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115-546: Allegheny County ( / ˌ æ l ɪ ˈ ɡ eɪ n i / AL -ig- AY -nee ) is a county in Pennsylvania , United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,250,578, making it the state's second-most populous county , after Philadelphia County . Its county seat and most populous city is Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania's second most populous city. The county is part of the Greater Pittsburgh region of

230-1054: A city , town , or village . A few counties directly provide public transportation themselves, usually in the form of a simple bus system. However, in most counties, public transportation is provided by one of the following: a special district that is coterminous with the county (but exists separately from the county government), a multi-county regional transit authority, or a state agency. In western and southern states, more populated counties provide many facilities, such as airports, convention centers , museums, recreation centers , beaches, harbors, zoos, clinics, law libraries , and public housing . They provide services such as child and family services, elder services, mental health services, welfare services, veterans assistance services, animal control , probation supervision, historic preservation, food safety regulation, and environmental health services. They have many additional officials like public defenders , arts commissioners, human rights commissioners, and planning commissioners. There may be

345-446: A consolidated city-county or independent city exists, a city council usually governs city/county or city affairs. In some counties, day-to-day operations are overseen by an elected county executive or by a chief administrative officer or county administrator who reports to the board, the mayor, or both. In many states, the board in charge of a county holds powers that transcend all three traditional branches of government. It has

460-515: A county council with 15 members (13 elected by district, two elected county-wide), and an appointed county manager. The changes were intended to maintain a separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches while providing greater citizen control. The county has 130 self-governing municipalities, the most in the state. ( Luzerne is second with 76). The county has one Second Class City (Pittsburgh) and three Third Class Cities ( Clairton , Duquesne , and McKeesport ). A 2004 study found

575-424: A county fire department and a county police department – as distinguished from fire and police departments operated by individual cities, special districts, or the state government. For example, Gwinnett County, Georgia , and its county seat, the city of Lawrenceville , each have their own police departments. (A separate county sheriff's department is responsible for security of the county courts and administration of

690-465: A few counties bear names of Native American , French, or Spanish origin. Counties are most often named for people, often political figures or early settlers, with over 2,100 of the 3,144 total so named. The most common county name, with 31, is Washington County , for America's first president, George Washington . Up until 1871, there was a Washington County within the District of Columbia , but it

805-400: A land area of 20,057 square miles (51,947 km ). The least extensive county is Kalawao County, Hawaii , with a land area of 11.991 square miles (31.058 km ). The least extensive county equivalent in the 50 states is the independent city of Falls Church, Virginia , with a land area of 1.999 square miles (5.177 km ). If U.S. territories are included,

920-453: A large number of counties, and many Western states were sparsely populated when counties were created by their respective state legislatures. The five counties of Rhode Island and eight of the 14 counties of Massachusetts no longer have functional county governments, but continue to exist as legal and census entities. Connecticut abolished county governments in 1960, leaving its eight counties as mere legal and census entities. In 2022,

1035-415: A population over 100,000; 137 counties have a population over 500,000; 45 counties have a population over 1,000,000; and 14 counties have a population over 2,000,000. At the other extreme, 35 counties have a population under 1,000; 307 counties have a population under 5,000; 709 counties have a population under 10,000; and 1,492 counties have a population between 10,000 and 50,000. At the 2000 U.S. Census ,

1150-439: A referendum to explore a merger with Pittsburgh. In 2021, a joint task force was formed to study the feasibility and impact of such a merger. The task force is expected to issue a report by June 2022. If both Wilkinsburg and Pittsburgh councils approve the merger, it would then need approval from the state legislature and governor before taking effect. Another recent proposal is from Allegheny County Economic Development (ACED), which

1265-478: A temporary line. A final, permanent survey was performed by Neville and Andrew Ellicott , a Marylander representing Virginia. The corner was marked late in 1784—the report to the commissioners of both states being dated November 18, 1784—and on August 23, 1785, the boundary as far north as the Ohio River (near present-day East Liverpool, Ohio ) was completed. In 1786 the line was continued to Lake Erie , marking

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1380-489: Is Pittsburgh Regional Transit . The Allegheny County Department of Public Works oversees infrastructure, maintenance, and engineering services in the county. The Three Rivers Heritage Trail provides uninterrupted bicycle and pedestrian connections along the three rivers in the city, and the Great Allegheny Passage trail runs from downtown Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C. The Allegheny County Airport

1495-428: Is Lake . Words from Native American languages, as well as the names of Native American leaders and tribes, lend their names to many counties. Quite a few counties bear names of French or Spanish origin, such as Marquette County being named after French missionary Father Jacques Marquette . The county's equivalent in the state of Louisiana, the parish (Fr. paroisse civile and Sp. parroquia ) took its name during

1610-572: Is 343 sq mi (890 km ), whereas in Utah it is 2,427 sq mi (6,290 km ). The most extensive county or county equivalent is the Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska , with a land area of 145,505 square miles (376,856 km ). All nine of the most extensive county equivalents are in Alaska. The most extensive county is San Bernardino County, California , with

1725-455: Is an unusual case because it encompasses multiple entire counties in one city. Each of those counties is coextensive with one of the five boroughs of the city: Manhattan (New York County), The Bronx (Bronx County), Queens (Queens County), Brooklyn (Kings County), and Staten Island (Richmond County). Yohogania County The problem arose through the complex and conflicting manner of granting territory and defining boundaries during

1840-949: Is at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers in Downtown Pittsburgh , and Allegheny Islands State Park is in the Allegheny River in Harmar Township and is undeveloped as of August 2010. Pennsylvania State Game Lands Number 203 is also located in Allegheny County providing hunting and other activities. Allegheny Land Trust, a regional land conservation group headquartered in Sewickley , has purchased land in Allegheny County for use as public green spaces for scenic and recreational purposes. In 2012 it pursued land formerly owned by

1955-500: Is either done at the state level or at the municipal level. In Connecticut and parts of Massachusetts, regional councils have been established to partially fill the void left behind by the abolished county governments. The regional councils' authority is limited compared with a county government—they have authority only over infrastructure and land use planning, distribution of state and federal funds for infrastructure projects, emergency preparedness, and limited law enforcement duties. In

2070-399: Is greater than the populations of 41 U.S. states, and is only slightly smaller than the combined population of the 10 least populous states and Washington, D.C. It also makes the population of Los Angeles County 17.4 times greater than that of the least populous state, Wyoming. The second most populous county is Cook County, Illinois , with a population of 5,275,541. Cook County's population

2185-455: Is larger than that of 28 individual U.S. states and the combined populations of the six smallest states. The least populous county is Loving County, Texas , with 64 residents in 2020. Eight county equivalents in the U.S. territories have no human population: Rose Atoll , Northern Islands Municipality , Baker Island , Howland Island , Jarvis Island , Johnston Atoll , Kingman Reef , and Navassa Island . The remaining three islands in

2300-841: Is no formal level of government (municipality, public education, or otherwise) existing below that of the county in the state. In most Midwestern and Northeastern states, counties are further subdivided into townships or towns , which sometimes exercise local powers or administration. Throughout the United States, counties may contain other independent, self-governing municipalities . In New England, counties function at most as judicial court districts and sheriff's departments (presently, in Connecticut only as judicial court districts—and in Rhode Island , they have lost both those functions and most others but they are still used by

2415-680: Is now northern West Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania . These were Monongalia County , Ohio County , and Yohogania County. All three included, or at least claimed, land in what is now Pennsylvania as well as in Virginia, now West Virginia. The new counties were named after rivers in the region, the Ohio, the Monongahela, and the Youghiogheny , the latter two being Latinized to create the county names. The county seat of Yohogania County

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2530-453: Is ranked in the top ten among US cities hosting headquarters of Fortune 500 corporations, including U.S. Steel Corporation, PNC Financial Services Group, PPG Industries , and H. J. Heinz Company . The county leads the state in number of defense contractors supplying the U.S. military. School districts include: These private schools provide special education for disabled students: Allegheny County's public transportation provider

2645-410: Is rarely a county responsibility, execution of capital punishment is never a county responsibility, and the state's responses to prisoners' appeals are the responsibility of the state attorney general , who has to defend before the state appellate courts the prosecutions conducted by locally elected district attorneys in the name of the state. Furthermore, county-level trial court judges are officers of

2760-530: Is seeking to enter into an agreement with a consultant to carry out historic preservation compliance activities for projects funded by various federal programs. The consultant would help ACED develop a Programmatic Memorandum of Agreement (PMOA) with the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and other stakeholders to streamline the review process for projects that may affect historic properties within

2875-562: Is simultaneously a city, which is a municipality (municipal corporation), and a county, which is an administrative division of a state, having the powers and responsibilities of both types of entities. The city limit or jurisdiction is synonymous with the county line, as the two administrative entities become a non-dichotomous single entity. For this reason, a consolidated city-county is officially remarked as name of city – name of county (i.e., Augusta–Richmond County in Georgia). The same

2990-741: Is the original airport for Pittsburgh and houses a number of flight schools, charter flight operations, and medevac operations. It is owned and operated by The Allegheny County Airport Authority. Pittsburgh International Airport is the major passenger airport for the county with service to many destinations on several airlines. Like the Allegheny County Airport, it is also owned and operated by The Allegheny County Airport Authority. For information about major state roads, see list of State Routes in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania and Allegheny County Belt System . There are two Pennsylvania state parks in Allegheny County. Point State Park

3105-506: Is true of the boroughs of New York City , each of which is coextensive with a county of New York State. For those entities in which the city uses the same name as the county, city and county of name may be used (i.e., City and County of Denver in Colorado). Similarly, some of Alaska 's boroughs have merged with their principal cities, creating unified city-boroughs. Some such consolidations and mergers have created cities that rank among

3220-652: The Alaska Constitutional Convention wanted to avoid the traditional county system and adopted their own unique model with different types of boroughs varying in powers and duties. In some states, these powers are partly or mostly devolved to the counties' smaller divisions usually called townships , though in New York, New England and Wisconsin they are called "towns". The county may or may not be able to override its townships on certain matters, depending on state law. The newest county in

3335-458: The City and County of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ; City and County of San Francisco, California ; and Lynchburg-Moore County, Tennessee A consolidated city-county may still contain independent municipalities maintaining some governmental powers that did not merge with the rest of the county. For example, the government of Jacksonville–Duval County, Florida , still provides county-level services to

3450-586: The Colonial period. The North American continent was not surveyed until long after various land grants were made to individual colonies, and such land grants and even governmental entities frequently overlapped. Virginia's claim was for a wedge from their coastal area all the way to the Pacific Ocean . Pennsylvania 's was for five degrees of longitude west of the Delaware River . By the 1770s it

3565-678: The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America , with 24,718 Lutherans in 77 congregations; the American Baptist Churches USA , with 17,148 Baptists in 42 congregations; the Assemblies of God , with 12,398 Pentecostals in 30 congregations; Reform Judaism , with 8,483 Jews in 6 congregations; the 7,780 Episcopal Church (United States) , with 7,780 Episcopalians in 19 congregations; and Hinduism in

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3680-633: The Mason–Dixon line or Mason and Dixon's Line. However, their authority extended west only as far as western Maryland, and did not resolve border conflicts between Virginia and Pennsylvania. In 1776, shortly after the American Revolutionary War began, the Virginia General Assembly formed three new counties from the District of West Augusta , an area of Augusta County, Virginia , which encompassed much of what

3795-404: The Mason–Dixon line westward. This region was assigned to Pennsylvania. From 1781 until 1788, much of what Virginia had claimed as part of Yohogania County was administered as a part of the newly created Washington County, Pennsylvania . Allegheny County was officially created on September 24, 1788, from parts of Washington and Westmoreland counties. It was formed to respond to pressure from

3910-603: The Mid-Atlantic and Midwest , counties typically provide, at a minimum, courts, public utilities , libraries, hospitals, public health services, parks, roads, law enforcement, and jails. There is usually a county registrar, recorder, or clerk (the exact title varies) who collects vital statistics , holds elections (sometimes in coordination with a separate elections office or commission), and prepares or processes certificates of births, deaths, marriages, and dissolutions (divorce decrees). The county recorder normally maintains

4025-566: The New York City Borough of Manhattan), with 72,033 persons per square mile (27,812 persons/km ) in 2015. The Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska , is both the most extensive and the least densely populated county or county equivalent with 0.0380 persons per square mile (0.0147 persons/km ) in 2015. In the 50 states (plus the District of Columbia), a total of 981 counties have a population over 50,000; 592 counties have

4140-617: The Ohio and Allegheny rivers. He installed lead plates in the ground to mark the land for France. Most of the towns during that era were developed along waterways , which were the primary transportation routes, as well as providing water for domestic uses. Through the eighteenth century, both the French and the British competed for control over the local rivers in this frontier territory of North America. Native American bands and tribes allied with

4255-599: The Ohio River and east of the Allegheny River to be part of its Yohogania County , and governed it from Fort Dunmore . In addition, parts of the county were located in the proposed British colony of Vandalia and the proposed U.S. state of Westsylvania . The overlapping boundaries, multiple governments, and confused deed claims soon proved unworkable. Near the end of the American Revolutionary War, in 1780 Pennsylvania and Virginia agreed to extend

4370-576: The Province of Maine founded York County . Massachusetts followed in 1643. Pennsylvania and New York delegated significant power and responsibility from the colony government to county governments and thereby established a pattern for most of the United States, although counties remained relatively weak in New England . When independence came, the framers of the Constitution left

4485-659: The Shawnee , who also had territory in Ohio; and the Mingo , a group made up of a variety of peoples from more eastern tribes. European fur traders such as Peter Chartier established trading posts in the region in the early eighteenth century. In 1749, Captain Pierre Joseph Céloron de Blainville claimed the Ohio Valley and all of western Pennsylvania for King Louis XV of France . The captain traveled along

4600-582: The U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 745 square miles (1,930 km), of which 730 square miles (1,900 km) is land and 14 square miles (36 km) (1.9%) is water. Four major rivers traverse Allegheny County: the Allegheny River and the Monongahela River converge at Downtown Pittsburgh to form the Ohio River . The Youghiogheny River flows into the Monongahela River at McKeesport , 10 miles (16 km) to

4715-437: The U.S. Minor Outlying Islands ( Midway Atoll , Palmyra Atoll and Wake Island ) have small non-permanent human populations. The county equivalent with the smallest non-zero population counted in the census is Swains Island, American Samoa (17 people), although since 2008 this population has not been permanent either. The most densely populated county or county equivalent is New York County, New York (coextensive with

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4830-582: The USGS counts Guam's election districts (villages) as county equivalents. The U.S. Census Bureau counts the 3 main islands in the U.S. Virgin Islands as county equivalents, while the USGS counts the districts of the U.S. Virgin Islands (of which there are 2) as county equivalents. Common sources of county names are names of people, geographic features, places in other states or countries, and animals. Quite

4945-689: The United States Census Bureau and some other federal agencies for some federal functions), and most of the governmental authority below the state level is in the hands of towns and cities . In several of Maine's sparsely populated counties, small towns rely on the county for law enforcement, and in New Hampshire several social programs are administered at the state level. In Connecticut, Rhode Island, and parts of Massachusetts, counties are now only geographic designations, and they do not have any governmental powers. All government

5060-471: The county seat ("parish seat" in Louisiana, "borough seat" in Alaska, or " shire town " in several New England counties). The county seat usually resides in a municipality. However, some counties may have multiple seats or no seat. In some counties with no incorporated municipalities, a large settlement may serve as the county seat. The power of county governments varies widely from state to state, as does

5175-478: The median land area of U.S. counties was 622 sq mi (1,610 km ), which is two-thirds of the median land area of a ceremonial county of England , and a little more than a quarter of the median land area of a French département . Counties in the western United States typically have a much larger land area than those in the eastern United States. For example, the median land area of counties in Georgia

5290-606: The 19th and early 20th centuries; prior to the Great Depression , Pittsburgh and Allegheny County had been majority Republican. Since the Great Depression on the state and national levels, the Democratic Party has been dominant in county-level politics. It is by far the most Democratic county in western Pennsylvania. For much of the time between the Great Depression and the turn of the millennium, it

5405-451: The 50 states and District of Columbia. There are an additional 100 county equivalents in the territories of the United States . The average number of counties per state is 62, with a range from the three counties of Delaware to the 254 counties of Texas . Southern and Midwestern states generally tend to have more counties than Western or Northeastern states, as many Northeastern states are not large enough in area to warrant

5520-461: The 50 states and the District of Columbia. If the 100 county equivalents in the U.S. territories are counted, then the total is 3,244 counties and county-equivalents in the United States. The idea of counties originated with the counties of England . English (after 1707, British ) colonists brought to their colonies in North America a political subdivision that they already used in

5635-942: The British metropole : the counties. Counties were among the earliest units of local government established in the Thirteen Colonies that would become the United States. Virginia created the first counties in order to ease the administrative workload in Jamestown . The House of Burgesses divided the colony first into four "incorporations" in 1617 and finally into eight shires (or counties) in 1634: James City , Henrico , Charles City , Charles River , Warrosquyoake , Accomac , Elizabeth City , and Warwick River . America's oldest intact county court records can be found at Eastville, Virginia , in Northampton (originally Accomac) County , dating to 1632. Maryland established its first county, St. Mary's in 1637. In 1639,

5750-541: The County Council, which is composed of 15 members elected for four-year terms from 13 single-member districts and 2 At-Large representatives, currently occupied by Bethany Hallam and Sam DeMarco. The council functions as the primary legislative and policy-making body of the county. The current County Council President is Patrick Catena, a Democrat who represents District 4 and was elected by his fellow council members in 2018 and 2020. The judicial branch consists of

5865-616: The County Executive, who is elected for a four-year term and serves as the chief executive officer of the county; and the County Manager, who is appointed by the County Executive and oversees the daily operations of the county departments. The current County Executive is Sara Innamorato , a Democrat who took office in 2024. The current County Manager is William D. McKain, who was appointed by Fitzgerald in 2012 and reappointed in 2016 and 2020. The legislative branch consists of

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5980-580: The Court of Common Pleas, which is the general trial court of the county; and the Magisterial District Courts, which are lower courts that handle minor criminal and civil cases. The judges of these courts are elected for ten-year terms. The current President Judge of the Court of Common Pleas is Kimberly Berkeley Clark, who was elected by her fellow judges in 2018 for a five-year term. Allegheny County has 130 self-governing municipalities,

6095-704: The Pittsburgh Cut Flower Company in Richland Township . In 2020, it received a grant to convert a former country club into a public green space. In December 2020, it donated 20 undeveloped acres across three parcels in Hampton to expand North Park . County (United States) In the United States , a county or county equivalent is an administrative or political subdivision of a U.S. state or other territories of

6210-655: The U.S. Census Bureau began to also count Connecticut's Councils of Governments , which took over some of the regional powers from the state's former county governments, as county equivalents. Territories of the United States do not have counties; instead, the United States Census Bureau also divides them into county equivalents. The U.S. Census Bureau counts American Samoa 's districts and atolls as county equivalents. American Samoa locally has places called "counties", but these entities are considered to be " minor civil divisions " (not true counties) by

6325-473: The U.S. Census Bureau recognized the state's nine Councils of Governments as replacement for the state's eight legacy counties for all statistical purposes; full implementation was completed in 2024. The average U.S. county population was 104,435 in 2019, while the median county, which is Nicholas County, West Virginia , had a population of 25,965 in 2019. The most populous county is Los Angeles County, California , with 10,014,009 residents in 2020. This number

6440-479: The U.S. Census Bureau treats American Samoa's three districts and two atolls as county equivalents). American Samoa's counties are treated as minor civil divisions. Most territories are directly divided into municipalities or similar units, which are treated as equivalent of counties for statistical purposes: The U.S. Census Bureau counts all of Guam as one county equivalent (with the FIPS code 66010), while

6555-690: The U.S. Census Bureau. The number of counties per state ranges from the three counties of Delaware to the 254 counties of Texas . County populations also vary widely: in 2017, according to the Census Bureau, more than half the U.S. population was concentrated in just 143 of the more than 3,000 counties, or just 4.6% of all counties; the five most populous counties, ordered from most to least, are Los Angeles County, California ; Cook County, Illinois ; Harris County, Texas ; Maricopa County, Arizona ; and San Diego County, California . As of 2022 , there are 3,144 counties and county-equivalents in

6670-475: The US Army Corps of Engineers, Pittsburgh is the second (after Laredo, Texas ) busiest inland port in the nation. US steel production declined late in the 20th century, and Allegheny County's economy began a shift to other industries. It is presently known for its hospitals, universities, and industrial centers. Despite the decline of heavy industry , Pittsburgh is home to a number of major companies and

6785-446: The United States which consists of a geographic area with specific boundaries and usually some level of governmental authority. The term " county " is used in 48 states, while Louisiana and Alaska have functionally equivalent subdivisions called parishes and boroughs , respectively. Counties and other local governments exist as a matter of U.S. state law , so the specific governmental powers of counties may vary widely between

6900-425: The United States , with 6,700 Hindus in four temples . Altogether, 60.6% of the population was claimed as members by religious congregations, although members of historically African-American denominations were underrepresented due to incomplete information. In 2014, Allegheny County had 794 religious organizations, the 11th most out of all US counties. As of the 2010 census , there were 1,223,348 people living in

7015-489: The United States is the city and county of Broomfield, Colorado , established in 2001 as a consolidated city-county , previously part of four counties. The newest county equivalents are the Alaskan census areas of Chugach and Copper River , both established in 2019, and the Alaskan boroughs of Petersburg established in 2013, Wrangell established in 2008, and Skagway established in 2007. A consolidated city-county

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7130-426: The age of 18 living with them, 46.10% were married couples living together, 12.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.10% were non-families. Some 32.70% 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 2.31 and the average family size was 2.96. The age distribution of the population shows 21.90% under

7245-426: The age of 18, 8.50% from 18 to 24, 28.30% from 25 to 44, 23.40% from 45 to 64, and 17.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40. For every 100 females, there were 90.00 males; for every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.20 males. In the late 18th century, farming played a critical role in the growth of the area. There was a surplus of grain due to transportation difficulties in linking with

7360-402: The board. These positions may include county clerk , county treasurer , county surrogate, sheriff , and others. District attorneys or state attorneys are usually state-level as opposed to county-level officials, but in many states, counties and state judicial districts have coterminous boundaries. The site of a county's administration, and often the county courthouse , is generally called

7475-659: The boundary between Pennsylvania and the portion of the Northwest Territory that in 1803 became the state of Ohio . (Virginia's claim to the Northwest Territory had been ceded to Congress in 1784.) The survey determined that parts of Ohio and Monongalia counties and nearly all of Yohogania County were within the Pennsylvania boundaries. The areas of Yohogania County ceded to Pennsylvania included all of present-day Westmoreland County and parts of

7590-410: The city and the county at least nominally exist, they are properly classified as counties in their own right. Likewise, the boroughs of New York City are coextensive with counties and are therefore by definition also not county equivalents. There are technically no counties in U.S. territories. American Samoa has its own counties , but the U.S. Census Bureau does not treat them as counties (instead,

7705-403: The colonists to differing degrees, often based on their trading relationships. The British sent Major George Washington to expel the French from their posts, with no success. He also nearly drowned in the ice-filled Allegheny River while returning to camp. The English tried again in 1754 to establish a post in the area. They sent 41 Virginians to build Fort Prince George . The French learned of

7820-545: The commonwealth, and is the center of the Pittsburgh media market . Allegheny was the first county in Pennsylvania to be given a Native American name. It was named after the Lenape word for the Allegheny River . The meaning of "Allegheny" is uncertain. It is usually said to mean "fine river". Some historians state that the name may come from a Lenape account of an ancient mythical tribe called "Allegewi" , who lived along

7935-421: The county (which merely implements state law). A typical criminal defendant will be arraigned and subsequently indicted or held over for trial before a trial court in and for a particular county where the crime occurred, kept in the county jail (if he is not granted bail or cannot make bail), prosecuted by the county's district attorney, and tried before a jury selected from that county. But long-term incarceration

8050-463: The county jail.) In several southern states, public school systems are organized and administered at the county level. As of 2024 , there were 2,999 counties, 64 Louisiana parishes , 19 organized boroughs and 11 census areas in Alaska, 9 Councils of Government in Connecticut, 41 independent cities , and the District of Columbia for a total of 3,144 counties and county equivalents in

8165-434: The county would be better served by consolidating the southeastern portion of the county (which includes many small communities with modest economies) into a large municipality ("Rivers City") with a combined population of approximately 250,000. Allegheny County has a Home Rule Charter form of government since 2000. The county has three branches: the executive, the legislative, and the judicial. The executive branch consists of

8280-933: The county's 125th anniversary was celebrated with a week-long series of events. The final day, September 27, was marked by a steamboat parade of 30 paddle wheelers . They traveled from Monongahela Wharf down the Ohio to the Davis Island Dam . The boats in line were the Steel City (formerly the Pittsburgh and Cincinnati packet Virginia ), the flag ship; City of Parkersburg , Charles Brown , Alice Brown , Exporter , Sam Brown , Boaz , Raymond Horner , Swan , Sunshine , I. C. Woodward , Cruiser , Volunteer , A. R. Budd , J. C. Risher , Clyde , Rival , Voyager , Jim Brown , Rover , Charlie Clarke , Robt. J. Jenkins , Slipper , Bertha , Midland Sam Barnum , Cadet , Twilight , and Troubadour . According to

8395-573: The county. ACED issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for this service in January 2022 and expects to select a consultant by March 2022. As of 4 March 2024, there were 902,957 registered voters in the county; a majority were Democrats. There were 508,935 registered Democrats , 257,857 registered Republicans , 97,708 registered as independents and 38,457 registered with other parties . Chart of voter registration The Republican Party had been historically dominant in county-level politics in

8510-439: The county. The population density was 1,676 people per square mile (647 people/km). The racial makeup of the county was 82.87% White, 14.39% Black or African American, 2.94% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.37% from other races, and 1.40% from two or more races. About 1.31% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. At the 2000 census , there were 1,281,666 people, 537,150 households, and 332,495 families living in

8625-677: The county. The population density was 1,755 people per square mile (678 people/km). There were 583,646 housing units at an average density of 799 per square mile (308/km). The racial makeup of the county was 84.33% White, 12.41% Black or African American, 0.12% Native American, 1.69% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.34% from other races, and 1.07% from two or more races. About 0.87% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 20.0% were of German , 15.0% Italian , 12.7% Irish , 7.5% Polish and 5.1% English ancestry. 93.5% spoke English and 1.3% Spanish as their first language. There were 537,150 households, out of which 26.40% had children under

8740-422: The eastern portion of the state. As a result, the farmers distilled the grain into whiskey , which significantly helped the farmers financially. The area quickly became a key manufacturing area in the young nation. Coupled with deposits of iron and coal, and the easy access to waterways for barge traffic, the city quickly became one of the most important steel producing areas in the world. Based on 2007 data from

8855-468: The fort; he had it destroyed to prevent any use by the French. The British built a new, larger fort on the site, including a moat, and named it Fort Pitt . The historic site has been preserved as Pittsburgh's Point State Park . Under their colonial charters, both Pennsylvania and Virginia claimed the region that is now Allegheny County. Pennsylvania administered most of the region as part of its Westmoreland County . Virginia considered everything south of

8970-399: The four independent municipalities within its borders: Atlantic Beach , Baldwin , Jacksonville Beach , and Neptune Beach . The term county equivalents is used by the United States Census Bureau to describe divisions that are comparable to counties but called by different names: Consolidated city-counties are not designated county equivalents for administrative purposes; since both

9085-461: The general law of the state or by a charter specific to that county. States may allow only general-law counties, only charter counties, or both. Generally, general-law local governments have less autonomy than chartered local governments. Counties are usually governed by an elected body, variously called the county commission , board of supervisors , commissioners' court , county council , county court , or county legislature . In cases in which

9200-626: The geographically largest cities in the world, though often with population densities far below those of most urban areas. There are 40 consolidated city-counties in the U.S., including Augusta–Richmond County; the City and County of Denver, Colorado; the City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii ; Indianapolis–Marion County, Indiana ; Jacksonville–Duval County, Florida ; Louisville–Jefferson County, Kentucky ; Lexington–Fayette County, Kentucky ; Kansas City–Wyandotte County, Kansas ; Nashville–Davidson County, Tennessee ; New Orleans–Orleans Parish, Louisiana ;

9315-517: The highest vote percentage for a Democrat since Michael Dukakis in 1988 and the most votes for a Democrat since Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964. In the 21st century, populist turns to the GOP from nearly all of Appalachia in general and western Pennsylvania in particular have left the county as one of the few in the region that still supports the Democrats at a high level. Source In 2010 statistics,

9430-456: The increase in settlers living in the area around Pittsburgh; this was designated as the county seat in 1791. The county originally extended north to the shores of Lake Erie ; it was reduced to its current borders by 1800. As population increased in the territory, other counties were organized. In the 1790s, the United States federal government imposed a whiskey excise tax. Farmers who had depended on whiskey income refused to pay and started

9545-405: The judicial branch of the state government rather than county governments. In many states, the county controls all unincorporated lands within its boundaries. In states with a township tier, unincorporated land is controlled by the townships. Residents of unincorporated land who are dissatisfied with county-level or township-level resource allocation decisions can attempt to vote to incorporate as

9660-587: The jurisdiction of Virginia. Similar conflicts between Maryland and Pennsylvania had been resolved earlier, by 1767, through the work of two men chosen by Cecil Calvert, brother of Charles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore , proprietor of Maryland, and Thomas Penn and his brother Richard , sons of William Penn and proprietors of Pennsylvania. Astronomer Charles Mason , an acquaintance of Benjamin Franklin , and surveyor Jeremiah Dixon came from England to do this work. The line they located has since been known as

9775-638: The largest religious group in Allegheny County was the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh , with 460,672 Catholics worshipping at 179 parishes; followed by the United Methodist Church , with 44,204 Methodists in 100 congregations; the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America , with 42,838 Presbyterians in 145 congregations; non-denominational Protestants, with 33,103 adherents in 85 congregations;

9890-560: The least extensive county equivalent is Kingman Reef , with a land area of 0.01 square miles (0.03 km ). In some states, a municipality may be in only one county and may not annex territory in adjacent counties, but in the majority of states, the state constitution or state law allows municipalities to extend across county boundaries. At least 32 states include municipalities in multiple counties . Dallas , for example, contains portions of five counties, while numerous other cities comprise portions of four counties. New York City

10005-416: The legislative power to enact laws for the county; it has the executive power to oversee the executive operations of county government; and it has quasi-judicial power with regard to certain limited matters (such as hearing appeals from the planning commission if one exists). In many states, several important officials are elected separately from the board of commissioners or supervisors and cannot be fired by

10120-815: The legislatures of both states in 1780, "to extend the line commonly called Mason and Dixon's line five degrees of longitude from Delaware River ... and from the western termination thereof to run and mark a meridian line to the Ohio River," which was the northern boundary of Virginia's claim. That would be the boundary between the two states. The conflict apparently being over, Pennsylvania carved Washington and Fayette counties out of Westmoreland in 1781 and 1783, respectively. These counties contained land claimed by Yohogania and Ohio or (in Fayette's case) Monongalia counties. But confusion over jurisdictions continued. On November 4, 1782, Colonel Joseph Neville , representing Virginia, and Alexander McClean of Pennsylvania marked

10235-686: The matter to the states. Subsequently, state constitutions conceptualized county governments as arms of the state. Louisiana instead adopted the local divisions called parishes that dated back to both the Spanish colonial and French colonial periods when the land was dominated by the Catholic Church . In the twentieth century, the role of local governments strengthened and counties began providing more services, acquiring home rule and county commissions to pass local ordinances pertaining to their unincorporated areas . In 1955, delegates to

10350-513: The most in the state. These include one city (Pittsburgh), 96 boroughs, 30 townships, and two home rule municipalities (Bethel Park and McCandless). Each municipality has its own elected officials, such as mayor, council, commissioners, supervisors, etc., and its own local services, such as police, fire, public works, etc. Some municipalities also have their own municipal authorities that provide services such as water, sewer, transit, etc. There have been several proposals to consolidate or merge some of

10465-439: The municipalities in Allegheny County, either with each other or with the City of Pittsburgh, to reduce costs, improve efficiency, and enhance regional cooperation. However, none of these proposals have been implemented so far. One of the most recent proposals is from Wilkinsburg , a borough that borders Pittsburgh and faces financial challenges due to declining population and tax base. In 2020, Wilkinsburg residents voted to approve

10580-521: The next most common source of county names are geographic features and locations, with some counties even being named after counties in other states, or for places in other countries, such as the United Kingdom (the latter is most common in the area of the original Thirteen Colonies in the case of the United Kingdom, or in places which had a large number of immigrants from a particular area for other countries). The most common geographic county name

10695-447: The northern portion of Ohio County. Later, as the population of the region continued to grow, Hancock County was created from the northern portion of Brooke County in 1848, with the county line being drawn through the middle of the village of Hollidays Cove , now Weirton . Allegheny County was formed in 1788 from Westmoreland and Washington counties. Most of the present territory of Allegheny County, including most of Pittsburgh (with

10810-459: The notable exception of what is now the northside (Pittsburgh) , formerly its own municipality Allegheny City ), was once claimed by Yohogania. Beaver County was created in 1800 from parts of Allegheny and Washington. The southern part, known locally as "South Side Beaver" because it is south of the Ohio River, was once claimed by Yohogania. ( Greene County , formed in 1796 from Washington, does not include any territory once claimed by Yohogania but

10925-424: The official record of all real estate transactions. Other key county officials include the coroner / medical examiner , treasurer , assessor , auditor , comptroller , and district attorney . In most states, the county sheriff is the chief law enforcement officer in the county. However, except in major emergencies where clear chains of command are essential, the county sheriff normally does not directly control

11040-545: The plan and sent an army to capture the fort. They resumed building it and added increased defensive fortification, renaming it as Fort Duquesne . Given its strategic location at the Ohio, Fort Duquesne became an important focal point of the French and Indian War . The first British attempt to retake the fort, the Braddock Expedition , failed miserably. In 1758 British forces under General John Forbes recaptured

11155-448: The police departments of city governments, but merely cooperates with them (e.g., under mutual aid pacts). Thus, the most common interaction between county and city law enforcement personnel is when city police officers deliver suspects to sheriff's deputies for detention or incarceration in the county jail. In most states, the state courts and local law enforcement are organized and implemented along county boundaries, but nearly all of

11270-593: The present counties of Allegheny, Beaver, Washington, and Fayette. The portion of Yohogania remaining in (West) Virginia's Northern Panhandle —itself a creation of the border settlement—was deemed too small at the time to form a county, and was annexed to Ohio County. (Similarly, part of Ohio County's claim is now in Washington and Greene Counties in Pennsylvania, and part of what had been considered Monongalia County are in Washington, Greene, and Fayette counties, Pennsylvania.) In 1797, Virginia created Brooke County from

11385-582: The relationship between counties and incorporated cities. The powers of counties arise from state law and vary widely. In Connecticut and Rhode Island , counties are geographic entities, but not governmental jurisdictions. At the other extreme, Maryland counties and the county equivalent City of Baltimore handle almost all services, including public education , although the state retains an active oversight authority with many of these services. Counties in Hawaii also handle almost all services since there

11500-629: The river before being taken over by the Lenape. Prior to European contact, this area was settled for thousands of years by succeeding cultures of indigenous peoples. During the colonial era , historic native groups known by the colonists to settle in the area included members of western nations of the Iroquois , such as the Seneca; the Lenape , who had been pushed from the East by European-American settlers;

11615-468: The so-called Whiskey Rebellion after driving off tax collector John Neville . After a series of demonstrations by farmers, President George Washington sent troops to suppress the frontier rebellion. The area developed rapidly through the 1800s with industrialization. It became the nation's prime steel producer by the late 19th century and Pittsburgh was nicknamed "Steel Capital of the World". In 1913,

11730-575: The southeast. There are several islands in these courses. The rivers drain via the Mississippi River into the Gulf of Mexico . Although the county's industrial growth resulted in clearcutting of the area's forests, a significant amount of woodland has regrown. Allegheny has a humid continental climate which is hot-summer, ( Dfa ) except in higher elevations, where it is warm-summer ( Dfb ). Until January 1, 2000, Allegheny County's government

11845-556: The state's French and Spanish colonial periods. Before the Louisiana Purchase and granting of statehood, government was often administered in towns where major church parishes were located. Of the original 19 civil parishes of Louisiana that date from statehood in 1807, nine were named after the Roman Catholic parishes from which they were governed. The structure and powers of a county government may be defined by

11960-727: The states, with many providing some level of services to civil townships , municipalities , and unincorporated areas . Certain municipalities are in multiple counties ; New York City is uniquely partitioned into five counties, referred to at the city government level as boroughs . Some municipalities have been consolidated with their county government to form consolidated city-counties , or have been legally separated from counties altogether to form independent cities . Conversely, counties in Connecticut and Rhode Island , eight of Massachusetts's 14 counties , and Alaska's Unorganized Borough have no government power, existing only as geographic distinctions. The United States Census Bureau uses

12075-421: The substantive and procedural law adjudicated in state trial courts originates from the state legislature and state appellate courts. In other words, most criminal defendants are prosecuted for violations of state law, not local ordinances, and if they, the district attorney, or police seek reforms to the criminal justice system, they will usually have to direct their efforts towards the state legislature rather than

12190-399: The term "county equivalent" to describe places that are comparable to counties, but called by different names. Louisiana parishes, the organized boroughs of Alaska, independent cities, and the District of Columbia are equivalent to counties for administrative purposes. Alaska's Unorganized Borough is further divided into 11 census areas that are statistically equivalent to counties. In 2024,

12305-409: The vote, Republican John McCain received 41%, and each of the three state row office winners ( Rob McCord for Treasurer, Jack Wagner for Auditor General, and Tom Corbett for Attorney General) also carried Allegheny. In 2016, despite Donald Trump being the first Republican to carry Pennsylvania since 1988, Hillary Clinton did slightly better than Barack Obama's 2012 vote total while Donald Trump

12420-587: Was defined under Pennsylvania's Second Class County Code. The county government was charged with all local activities, including elections, prisons, airports, public health, and city planning. All public offices were headed by elected citizens. There were three elected county commissioners. On January 1, 2000, the Home-Rule Charter went into effect. It replaced the three elected commissioners with an elected chief officer (the County Executive),

12535-440: Was dissolved by the District of Columbia Organic Act . Jefferson County , for Thomas Jefferson , is next with 26. The most recent president to have a county named for him was Warren G. Harding , reflecting the slowing rate of county creation since New Mexico and Arizona became states in 1912. The most common names for counties not named after a president are Franklin (25), Clay (18), and Montgomery (18). After people,

12650-642: Was near the Monongahela River, within the present borough of Jefferson Hills across from Elizabeth . On December 27, 1779, a resolution by the Second Continental Congress recommended to the two now-states of Virginia and Pennsylvania that, rather than continue to quarrel with each other as well as fighting the British, they should reach an agreement on the border situation. This was done in theory by an agreement reached by commissioners from both states in Baltimore in 1779, and ratified by

12765-613: Was obvious that the two claims overlapped, in the area that in 1773 had been designated by Pennsylvania as Westmoreland County , because settlers were moving into the area from both directions. Both claims included the entire southwestern corner of what is now Pennsylvania, west of the Laurel Ridge in the Allegheny Mountains and south of the Kiskiminetas , Allegheny , and Ohio rivers. The major prize location

12880-404: Was once claimed by Ohio and Monongalia counties.) The part of Yohogania that remained in Virginia was from Cross Creek north. This creek is just south of the present-day town of Follansbee, West Virginia , entering the Ohio River across from Mingo Junction, Ohio . In 1791, this remnant area was made part of the newly created Brooke County, Virginia , though the southern part of Brooke, including

12995-577: Was the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers, forming the Ohio River, at the location of Fort Pitt , now the city of Pittsburgh . The disputes over which colony had authority over the area led to overlapping land grants to settlers and battles between Virginians and Pennsylvanians in the period 1774–1775. In 1774, a Virginian militia group even attacked and captured the Westmoreland County seat at Hannastown and arrested three Westmoreland County justices who refused to acknowledge

13110-448: Was the second-strongest Democratic bastion in Pennsylvania, behind only Philadelphia. In 2000, Democrat Al Gore won 56% of the vote and Republican George W. Bush won 41%. In 2004, Democrat John Kerry received 57% of the vote and Republican Bush received 41%. In 2006, Democrats Governor Ed Rendell and Senator Bob Casey Jr. won 59% and 65% of the vote in Allegheny County, respectively. In 2008, Democrat Barack Obama received 57% of

13225-417: Was the worst performing Republican in 20 years. In the 2018 Midterms , Democrats received an even higher percentage of the vote with Tom Wolf and Casey receiving approximately two thirds of the county's vote. This is an improvement over the approximately 55% each person received in the county in their last election in 2014 and 2012 respectively. In 2020, Joe Biden improved upon Clinton's performance, receiving

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