altoona
  • Cove Lane Parochial School - Martinsburg
  • Crawford Elementary at Adelphoi Village
  • Emmanuel Baptist Christian School - Claysburg
  • Faith Tabernacle School - Altoona
  • Great Commission Schools - Altoona
  • Harbor House Center Early Academy - Altoona
  • Heritage Christian School - Martinsburg
  • Hollidaysburg Catholic School - Hollidaysburg
  • Living Water Christian Academy - Williamsburg
  • Northwestern Human Services Autism School
  • Penn Mont Academy - Hollidaysburg
  • Penn Mont at Penn State Altoona
  • Piney Creek Parochial School - New Enterprise
  • Shady Grove School - Martinsburg
  • Shady Pond School - Altoona
  • St John Evangelist School - Altoona
  • St Matthew School - Tyrone
  • St Patrick School - Newry
  • Sylvan Learning Center - Hollidaysburg
  • Tender Love for Children - Altoona
  • The Nehemiah Project - Altoona
  • Training & Development Tech - Hollidaysburg
  • White Oak School - Tyrone

Data taken from Pennsylvania EdNA - PDE database of public private schools 2012

Libraries

Blair County hosts a system of nine libraries that can be accessed with one library card. Resource sharing exists between the eight libraries. Books from any of the eight system libraries can be placed on hold and delivered to a patron's home library and then returned to any of the eight libraries in the system.

  • Altoona Area Public Library - Altoona
  • Bellwood Antis Public Library - Bellwood
  • Blair County Library System - Altoona
  • Claysburg Area Public Library - Claysburg
  • Hollidaysburg Area Public Library - Hollidaysburg
  • Martinsburg Community Library - Martinsburg
  • Roaring Spring Community Library - Roaring Spring
  • Tyrone-Snyder Twnshp Pub Library - Tyrone
  • Williamsburg Public Library - Williamsburg

Recreation

There is one Pennsylvania state park in Blair County, Canoe Creek State Park in Frankstown Township.

Communities

Map of Blair County, Pennsylvania, with municipal labels showing cities 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 cities, boroughs and townships are located in Blair County:

City

Boroughs

Townships

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 unincorporated communities and not actual jurisdictions under Pennsylvania law.

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Blair County.[16]

† county seat

Rank City/Town/etc. Population (2010 Census) Municipal type Incorporated
1 Altoona 46,320 City 1854 (borough) 1868 (city)
2 † Hollidaysburg 5,791 Borough 1836
3 Tyrone 5,477 Borough 1857
4 Bellwood 3,564 Borough 1898
5 Roaring Spring 2,585 Borough 1888
6 Greenwood 2,458 CDP
7 Martinsburg 1,958 Borough 1832
8 Lakemont 1,868 CDP
9 Claysburg 1,625 CDP
10 Williamsburg 1,254 Borough 1827
11 Duncansville 1,233 Borough 1891
12 Tipton 1,083 CDP
13 East Freedom 972 CDP
14 Foot of Ten 672 CDP
15 Grazierville 665 CDP
16 Tunnelhill (mostly in Cambria County) 363 Borough 1876
17 Northwood 296 CDP
18 Newry 270 Borough 1876

See also

References

  1. ^ Includes Westmoreland, Cambria, Fayette, Blair, Indiana, Somerset, Bedford, Huntingdon, Greene and Fulton Counties
  1. ^ "PHMC Historical Markers Search". Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Archived from the original (Searchable database) on March 21, 2016. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
  2. ^ "Census - Geography Profile: Blair County, Pennsylvania". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. ^ "Combined Statistical Areas Map (March 2020)" (PDF). The United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 21, 2020. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  5. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved March 5, 2015.
  6. ^ "About the Appalachian Region". Appalachian Regional Commission. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  7. ^ Woodard, Colin. "The Maps That Show That City vs. Country Is Not Our Political Fault Line". New York Times. Retrieved July 30, 2018.
  8. ^ "Monthly Averages for Altoona, PA". psac.met.psu. 2009. Archived from the original on September 7, 2008. Retrieved July 5, 2009.
  9. ^ "Census 2020".
  10. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  11. ^ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Blair County, Pennsylvania".
  12. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
  13. ^ Burnham, Walter Dean. "Presidential ballots, 1836-1892". archive.org. Retrieved January 16, 2021.
  14. ^ Pennsylvania Department of State (February 5, 2024). "Voter registration statistics by county". dos.pa.gov. Retrieved February 7, 2024.
  15. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Blair County, PA" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved December 22, 2024. - Text list
  16. ^ "2010 U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 13, 2016.
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40°28′N 78°21′W / 40.47°N 78.35°W / 40.47; -78.35