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Blair County, Pennsylvania
Blair County Courthouse Apr 10
Blair County Courthouse, Hollidaysburg
Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Blair County
Location in the state of Pennsylvania
Map of the U.S
Pennsylvania's location in the U.S.
Founded February 26, 1846
Seat Hollidaysburg
Largest city Altoona
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Water

527 sq mi (1,365 km²)
526 sq mi (1,362 km²)
1.3 sq mi (3 km²), 0.2
Population
 - (2020)
 - Density

122,822
233/sq mi (90/km²)
Congressional district 13th
Time zone Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Website www.blairco.org
Footnotes:
Invalid designation
Designated: April 13, 1982[1]

Blair County is a county located in the U.S. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 122,822.[2] Its county seat is Hollidaysburg.[3] The county was created on February 26, 1846, from parts of Huntingdon and Bedford counties.

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]

Features[]

  • Brush Mountain
  • Logan Valley
  • Morrison Cove
  • Tussey Mountain

Adjacent counties[]

National protected area[]

  • Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site (part)

Major highways[]

  • Template:Jct/2
  • US 22 US 22
  • No imageBusiness plateNo image
    US 220 US 220 Bus.
  • PA-36 [[Template:Infobox road/PA/link PA|PA 36]]
  • PA-164 [[Template:Infobox road/PA/link PA|PA 164]]
  • PA-350 [[Template:Infobox road/PA/link PA|PA 350]]
  • PA-453 [[Template:Infobox road/PA/link PA|PA 453]]
  • PA-550 [[Template:Infobox road/PA/link PA|PA 550]]
  • PA-764 [[Template:Infobox road/PA/link PA|PA 764]]
  • PA-865 [[Template:Infobox road/PA/link PA|PA 865]]
  • PA-866 [[Template:Infobox road/PA/link PA|PA 866]]
  • PA-867 [[Template:Infobox road/PA/link PA|PA 867]]
  • Template:Jct/banner/SH
    [[Template:Infobox road/PA/link PA-Truck|Template:Infobox road/PA/abbrev PA-Truck]]

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)
74
(23)
103
(39)
Average high °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)
Average low °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)
Precipitation inches (mm) 2.64
(67.1)
2.43
(61.7)
3.48
(88.4)
3.63
(92.2)
4.30
(109.2)
4.08
(103.6)
4.14
(105.2)
3.50
(88.9)
3.85
(97.8)
3.43
(87.1)
3.71
(94.2)
3.11
(79)
42.64
(1,083.1)
Snowfall inches (cm) 11.2
(28.4)
14.3
(36.3)
16.9
(42.9)
2.5
(6.4)
0.1
(0.3)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0.2
(0.5)
3.3
(8.4)
12.1
(30.7)
60.6
(153.9)
Source: Pennsylvania State Climatologist[6]

Demographics[]

Historical populations
Census Pop.
1850 21,777
1860 27,829 27.8%
1870 38,051 36.7%
1880 52,740 38.6%
1890 70,866 34.4%
1900 85,099 20.1%
1910 108,858 27.9%
1920 128,334 17.9%
1930 139,840 9.0%
1940 140,358 0.4%
1950 139,519 −0.6%
1960 137,270 −1.6%
1970 135,356 −1.4%
1980 136,621 0.9%
1990 130,542 −4.4%
2000 129,144 −1.1%
2010 127,089 −1.6%
[7]

As of the census[8] of 2000, there were 127,089 people and 52,159 households within the county. The population density was 246 people per square mile (95/km2). There were 55,061 housing units at an average density of 105 per square mile (40/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.

Law and government[]

Blair County is a Republican Party stronghold. In only two elections has the Democrat won the vote of the county, and one other election won by the Progressive Party.

United States presidential election results for Blair County, Pennsylvania[9]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
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[]

  • Bruce Erb, 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, Mary Ann Bennis, Republican
  • Sheriff, James Ott, Republican
  • Treasurer, James Carothers, Republican

Police agencies[]

  • Allegheny Township Police
  • Altoona City Police
  • Altoona Area School District Police
  • Amtrak Police Department
  • Bellwood Borough Police
  • Blair County District Attorneys Office
  • Blair County Parole & Probation Office
  • Blair County Sheriff's Office
  • Blair Township Police
  • Central Pennsylvania Humane Society Police
  • Duncansville Borough Police
  • Freedom Township Police
  • Greenfield Township Police
  • Hollidaysburg Borough Police
  • Logan Township Police
  • Martinsburg Borough Police
  • Norfolk Southern Railroad Police
  • North Woodbury Township Police
  • Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
  • Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
  • Pennsylvania Game Commission
  • Pennsylvania State Police
  • Pennsylvania State University Altoona Police
  • Roaring Spring Borough Police
  • Spring Cove School District Police
  • Tyrone Borough Police
  • Tyrone Area School District Police
  • United States Postal Inspection Service
  • UPMC Altoona Hospital Police
  • Van Zandt VA Hospital Police
  • Williamsburg Borough Police

State Senate[]

  • Judy Ward, Republican, Pennsylvania's 30th Senatorial District

State House of Representatives[]

  • Louis C. Schmitt Jr., Republican, Pennsylvania's 79th Representative District
  • James Gregory, Republican, Pennsylvania's 80th Representative District

United States House of Representatives[]

  • John Joyce, Republican, Pennsylvania's 13th congressional district

United States Senate[]

  • Pat Toomey, Republican
  • Bob Casey, Democrat

Politics[]

As of November 1, 2021, there are 77,618 registered voters in Blair County.[10]

  • Republican: 47,140 (60.73%)
  • Democratic: 20,800 (26.8%)
  • Independent: 6,530 (8.41%)
  • Third Party: 3,148 (4.06%)

Education[]

Map of Blair County Pennsylvania School Districts

Map of Blair County, Pennsylvania School Districts

Colleges and universities[]

  • Penn State Altoona

Community, junior and technical colleges[]

  • South Hills School of Business and Technology
  • YTI Career Institute
  • Pennsylvania Highlands Community College

Public school districts[]

  • Altoona Area School District
  • Bellwood-Antis School District
  • Claysburg-Kimmel School District (also in Bedford County)
  • Hollidaysburg Area School District
  • Penn Cambria School District (also in Cambria County)
  • Spring Cove School District
  • Tyrone Area School District (also in Centre and Huntingdon Counties)
  • Williamsburg Community School District

Charter schools[]

  • Agora Cyber Charter School
  • Central Pennsylvania Digital Learning Foundation Charter School (K-12). Altoona.
  • There are 17 public cyber charter schools in Pennsylvania that are available statewide for free, to children K-12. See: Education in Pennsylvania.[11]

Technology school[]

  • Greater Altoona Career and Technology Center - Altoona

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 eight 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.

Recreation[]

There is one Pennsylvania state park in Blair County.

  • Canoe Creek State Park

Communities[]

Map of Blair County Pennsylvania With Municipal and Township Labels

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[]

  • Allegheny
  • Antis
  • Blair
  • Catharine
  • Frankstown
  • Freedom
  • Greenfield
  • Huston
  • Juniata
  • Logan
  • North Woodbury
  • Snyder
  • Taylor
  • Tyrone
  • Woodbury

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.

  • Bald Eagle
  • Beavertown
  • Blue Knob
  • Brooks Mill
  • Canan Station
  • Canoe Creek
  • Carson Valley
  • Charlottsville
  • Clappertown
  • Claysburg
  • Cotton Town
  • Cove Forge
  • Cross Keys
  • Culp
  • Curryville
  • Dumb Hundred
  • East Altoona
  • East Freedom
  • East Sharpsburg
  • Elberta
  • Eldorado
  • Fisherville
  • Foot of Ten
  • Fort Fetter
  • Fostoria
  • Franklin Forge
  • Frankstown
  • Fredericksburg
  • Friesville
  • Ganister
  • Geeseytown
  • Gray
  • Grazierville
  • Greenwood
  • Henrietta
  • Homewood at Martinsburg
  • Ironville
  • Jugtown
  • Juniata Gap
  • Klahr
  • Lakemont
  • Larke
  • Leamersville
  • Linds Crossing
  • Loop
  • Martinsburg Junction
  • McKee
  • Mill Run
  • Millerstown
  • Moores Mill
  • Nealmont
  • Newburg
  • Northwood
  • Olivia
  • Ore Hill
  • Oreminea
  • Penn Farms
  • Pinecroft
  • Point View
  • Puzzletown
  • Red Hill
  • Reese
  • Reightown
  • Reservoir
  • Robeson Extension
  • Roots
  • Royer
  • Shelltown
  • Shellytown
  • Sickles Corner
  • Skelp
  • Ski Gap
  • Smith Corner
  • Spring Drive Mobile Home Park
  • Sproul
  • St. Clair
  • Sunbrook
  • Sylvan Hills
  • Tipton
  • Tyrone Forge
  • Vail
  • Vicksburg
  • Wopsononock
  • Yellow Springs

Population ranking[]

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Blair County.[12]

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[]

  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Blair County, Pennsylvania

References[]

  1. ^ "PHMC Historical Markers Search" (Searchable database). Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/pennsylvania_historical_marker_program/2539/search_for_historical_markers. 
  2. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/42/42013.html. 
  3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. 
  4. ^ Bureau, US Census. "Combined Statistical Areas Map (March 2020)" (in EN-US). https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/metroarea/us_wall/Mar2020/CSA_WallMap_Mar2020.pdf. 
  5. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_42.txt. 
  6. ^ "Monthly Averages for Altoona, PA". psac.met.psu. 2009. http://pasc.met.psu.edu/cgi-bin/lcdclim.cgi. 
  7. ^ "Census 2020". https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/blaircountypennsylvania/PST045219. 
  8. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov. 
  9. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS. 
  10. ^ [https://www.dos.pa.gov/VotingElections/OtherServicesEvents/VotingElectionStatistics/Documents/currentvotestats.xls
  11. ^ Pennsylvania Department of Education. "Charter Schools in Pennsylvania". http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/charter_schools/7356/charter_schools_in_pennsylvania/508152. 
  12. ^ "2010 U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.2010.html. 

External links[]

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Coordinates: 40°28′N 78°21′W / 40.47, -78.35


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