122-772: Juniata County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania . As of the 2020 census , the population was 23,509. Its county seat is Mifflintown . The county was created on March 2, 1831, from part of Mifflin County and named for the Juniata River . The county is part of the Central Pennsylvania region of the state. Mountains in Juniata County include Tuscarora Mountain and Shade Mountain. Agricultural land and forested land make up most of
244-480: A U.S. state or other territories of 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
366-1054: 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
488-446: 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
610-567: A sawmill and gristmill on Cocolamus Creek in Delaware Township in 1776. The first known physician in the county, Dr. Ezra Doty, settled in Mifflintown in 1791. The first four townships in what would become Juniata County were formed on October 23, 1754. They were Lack Township, Aire Township, Fannett Township, and Tyrone Township. These early townships had no formal boundaries. By 1913, the original townships had been divided into
732-424: 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
854-465: 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
976-400: 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,
1098-453: 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,
1220-753: A listing on the National Register of Historic Places. There are five Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission historical markers in Juniata County. They commemorate the Tuscarora Path , the Tuscarora Academy, Patterson's Fort , Fort Bingham, and Juniata County itself. The Academia Pomeroy Covered Bridge (also known as the Pomeroy Academia Covered Bridge) was built in 1901. It is 18 feet (5.5 m) wide and 278 feet (85 m) long, making it one of
1342-415: 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 ,
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#17327902295401464-409: A rate of -7.42% and -3.7%, respectively). However, between 2000 and 2005, eight administrative divisions experienced decreasing populations. Between 1990 and 2000, every borough and township in the county experienced an increase in population. At the 2010 census, the average household size in Juniata County was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.01. 23.0% of the county's households were inhabited by
1586-614: A single individual. In 2000, there were 11,353 males and 11,468 females in Juniata County, or 98.99 males per 100 females. The highest percentage of males in any administrative division in the county was 52.07%, in Beale Township. The highest percentage of females in any township or borough in the county was 52.95%, in Fermanagh Township. At the 2010 census, the population in Juniata County was spread out, with 6.3% under 5 years of age, 6.8% from 5 to 9 years of age, and
1708-410: A total of 13 townships. The Pennsylvania Canal began serving Juniata County in 1826 and closed in 1900. The Pennsylvania Railroad reached the county in the late 1840s. The Tuscarora Valley Railroad was also in the county until it closed in 1934. During Hurricane Agnes in 1972, a total of 6374 acres of Juniata County were flooded. 57 families were displaced during this flooding. Juniata County
1830-554: A visionary scheme to build a ramp system which would roll canal boats over the Allegheny Mountains at an elevation over 2,100 feet (640 m) through the broad uneven saddle of Cresson Pass . Though most of the canals no longer have any function, some segments retain value as historic and recreational sites. Both the Delaware Canal and the lower Lehigh Canal were kept busy into the tough financial years of
1952-428: 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
2074-572: 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
2196-468: Is Monroe Township, with 104.0 people per square mile. The highest density of housing units in the county is in Mifflintown (2,837.4 per square mile), followed by Mifflin (1,454.2 per square mile) and Thompsontown (1,144.4 per square mile). Greenwood Township has the third lowest population density of any administrative division in Juniata County: 27.9 people per square mile. The second lowest density
2318-489: 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). Pennsylvania Canal The Pennsylvania Canal , sometimes known as the Pennsylvania Canal system ,
2440-404: Is considerably below average for a Pennsylvania county. The administrative subdivisions of Juniata County with the highest population density are Mifflintown (with a density of 6,184.9 people per square mile), Mifflin (with a density of 3506.9 people per square mile), and Thompsontown (with a density of 2193.1 people per square mile). The township with the highest population density in the county
2562-500: 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
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#17327902295402684-410: Is forested land. Large portions of the southwestern part of the county are forested. 34% of the county's land is undeveloped, most of which (60,000 acres) is unused land. The vast majority of Juniata County is rural land. However, there are a few rural hamlets and villages (which have one to four housing units per acre) scattered throughout the county. There is also an area termed a "high growth area" by
2806-399: 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
2928-601: Is in Tuscarora Township (24.5 people per square mile) and the lowest density is in Lack Township (13.2 people per square mile). The lowest density of housing units in the county is in Lack Township (10.0 per square mile), the second-lowest density is in Greenwood Township (11.3 per square mile), and the third-lowest density is in Tuscarora Township (13.7 per square mile). Between 1940 and 2005,
3050-455: 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
3172-778: 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
3294-410: 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
3416-636: Is served by a hospital in Lewistown , which was established in 1905. The county has six emergency medical services units and eight fire companies, all of which are volunteer fire departments . As the county does not have its own police force, it is served by the Pennsylvania State Police . County (United States) In the United States , a county or county equivalent is an administrative or political subdivision of
3538-562: 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
3660-579: Is single-family dwellings, but seasonal homes and mobile homes also make up significant portions of it. The county's residential land is concentrated along in its boroughs, but occurs along roads and in villages throughout the county. Multi-family residential land is comparatively rare. Less than 1% of the county's land (430 acres) is used for manufacturing purposes. Only approximately 370 acres are used for transportation and utilities. Roughly 300 acres are used for transportation and communication and 70 acres are used for other utilities. Businesses make up 0.21% of
3782-560: Is the Hazelton-Laidig-Buchanan Association. It is a deep and fairly well-drained soil that is found in 24% of the county. It is mostly found in the county's forested areas. The Berks-Weikert-Bedington Association is also found in the county. It is found in 33% of the county's area and is not as deep as the Hazelton-Laidig-Buchanan Association, but is well-drained. The soil is mostly found in agricultural lands and some forested areas. Another soil association in
Juniata County, Pennsylvania - Misplaced Pages Continue
3904-427: Is to the southeast of the county. U.S. Route 22 / U.S. Route 322 , which is a four-lane highway, leads from the county to these metropolitan areas. Parts of Juniata County are fairly flat, but there are areas in the county with slopes of 25% or greater. However, most development in the county is confined to areas with slopes of 15% or less. Many of the county's steepest slopes, with grades of 25% of more, are located on
4026-506: 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
4148-857: Is warm-summer ( Dfb ). Average temperatures in the Mifflin-Mifflintown vicinity range from 28.1 °F in January to 73.2 °F in July. Juniata County lies over 16 different rock formations, some of which contain limestone . These rock formations come from the Ordovician Period , the Silurian Period , and the Devonian Period . The northernmost part of the county contains rocks of the Juniata Formation ,
4270-864: The Academia Pomeroy Covered Bridge , the Tuscarora Academy , and the Book site in Beale Township; the Lehmans-Port Royal Bridge in Milford Township; and the East Oriental and North Oriental covered bridges. The Dimmsville Covered Bridge in Greenwood Township had been designated as a historic place, but fell into disrepair and collapsed in April 2017. Eight additional places are eligible for
4392-652: 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
4514-672: The Bald Eagle Formation , and undivided Juniata and Bald Eagle formations. All of these formations primarily consist of sandstone . South of these formations lie the Bloomsburg and Mifflintown Formation undivided, the Clinton Group , and the Tuscarora Formation . The first two of these consist mainly of shale , while the third is composed of quartzite . The rock formations in the southwestern part of
4636-458: 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
4758-624: The Conewago Canal , which carried riverboats around Conewago Falls on the Susquehanna River near York Haven . Spurred by construction of the Erie Canal (constructed between 1817 and 1825) and the perceived competitive advantage it would give New York state in moving people and materials to and from the interior of the continent, Pennsylvanians built hundreds of miles of canals during the early 19th century. These included
4880-726: The Great Depression . The right of way authorized for the Upper Lehigh Canal became an extension of the Lehigh and Susquehanna Railroad (LH&S), which the 1837 revised act had established to connect the Wyoming Valley to the Delaware River navigations; the railway would eventually parallel the entire Lehigh Canal operated by its parent LHC&N . The route from Philadelphia to Wilkes-Barre over
5002-641: The Juniata County School District and Greenwood School District . There are five areas that are protected by the Central Pennsylvania Conservancy and 59 natural heritage sites in the county. The first European settlers arrived in Juniata County in the 1750s. The county has historically been part of Mifflin County and before that, part of Cumberland County. Juniata County was historically a part of Cumberland County and later Mifflin County. Juniata County
Juniata County, Pennsylvania - Misplaced Pages Continue
5124-603: 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
5246-566: 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
5368-528: The Northwest Territory . The goal of the enabling acts was to enhance commerce and lower transportation costs between east and west, better joining the trans-Allegheny region to the eastern seaboard; this was a commercially motivated act with an eye towards servicing the growing markets of the new fast growing western settlements (Midwest) to the manufactories of the East. Provision was made in
5490-576: 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
5612-437: 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
5734-582: 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
5856-761: The Union Canal , which started in Reading and ended in Middletown . By 1834, the Main Line of Public Works, a system of interlocking canals, railways, and inclined planes , was hauling passengers and freight up to 391 miles (629 km) between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Though not all in concurrent operation, the total length of the canals built in Pennsylvania eventually reached 1,243 miles (2,000 km). By 1840, work had been completed not only on
5978-689: 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
6100-471: 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
6222-478: 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
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#17327902295406344-458: The 1970s was even higher. Susquehanna Township's population was the fastest-growing population of any administrative division in Juniata County between 1990 and 2005, with an increase of 35.42%. Other fast-growing populations in the county include those of Milford Township (22.53%) and Thompsontown (20.1%). The populations of Mifflin and Mifflintown are the only administrative divisions in the county whose populations decreased in that time period (at
6466-451: 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
6588-461: 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
6710-997: 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,
6832-753: The Juniata County Comprehensive Plan describes as "outstanding and unique scenic features". These are Hawstone Overlook and the Concord Narrows. Hawstone Overlook is an overlook in Milford Township on Pennsylvania Route 333 , from which the Juniata River between Shade Mountain and Blue Mountain can be seen, as well as the Lewistown Narrows . The Concord Narrows are a narrow water gap where
6954-411: The Juniata County Comprehensive Plan near the boroughs of Mifflin and Mifflintown. It has between 8 and 17 housing units per acre. The Juniata County Comprehensive Plan also designates areas near Thompsontown and Port Royal as "rural growth area[s]". These areas have three to six housing units per acre. Juniata has a humid continental climate , which is hot-summer ( Dfa ), except in higher areas where it
7076-469: The Juniata River flows past Tuscarora Mountain . Quartizite from the Silurian Period can be found in this water gap. There are several major streams and rivers in Juniata County. These include the Susquehanna River , the Juniata River , Tuscarora Creek , Cocolamus Creek , West Branch Mahantango Creek , Licking Creek , and Lost Creek . 112,000 acres, or 45% of Juniata County's area is in
7198-1018: The Keyser and Tonoloway Formation undivided, the Onondaga and Old Port Formations undivided, the Reedsville Formation , the Trimmers Rock Formation , the Wills Creek Formation , and the Wills Creek Formation through Mifflintown Formation undivided. Four of the rock formations found in Juniata County come from the Ordovician Period, seven come from the Silurian Period, and seven come from the Devonian Period. There are seven soil associations in Juniata County. One of these
7320-404: The Lehigh and LH&S or eventual LH&S cut over 100 miles (160 km) off the trip, including a similar distance saving Philadelphia to Pittsburgh via Pitston Landing 's canal docks. The first three tunnels of any kind in the US were built in support of the Allegheny Portage Railway, and all of them were converted to railroad tunnels. The canal era began in Pennsylvania in 1797 with
7442-441: The Main Line Canal from the state. In 1859, all canals owned by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania were sold. The PRR formed the Pennsylvania Canal Company in 1867 and continued to use canals to haul freight. The canal business, however, declined steadily in the last quarter of the 19th century, and most Pennsylvania canals no longer functioned after 1900. The state funded the following canals in Pennsylvania. For interstate canals,
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#17327902295407564-405: The Main Line of Public Works but on many other lines, officially called "divisions". The Main Line consisted of the Eastern Division, the Juniata Division, the Western Division, the Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad , and the Allegheny Portage Railroad . North–south divisions operated along the Delaware River in the east, the Susquehanna River in the middle of the state, and the Beaver River in
7686-444: The Pennsylvania Canal system topped 2,100 feet (640 m) in elevation by erecting the Allegheny Portage Railroad , which used a system of five inclines and five planes on each side of the Eastern Continental Divide at Cresson Pass in Cambria County to actually haul wheeled flat cars, which had halved canal boats placed on them, up and over the Allegheny Front and connect Pittsburgh to the Susquehanna River . When finished in 1834,
7808-559: The Tuscarora Creek watershed, including the borough of Port Royal. 59,000 acres (24% of the county's area) is in the Juniata River watershed. This area includes parts of all four of the boroughs in the county. 26,000 acres of Juniata County are in the Cocolamus Creek watershed and a similar amount of the county is in the watershed of Lost Creek. 20,000 acres (8% of the counties area) are in the West Branch Mahantango Creek watershed. Residential land makes up more than 50,000 acres, or one fifth, of Juniata County's area. The bulk of residential land
7930-574: 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
8052-473: 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
8174-428: 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
8296-627: 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
8418-434: 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
8540-474: The agricultural, hunting/fishing, forestry, and mining industries made up 5.46% of the industry in Juniata County. Livestock farming was more popular in the county than crop cultivation. In 2002, the egg and poultry industry in the county generated $ 32 million in sales (the 7th highest of the Pennsylvania counties) and the dairy industry generated $ 17 million in sales (the 23rd highest of the Pennsylvania counties). The hog and pig industry generated $ 7 million and
8662-402: 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
8784-599: The borough of Thompsontown. Juniata County is in the Humid Continental climatic region. In the summer, highs are generally in between 80 and 90 °F (27 and 32 °C), but on occasion exceed 90 °F (32 °C). The lows in the summer are typically slightly below 60 °F (16 °C). High temperatures in the winter are usually between 30 and 40 °F (−1 and 4 °C). On average, Juniata County receives 38 inches (97 cm) of precipitation per year. An average of 28 inches (71 cm) of snow fall on
8906-404: The cattle industry generated $ 4 million in sales (the 10th and 27th highest of Pennsylvania counties, respectively). The county's grain industry generated $ 1 million (the 35th highest of Pennsylvania counties). The county is the fourth most prolific poultry-producing county in Pennsylvania. In addition to the aforementioned industries, there are also small-scale clothing manufacturing businesses in
9028-410: 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,
9150-421: 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
9272-415: The county are the boroughs of Mifflintown and Mifflin . The main roads in Juniata County are Pennsylvania Route 235 , Pennsylvania Route 35 , Pennsylvania Route 104 , U.S. Route 11 / U.S. Route 15 , U.S. Route 22 / U.S. Route 322 , Pennsylvania Route 74 , Pennsylvania Route 850 , and Pennsylvania Route 333 . The county has four boroughs and thirteen townships, and is served by two school districts:
9394-489: The county each winter. The county rarely experiences long-term droughts , but does experience short-term droughts often. At the 2010 census , there were 24,636 people, 9,476 households, and 6,839 families residing in Juniata County. The projected population of the county for 2020 is 26,071. The population density was 63 people per square mile (24 people/km). There were 10,978 housing units at an average density of 28 units per square mile (11/km). The racial makeup of
9516-446: The county in 1755 and 1756, although Fort Bingham and Fort Peterson had been constructed. The Beale family was one of the earliest families to inhabit the county. More settlers arrived in the 1750s and 1760s and the first gristmill on the western side of the Juniata River was built in the county in 1767. A public road was built in the county between Tuscarora Creek and a location near Shade Mountain in 1768. John Hamilton constructed
9638-872: The county include the Brallier and Harrell Formations undivided, the Hamilton Group , the Irish Valley member of the Catskill Formation , and others. The eastern part of the county lies almost entirely over the Hamilton Group, the Tuscarora Formation, and the Irish Valley member of the Cataskill Formation. Other rock formations found in Juniata County include the Keyser through Mifflintown Formation undivided,
9760-490: The county is 8.71%, in Mifflintown. Between 1990 and 2000, the Hispanic population in the county increased by 653%. In 2000, 45.4% of the population of Juniata County were of German , 20.2% American , 5.7% Irish and 5.0% English ancestry according to Census 2000 . 3.95% reported speaking Pennsylvania Dutch , German , or Dutch at home; 1.63% speak Spanish . The housing density and population density of Juniata County
9882-581: The county is the Edon-Opequon-Weikert Association, which is a well-drained soil that occupies 17% of the county. The Elliber-Kreamer-Mertz Association is a deep and well-drained soil that makes up 12% of the county. The Chenango-Pope-Holly Association and the Morrison-Hazelton-Clymer Association make up 7% and 6% of the county, respectively. They are both deep and occur on gentle slopes. However,
10004-463: 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
10126-445: The county use the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) in a law enforcement capacity, either with part-time police departments or with no other police departments. As of February 5, 2024, there are 13,842 registered voters in the county. There are 9,645 registered Republicans , 2,770 registered Democrats , 1,077 voters registered non-affiliated voters, and 350 voters registered to other parties . Chart of Voter Registration In 2000,
10248-496: The county was 96.8% White , 0.6% Black or African American , 0.1% Native American , 0.3% Asian (0.1% Indian, 0.1% Chinese, and 0.1% Korean), 1.1% from other races, and 1% from two or more races. There are eight Filipino people, five Vietnamese people, and two Samoans in Juniata County. 2.5% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. These include 195 Puerto Ricans , 77 Mexicans, and 2 Cubans. The highest percentage of Hispanic people in any township or borough in
10370-485: The county's area. Major rivers and creeks in the county include the Susquehanna River , the Juniata River , Tuscarora Creek , and West Branch Mahantango Creek . It borders seven other counties. The county lies over 16 different rock formations (which are from the Ordovician , Silurian , and Devonian ) and 51 different soils. Juniata County has a relatively low population density. The most population-dense parts of
10492-658: The county's border with Perry County. Shade Mountain runs from Snyder County through Juniata County and into Huntingdon County. Juniata County is one of the 423 counties served by the Appalachian Regional Commission , and it is identified as part of the "Midlands" by Colin Woodard in his book American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America . There are two locations in Juniata County that
10614-405: The county's land, or 525 acres. 490 acres are devoted to retail businesses, while 35 acres are devoted to wholesale businesses. Services occupy 0.67% of the county's area. Land devoted to recreation in Juniata County makes up 0.5%, or 1000 acres, of its area. Agricultural land comprises 41% (101,000 acres) of the county. A total of 167,500 acres, or approximately two thirds of the county's area,
10736-591: The county. There were 801 farms in Juniata County in 1997, occupying a total of 96,312 acres of farmland. By 2002, there were only 644 farms and 86,203 acres of farmland. There is one public library in Juniata County: the Juniata County Library in Mifflintown . It has approximately 64,000 materials and an annual circulation of 131,940 materials. It celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2016. There are no hospitals in Juniata County. The county
10858-405: The edges of the county. These slopes are generally found on mountainous ridges. However, there are some similarly steep slopes in the middle of the county. All four boroughs in the county have slopes with a grade of 25% or more near them. Slopes of 15% to 25% can be found throughout the county. Much of Juniata County is hilly. Mountains occupy many of the county's borders. Tuscarora Mountain forms
10980-413: The former is poorly drained, while the latter is well-drained. The Hazelton-Laidig-Buchanan Association is well-drained and makes up 1% of the county's area. There are 51 different soil types in Juniata County, of which 18 are considered prime farmland. There are few agricultural soils on the northern and southern edges of the county. The main rock formations in the boroughs of Mifflin and Mifflintown are
11102-399: 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
11224-461: 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
11346-626: 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 ;
11468-405: 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
11590-651: The later legislation to tie in and even extend privately built canals such as the Lehigh Canal , not technically part of the Pennsylvania Canal system, and link them and the state's infant railroads to the public system and add to its value. The canal linking Philadelphia to the Susquehanna River , the proposed Pennsylvania Canal from Philadelphia to the Wright's Ferry landing in Columbia, Pennsylvania ,
11712-560: 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
11834-416: 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
11956-472: The listed mileage is for the Pennsylvania portion only. Private entities, including foreign investors, funded the following canals in Pennsylvania. For interstate canals, the listed mileage is for the Pennsylvania portion only. Several canal segments or other canal infrastructure in Pennsylvania are listed on the National Register of Historic Places . One complete canal, the Delaware Canal ,
12078-421: The longest remaining covered bridges in Pennsylvania. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 394 square miles (1,020 km), of which 391 square miles (1,010 km) is land and 2.2 square miles (5.7 km) (0.6%) is water. Juniata County is located between two major metropolitan areas. One is State College , which is northwest of the county. The other is Harrisburg , which
12200-642: The major metropolitan cities of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh , and reaching the new growth markets in the developing Northwest Territory over the Ohio River , now known as the Midwestern United States . The Pennsylvania Canal was updated in 1837 to reflect the experience of twelve years of toddler-railways, The term was also applied to railroads and new canals to be added to the state transportation system. The Main Line of Public Works and
12322-686: 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
12444-521: 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
12566-424: 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
12688-448: 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
12810-456: The population of Juniata County was proportionally the third fastest-growing population of any county in Pennsylvania, with only Snyder County's and Perry County's populations growing faster. In this time period, the county's population has increased by 50.69%, or 7,792 people. In the 1980s, the county's rate of population growth was more than 50 times higher than the rate of population growth in Pennsylvania. The county's rate of population growth in
12932-412: The population, people of 60 to 54 years of age comprised 6.0% of it, and 65- to 69-year-olds made up 4.9% of the population. People of 70 to 74 years of age make up 3.9% of the county's population, people of 75 to 79 years of age make up 3.2% of the population, people of 80 to 84 years old make up 2.5% of the population, and people older than 85 years make up 2.3% of the population. As of 2016 all areas in
13054-660: The privately funded Lehigh Canal in 1818, which improved water transport on the lower Lehigh River from Jim Thorpe to Easton at the confluence with the Delaware River via Allentown and Bethlehem . The Lehigh Canal enabled the first regular reliable supplies of anthracite coal to reach eastern manufactories and two canals built later by Pennsylvania stock companies, the Schuylkill Canal , which started in Philadelphia and ended in Port Carbon , and
13176-582: 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
13298-431: The same percentage from 10 to 14 years of age. 6.5% of the county's inhabitants were 15 to 19 years of age, 5.4% were 20 to 24 years old, 5.3% were 25 to 29 years old, and 5.5% were 30 to 34 years old. People of 35 to 39 years of age comprised 6.1% of the population, 40- to 44-year-olds comprised 6.6% of the population, and 7.6% of the population consisted of 50- to 54-year-olds. People of 55 to 59 years of age made up 7.6% of
13420-796: The specific governmental powers of counties may vary widely between 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
13542-556: 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
13664-421: 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
13786-399: 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,
13908-524: The trip from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh could be made in three to five days, weather conditions depending. In the fifty years before 1830, the new west was settled and steadily growing as people poured westwards along the various Emigrant Trails into the Midwest to destinations on a million new farms and towns throughout the watershed of the Mississippi Valley towards the lands organized in
14030-614: The undivided Keyser and Tonoloway Formations and the Irish Valley Member of the Catskill Formation. The same rock formations are found in the borough of Port Royal, along with the Clinton Group and the Hamilton Group to the northwest and southeast of the borough, respectively. The Hamilton Group, the Keyser and Tonoloway Formations, and the Irish Valley Member of the Catskill Formation are found in or near
14152-566: The west. A few additions were completed after 1840. By 1850, steam engine technology had advanced to having the ability to produce locomotives with sufficient power to move freight, including bulk goods such as coal and grain, so railroads had already begun displacing canals as the preferred method of long-distance transportation, as they also offered speed. In 1852, the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) began offering rail service from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, and in 1857, it bought
14274-410: Was Mifflintown, on March 6, 1833, and the last was Thompsontown, on February 7, 1868. However, the first settlers (unauthorized squatters) arrived in the county and were removed from it considerably earlier, by 1750. One of the first warrants for land in the county was issued in 1755. Many of the earliest landowners in Delaware Township were speculators as opposed to settlers. There was an Indian raid in
14396-467: Was a complex system of transportation infrastructure improvements, including canals , dams, locks , tow paths, aqueducts , and viaducts . The canal was constructed and assembled over several decades beginning in 1824, the year of the first enabling act and budget items. Enacted while railroads were in their infancy , the Pennsylvania Canal was designed to create a canal system that was capable of carrying heavy ships carrying bulk goods , connecting
14518-440: 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,
14640-432: Was formed on March 2, 1831, from parts of Mifflin County. It is named after the Juniata River. The word "juniata" itself is a Seneca word that means either "people of the standing stone" or "blue waters". The first boroughs in the county to be settled were Mifflintown and Thompsontown, which were settled in 1790. Port Royal and Mifflin were settled in 1812 and 1848, respectively. The first of these boroughs to be incorporated
14762-580: Was overtaken by technological events. Instead of pouring money into building a ditch, permission was sought by the investors to use its 82-mile (132 km) right of way to replace it in the "main line of works" scheme by a railway, a new developing technology, which resulted in the Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad (1834). Since they were built above ground, railways were easier and cheaper to build, since no ditches needed to be dug with human muscle power , nor did they require feed waters to be located and aqueducts built to provide them. The plan also included
14884-488: Was the last county in Pennsylvania to develop a modern comprehensive plan. It did, however, construct a comprehensive plan in 1974. In a 1997 survey, 66.8% of respondents found Juniata County a "very desirable" living place. In a similar survey in 2007, however, only 56.9% of respondents found the county a "very desirable" living place. Eight locations in Juniata County are listed on the National Register of Historic Places . They were listed between 1972 and 1986. They include
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