114-656: Bucks County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania . As of the 2020 census , the population was 646,538, making it the fourth-most populous county in Pennsylvania . Its county seat is Doylestown . The county is named after the English county of Buckinghamshire . The county is part of the Southeast Pennsylvania region of the state. The county represents the northern boundary of
228-480: 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
342-1054: 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
456-446: 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
570-536: A humid subtropical climate ( Cfa ) exists. The hardiness zone is 7a for the majority of the county and 7b in most areas south of Interstate 276. 6b only continues to exist in some very small higher areas in the north. [1] As of March 4, 2024, there are 606,385 registered voters in Montgomery County. Montgomery County historically was a stronghold for the Republican Party. The county was
684-424: 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
798-479: A female householder with no husband present, and 26.40% were non-families. 21.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.17. In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.70% under the age of 18, 7.00% from 18 to 24, 30.70% from 25 to 44, 24.30% from 45 to 64, and 12.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age
912-465: 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
1026-400: 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,
1140-453: 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,
1254-433: A margin of less than 5% in each except for 2008, with three of those eight elections decided by less than 2% (1992, 2012, and 2016). In 2024, Donald Trump flipped the county with a victory margin of 0.07% or 291 votes. Prior to this Republicans won the county all but thrice between 1896 and 1988 (except in 1912, 1936, and 1964). Unlike most other suburban Philadelphia counties, Bucks County consistently voted Democratic during
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#17327726813141368-415: 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 ,
1482-657: A regional educational service agency called the Bucks County Intermediate Unit #22 located in the county seat of Doylestown . The Bucks County Library System was founded in 1956 by a resolution of the Bucks County Commissioners. The Bucks County Library System is made up of 7 branch libraries in the following townships: Many artists and writers based in New York City have called Bucks County home, settling mainly in
1596-428: 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
1710-764: Is Norristown . The county is part of the Philadelphia – Camden – Wilmington PA- NJ – DE – MD metropolitan statistical area , known as the Delaware Valley , and marks the Delaware Valley's northern border with the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania. The county borders Philadelphia, the nation's sixth-largest city , to its southeast, Bucks County to its east, Berks and Lehigh counties to its north, Delaware County to its south, and Chester County to its southwest. The county
1824-528: Is Parx Casino and Racing in Bensalem , a casino and thoroughbred horse racing track. The casino was built on the grounds of what was originally Philadelphia Park Racetrack. The complex includes the thoroughbred horse racing track, expansive casino, a dance club, numerous dining options, and the Xcite Center . K-12 school districts include: The Bucks County public schools listed above are served by
1938-572: 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
2052-406: Is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania . As of the 2020 census , the population of the county was 856,553, making it the third-most populous county in Pennsylvania after Philadelphia and Allegheny counties, also the most populous county in Pennsylvania without a major city. The county is part of the Southeast Pennsylvania region of the state. The county seat and largest city
2166-570: Is a local radio news station. The Bucks County Sharks rugby league team played in the AMNRL from 1997 to 2010 season. They returned to play in the AMNRL in 2011, until the league's fold in 2014, when they subsequently joined the USARL . The county has a considerable history of producing Little League baseball contenders. Since its inception in 1947, four of the seven Pennsylvania teams to compete in
2280-576: Is a part of PIAA 's District I, and has seen many schools capture multiple state titles. In 1996, Yardley Western Post 317 won the American Legion National Championship. Bristol Legion Post 382 recently won the 2011 American Legion State Championship. There are six Commonwealth -owned parks in Bucks County: Air transportation facilities available in or close to Bucks County include: Like most of
2394-415: 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). Montgomery County, Pennsylvania Montgomery County , colloquially referred to as Montco ,
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#17327726813142508-468: Is approximately 30 miles (48 km) southeast of Allentown , the state's third-largest city, and 40 miles (64 km) north of Philadelphia, the state's largest city. Bucks County is one of the three original counties created by colonial proprietor William Penn in 1682. Penn named the county after Buckinghamshire , the county in which he lived in England ; "Bucks." is the traditional abbreviation for
2622-857: Is considered a Bucks County artist. Allen Saalburg relocated to Bucks County in 1947, and named his press after the canal. The county boasts many local theater companies, including the long-established and recently reopened Bucks County Playhouse in New Hope, Town and Country Players in Buckingham, ActorsNET in Morrisville, and the Bristol Riverside Theatre, a professional Equity theater in Bristol. The Bucks County Symphony, founded in 1953, performs in Doylestown throughout
2736-500: 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
2850-399: 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
2964-530: Is land and 18 square miles (47 km) (2.8%) is water. The southern third of the county between Philadelphia and Trenton, New Jersey , often called Lower Bucks, resides in the Atlantic Coastal Plain ; it is flat and near sea level, and is the county's most populated and industrialized area. Bucks County shares a western border with Montgomery County , and also borders Philadelphia to the southwest, and Northampton and Lehigh Counties to
3078-455: 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
3192-778: 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
3306-470: Is not specifically partisan. In the 2004 United States Senate election, Republican Arlen Specter won the county over Montco resident Joe Hoeffel , but Democrat Bob Casey, Jr. out-polled Rick Santorum in the 2006 Senate election. In 2006, Democrat Rick Taylor unseated incumbent Republican Eugene McGill in the 151st , although Taylor lost in 2010 to Republican Todd Stephens and, in 2008, Democrat Matthew Bradford unseated incumbent Republican Jay Moyer in
3420-480: Is projected by 2020 that one out of four people in Bucks County will work in biotechnology. Another important asset of the county is tourism. The county's northern regions, colloquially referred to as Upper Bucks, are known for their natural scenery, farmland, colonial history, and proximity to major urban areas, including Philadelphia , New York City , Allentown , Reading , and Atlantic City , each of which
3534-410: 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
Bucks County, Pennsylvania - Misplaced Pages Continue
3648-493: Is represented in U.S. Congress by Pennsylvania's 1st congressional district , ( map ) formerly numbered as the 8th District . The district is represented by Brian Fitzpatrick (R), making this district one of 18 nationwide to be held by a Republican and won by Joe Biden in 2020. County (United States) In the United States , a county or county equivalent is an administrative or political subdivision of
3762-562: 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
3876-535: Is the largest receptacle of out-of-state waste in the USA (receiving much of New York City's waste following the closure of Fresh Kills landfill in Staten Island, NY 40 miles (64 km) away). Bucks is also experiencing rapid growth in biotechnology , along with neighboring Montgomery County . The Greater Philadelphia area consistently ranks in the top 10 geographic clusters for biotechnology and biopharma. It
3990-506: 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
4104-554: Is within a two-hour driving radius. Bucks County is home to twelve covered bridges . Ten are still open to vehicular traffic; two others, located in parks, are open only to non-vehicular traffic. All Bucks County bridges use the Town truss design. Schofield Ford Bridge, in Tyler State Park , was reconstructed in 1997 from the ground up after arsonists destroyed the original in 1991. Popular attractions in Bucks County include
4218-439: The 70th . Six of the county's 12 state house seats and four of the county's eight senate seats are now held by Democrats. All four statewide Democratic candidates carried Montgomery in 2008, with Barack Obama receiving 60% of the county's vote. Barack Obama won Montgomery County in 2008 and 2012. Montgomery County is governed by a three-person county commission . The current composition is two Democrats and one Republican. By law,
4332-652: 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
4446-458: 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
4560-815: The Civil War era, only voting Republican twice between 1856 and 1892, in 1860 and 1872. The executive government is run by a three-seat board of commissioners, one member of which serves as chairperson. Commissioners are elected through at-large voting and serve four-year terms. In cases of vacancy, a panel of county judges appoints members to fill seats. The current commissioners are Diane M. Ellis-Marseglia (D) (chairwoman), Robert "Bob" J. Harvie Jr. (D) (Vice-chairman), and Gene DiGirolamo (R). The current terms expire in January 2028. In 2012, four county employees were sentenced for compensating public employees for political work on behalf of Republican candidates. Bucks County
4674-626: The Delaware River to take Trenton, New Jersey , by surprise on the morning of December 26, 1776. Their successful attack on Britain's Hessian forces was a turning point in the American Revolutionary War . The town of Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania and Washington Crossing Historic Park were named to commemorate the event. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 622 square miles (1,610 km), of which 604 square miles (1,560 km)
Bucks County, Pennsylvania - Misplaced Pages Continue
4788-661: The Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania have come from Bucks County: Morrisville ( 1955 ), Levittown American ( 1960 and 1961 ), and Council Rock-Newtown ( 2005 ). Two of these squads, Morrisville and Levittown (1960), went on to win the World Series title. In 2007, Council Rock Northampton won the PA State championship, and lost in the finals of regionals. The county
4902-603: 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
5016-566: 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
5130-909: The Pennsylvania Constitution and the United States Constitution . The Republican administration of Governor Tom Corbett filed suit in the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania in an attempt to block Hanes from licensing same-sex marriage. Commonwealth Court Judge Dan Pellegrini ordered Hanes in September 2013 to stop issuing same-sex marriage licenses. After Federal Judge John Jones threw out Pennsylvania's ban on same-sex marriage in May 2014, calling it unconstitutional, offices in other counties were able to issue these licenses, while Hanes had to wait for
5244-412: The Philadelphia – Camden – Wilmington , PA– NJ – DE – MD metropolitan statistical area . To its southwest, Bucks County borders Montgomery County and Philadelphia , the nation's sixth-largest city. To its east, the county borders the Delaware River and U.S. state of New Jersey . To its north, the county borders Lehigh and Northampton counties in the state's Lehigh Valley region. The county
5358-576: 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
5472-437: 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
5586-582: 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
5700-689: 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
5814-477: The United States Census Bureau for the purposes of compiling demographic data. They are not actual jurisdictions under Pennsylvania law. Other unincorporated communities, such as villages, may be listed here, as well. Even though the historic village of Valley Forge, as well as the park, are partially located within Montgomery County, the modern village is in Chester County, PA The population ranking of
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#17327726813145928-445: The census of 2000, there were 218,725 households, and 160,981 families residing in the county. There were 225,498 housing units at an average density of 371 per square mile (143/km). 20.1% were of German , 19.1% Irish , 14.0% Italian , 7.5% English and 5.9% Polish ancestry. There were 218,725 households, out of which 35.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.20% were married couples living together, 8.80% had
6042-471: 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
6156-478: 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
6270-458: The poverty line , including 4.80% of those under age 18 and 5.50% of those age 65 or over. Growth began in the early 1950s, when William Levitt chose Bucks County for his second "Levittown". Levitt bought hundreds of acres of woodlands and farmland, and constructed 17,000 homes and dozens of schools, parks, libraries, and shopping centers. By the time the project was completed, the population of Levittown had swelled to nearly 74,000 residents. At
6384-501: The 2007 election, when Democrats picked up control of five row offices. Democrats have also won several elections in the Pennsylvania General Assembly in recent years, including two GOP-leaning State House districts in 2004, the 148th with Mike Gerber and the 153rd with current Governor Josh Shapiro . Today, although the county is very Democratic at the national level, at the state and local level, it
6498-451: 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
6612-461: 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
6726-997: 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,
6840-520: The Conqueror 's main counselors, Roger de Montgomerie , since it was part of the Welsh Tract , an area of Pennsylvania settled by Quakers from Wales . According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 487 square miles (1,260 km ), 483 square miles (1,250 km ) of which was land and 4.2 square miles (11 km ) (0.9%) of which was water. As of the 2020 census,
6954-460: The Democratic presidential candidates' direction with Hillary Clinton winning Montgomery County with 58.87% of the vote, an improvement from Barack Obama 's 56.6% vote share in 2012. In the 2016 U.S. Senate and Pennsylvania Attorney General elections, Montgomery County voted for Katie McGinty and Josh Shapiro , both Democrats. Most county-level offices were held by Republicans until after
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#17327726813147068-407: The Democratic presidential nominee since 1992, with the margins progressively increasing between every election, except in 2012. In the 2020 election, Joe Biden became the first Democrat to obtain over 60% of the county's vote. Despite Donald Trump 's victory in the state of Pennsylvania in the 2016 presidential election , Montgomery County was one of the few counties in Pennsylvania that swung in
7182-586: The English county, which became the actual name of the Pennsylvania one. He built a country estate, Pennsbury Manor , in Falls Township in present-day Bucks County. Some places in Bucks County were named after locations in Buckinghamshire , England, including Buckingham and Buckingham Township , named after the former county town of Buckinghamshire; Chalfont, named after Chalfont St Giles ,
7296-722: The Philadelphia suburbs, Bucks County was once a stronghold for the Republican Party . However, in recent years it has become more of a swing county, like Pennsylvania at large. In presidential elections, Bucks County has been swept up in the overall Democratic trend that has swept the Philadelphia area, although the trend in Bucks has been less pronounced than in Delaware and Montgomery counties. It went Democratic in every presidential election from 1992 to 2020, though by
7410-655: 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
7524-473: 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
7638-479: 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
7752-690: 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
7866-489: 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
7980-709: The United States with such a rating. In 2012, Moody's downgraded the general obligation rating to Aa1, and in 2018 the rating was revised back to Aaa. Major employers include: School districts: Under Pennsylvania law, five types of incorporated municipalities are listed: cities , boroughs , townships , home rule municipalities (which can include communities that bear the name "Borough" or "Township") and, in at most two cases, towns . These boroughs, townships, and home rule municipalities are located in Montgomery County: Census-designated places are geographical areas designated by
8094-402: 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
8208-462: The brand of Republicanism practiced in Montgomery County for much of the 20th century was moderate. As the national parties have polarized, the county's voters have increasingly supported Democrats at the national level. The county voted for the Republican presidential nominee in all but two elections from 1880 to 1988, that being in 1892 and 1964. However, Montgomery County residents have voted for
8322-410: 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,
8436-421: 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
8550-472: The county commission must have one member of a minority party represented. As of the November 2019 election: On July 24, 2013, Montgomery County Register of Wills D. Bruce Hanes , a Democrat , announced he would begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples , flouting Pennsylvania law banning such unions. Hanes called the commonwealth's ban "arbitrary and suspect", saying he believes it violates
8664-463: 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
8778-401: The county was 73.27% White (72.18% White, non-Hispanic), 9.55% Black or African American, 0.22% Native American or Alaskan Native, 7.94% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, and 2.87% some other race; 6.13% were two or more races. 6.36% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. The largest townships/boroughs in Montgomery County include: Montgomery County is a suburb of Philadelphia ,
8892-533: The following table is based on the 2010 census of Montgomery County. † county seat The county is served by the SEPTA , which include bus, commuter rail, and interurban rail services. Pottstown Area Rapid Transit (PART) also provides bus services around the Pottstown area in the western portion of the county. Commercial airline service is provided primarily by Philadelphia International Airport , one of
9006-399: 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
9120-461: 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
9234-626: 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 ;
9348-478: The home of writer/musician James McBride , writer Eric Knight , Academy Award-winning film composer Joe Renzetti , musician Gene Ween of Ween , painter Christopher Wajda, photographer Michael Barone , and furniture designer George Nakashima . James Gould Cozzens lived in Lambertville, New Jersey , just across the river from Bucks County, and used Doylestown as the model for the setting of two novels; he
9462-405: 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
9576-528: The late 20th century. As of 2013, the population of Bucks County was 626,976, making it the fourth-most populous county in the state behind Philadelphia , Allegheny , and Montgomery counties. The boroughs of Bristol and Morrisville were prominent industrial centers along the Northeast Corridor during World War II . Suburban development accelerated in Lower Bucks in the 1950s with
9690-560: 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
9804-416: 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
9918-686: 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
10032-612: The nation's largest commercial airports, located in Philadelphia and Delaware counties. Other public use airports include Heritage Field in Limerick Township , Wings Field in Blue Bell , and Pottstown Municipal Airport in Pottstown . The majority of the county has a hot-summer humid continental climate ( Dfa ). In most southern areas of the county and along the Schuylkill River including Pottstown
10146-488: The nation's sixth most populous city. Many Montco residents work in the city, but the county is also a major employment center with large business parks in Blue Bell , Lansdale , Fort Washington , Horsham , and King of Prussia attracting thousands of workers from all over the region. The strong job base and taxes generated by those jobs have resulted in Montgomery County receiving the highest credit rating of 'AAA' from Standard & Poor's , one of fewer than 30 counties in
10260-521: 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
10374-535: The north. From north to south, it is linked to Warren , Hunterdon , Mercer and Burlington Counties in New Jersey by bridges. Tohickon Creek and Neshaminy Creek are the largest tributaries of the Delaware in Bucks County. Tohickon Creek empties into the river at Point Pleasant and Neshaminy at Croydon ( Bristol Township ). As of the 2010 census, there were 625,249 people. The population density
10488-424: 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
10602-529: The only one carried by Barbara Hafer in the 1990 gubernatorial election over the incumbent governor, Bob Casey . However, the Democratic Party has made substantial gains in the county over the last quarter-century and gained the registration edge early in 2008. Like neighboring Bucks County , the county voted Democratic during the Civil War era, voting Democratic between 1856 and 1876, except in 1860 and 1872. Like most of Philadelphia's suburbs,
10716-544: The opening of Levittown, Pennsylvania , the second such "Levittown" designed by William Levitt . Among Bucks' largest employers in the twentieth century were U.S. Steel in Falls Township , and the Vulcanized Rubber & Plastics and Robertson Tile companies in Morrisville. Rohm and Haas continues to operate several chemical plants around Bristol. Waste Management operates a landfill in Tullytown that
10830-596: The parish home of William Penn's first wife and the location of the Jordans Quaker Meeting House, where Penn is buried; Solebury , named after Soulbury , England; and Wycombe , named after the town of High Wycombe . Bucks County was originally much larger than it is today. Northampton County was formed in 1752 from part of Bucks County, and Lehigh County was formed in 1812 from part of Northampton County. General George Washington and his troops camped in Bucks County as they prepared to cross
10944-448: 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
11058-435: The regions that began the suburban boom in Bucks County, such as Levittown, have aged, commercial strips and other neglected structures have been torn down and replaced with new shopping plazas and commercial chains. With rising property values, areas with older construction are undergoing a renaissance, and Central and Upper Bucks have continued to experience rapid growth, with many municipalities doubling their populations since
11172-582: 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
11286-526: The shops and studios of New Hope , Peddler's Village (in Lahaska ), Washington Crossing Historic Park , New Hope Railroad , Bucks County River Country and Bucks County Playhouse Theater (in New Hope). Rice's Market near Lahaska is a popular destination on Tuesday mornings. Quakertown Farmer's Market (locally called "Q-Mart") is a popular shopping destination on weekends. The county seat of Doylestown has
11400-467: The small stretch between Doylestown and New Hope and along the Delaware River . Notable residents have included Margaret Mead , Pearl S. Buck , Oscar Hammerstein II , Stephen Sondheim , Charlie Parker , Moss Hart , George S. Kaufman , James Michener , Dorothy Parker , S. J. Perelman , Stan and Jan Berenstain , Daniel Garber , Alfred Bester , Annie Haslam , and Jean Toomer . Bucks County has been
11514-796: 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
11628-556: 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
11742-421: 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
11856-399: 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,
11970-612: The time, only whites could buy homes. This rule however, was soon overturned. Other planned developments included Croydon and Fairless Hills . This rapid sprawl continued until the mid-1960s. In the 1970s, the county experienced a second growth spurt as developers expanded in previously underdeveloped townships, including Middletown , Lower Makefield , Northampton , and Newtown townships. Tract housing , office complexes, shopping centers, and sprawling parking lots continued to move more and more towards Upper Bucks, swallowing horse farms, sprawling forests, and wetlands. Oxford Valley Mall
12084-700: The trifecta of concrete structures built by Henry Chapman Mercer , including the Moravian Pottery and Tile Works , the Mercer Museum and Fonthill , Mercer's personal home. Southern Bucks, colloquially referred to as Lower Bucks, is home to two important shopping malls , Neshaminy Mall , Oxford Valley Mall , and Sesame Place , a family theme park based on the Sesame Street television series. Also within Lower Bucks County
12198-639: The year and the Bucks County Gilbert & Sullivan Society, founded in 2009, performs a Gilbert & Sullivan operetta with full orchestra each June. The Wild River Review , an online magazine that publishes in-depth reporting, works of literature, art, visual art, reviews, interviews, and columns by and about contemporary artists, photographers, and writers, is based out of Doylestown. The partially autobiographical novel The Fires of Spring by James Michener takes place in and around Doylestown . Alecia Moore, more commonly known as Pink ,
12312-435: Was 1,034.7 people per square mile. The racial makeup of the county was 86.6% Non-Hispanic white , 3.9% Black or African American , 0.3% Native American , 4.1% Asian (2.1% Indian, 1.1% Chinese, 0.7% Korean, 0.5% Filipino, 0.3% Vietnamese, 0.1% Japanese, 0.4% other Asian) 0.1% Pacific Islander , 1.7% were of two or more races, and 1.5% were of other races . 4.4% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. As of
12426-413: Was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 96.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.40 males. The median income for a household in the county was $ 59,727, and the median income for a family was $ 68,727. Males had a median income of $ 46,587 versus $ 31,984 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 27,430. About 3.10% of families and 4.50% of the population were below
12540-833: Was born in Doylestown, as was motion picture writer and director Stefan Avalos . Three American Idol contestants live in Bucks County: Justin Guarini , who was born in Atlanta, but moved to Bucks County; Jordan White , who was born in Cranford, New Jersey and moved to Bucks County; and Anthony Fedorov , who was born in Ukraine and was from Trevose , in Lower Southampton Township . Singer/actress Irene Molloy and classical tenor David Gordon were born in Doylestown. Musician Asher Roth
12654-871: Was born in Morrisville. The Tony Award -winning Broadway play Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike is set in the county. The main members of the rock band Ween are from New Hope . Pop star Sabrina Carpenter was born in Quakertown , and grew up in nearby Montgomery County. Local print publications include Bucks County Courier Times , The Intelligencer , The Advance of Bucks County , Bucks County Herald , Bucks County Town and Country Living , Radius Magazine , Yardley Voic e, Morrisville Times , Newtown Gazette , Northampton Herald , Langhorne Ledger , Lower Southampton Spirit , New Hope News , Doylestown Observer , Warwick Journal , Fairless Focus . Online news publications are Levittown Now, Bucks County Beacon , NewtownPANow, Bucks Happening, New Hope Free Press. WBCB
12768-488: Was constructed in Middletown, and became a retail nucleus in the county. In the late 20th century, growth somewhat stabilized as development was completed in the county's historically underdeveloped areas, leaving little new area to be further developed. Bucks County areas along the Delaware River have surpluses of abandoned industry, so many municipalities have granted building rights to luxury housing developers. As
12882-517: Was created on September 10, 1784, out of land originally part of Philadelphia County . The first courthouse was housed in the Barley Sheaf Inn . It is believed to have been named either for Richard Montgomery , an American Revolutionary War general killed in 1775 while attempting to capture Quebec City , or for the Welsh county of Montgomeryshire , which was named after one of William
12996-440: 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,
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