Greene County, Pennsylvania
Template:Short description Template:More citations needed Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox U.S. county
Greene County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 35,954.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Its county seat is Waynesburg.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> Greene County was created on February 9, 1796, from part of Washington County and named for General Nathanael Greene. Greene County is part of the Pittsburgh media market. It is in the area of southwestern Pennsylvania that was claimed by Virginia, the District of West Augusta. The county is part of the Southwest region of the commonwealth.Template:Efn
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (0.4%) is water.<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref> It has a hot-summer humid continental climate (Dfa) and average monthly temperatures in Waynesburg range from 28.9 °F in January to 71.9 °F in July.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Greene County is one of the 423 counties served by the Appalachian Regional Commission,<ref name="ARC">Template:Cite web</ref> and it is identified as part of "Greater Appalachia" by Colin Woodard in his book American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America.<ref name="NYT_CW">Template:Cite news</ref> It is also located within the Laurel Highlands subrange, which consists of low plateaus and river valleys.
Adjacent counties
- Washington County (north)
- Fayette County (east)
- Monongalia County, West Virginia (south)
- Wetzel County, West Virginia (southwest)
- Marshall County, West Virginia (west)
Demographics
As of the census<ref name="GR2">Template:Cite web</ref> of 2010, there were 38,686 people, 14,724 households, and 9,970 families residing in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 16,678 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 94.6 percent White, 3.3 percent Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.3 percent Asian, 0.0 percent Pacific Islander, 0.7 percent from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. 1.2 percent of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 14,724 households, out of which 29.3 percent had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.5 percent were married couples living together, 10.9 percent had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.3 percent were non-families. 27.0 percent of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.7 percent had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 19.9 percent under the age of 18, 9.9 percent from 18 to 24, 25.5 percent from 25 to 44, 29.3 percent from 45 to 64, and 15.3 percent who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.1 years. For every 100 females there were 106.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.6 males.
2020 census
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 32,898 | 91.5% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 1,062 | 3% |
| Native American (NH) | 69 | 0.2% |
| Asian (NH) | 120 | 0.33% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 6 | 0.02% |
| Other/Mixed (NH) | 1,289 | 3.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 510 | 1.42% |
Government and politics
Greene County was long a Democratic stronghold, due to the strong unionization of the county's steel mills; between 1932 and 2000, the Democratic presidential candidate won the county in every election except in the Republican landslide of 1972. Due to the decline of the Pittsburgh area's steel industry (similar to other Appalachian counties), and the Democratic Party's shift on cultural issues like environmental safety and firearms, the county was a landslide for the Republican Party in 2024 for Donald Trump who won the county with 71.5% of the vote. Template:PresHead Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow |} Template:U.S. SenHead Template:U.S. SenRow Template:U.S. SenFoot
Voter registration
As of February 8, 2025, there are 21,629 registered voters in the county. There are 11,762 registered Republicans, 7,727 registered Democrats, 1,542 voters registered non-affiliated voters, and 598 voters registered to other parties.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
| Voter Registration and Party Enrollment | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Number of Voters | Percentage | |||
| Template:Party color cell | Republican | 11,762 | 54.38% | ||
| Template:Party color cell | Democratic | 7,727 | 35.73% | ||
| Template:Party color cell | Independent | 1,542 | 7.13% | ||
| Template:Party color cell | Third Parties | 598 | 2.76% | ||
| Total | 21,629 | 100% | |||
Commissioners
Greene County is administered by a three-person board of commissioners, who serve four-year terms. Elections occur in the odd-numbered years that precede U.S. presidential elections, with the most recent election falling in 2023. All three commissioners are chosen in the same election, and voters may vote for no more than two of the candidates. The commissioners are responsible for the management of the fiscal and administrative functions of the county.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref>
| Official | Party | Term ends |
|---|---|---|
| Jared Edgreen | Republican | 2027 |
| Betsy McClure | Republican | 2027 |
| Blair Zimmerman | Democratic | 2027 |
Elected county officials
As of the 2021 and 2023 General Elections.
| Office | Official | Party | Term ends |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magisterial Court Judge | David Balint | Independent | 2027 |
| Magisterial Court Judge | Tom Ankrom | Independent | 2027 |
| Clerk of Courts | Crystal Walters | Independent | 2027 |
| Controller | Ami Cree | Independent | 2027 |
| Coroner | Gene Rush | Republican | 2025 |
| Treasurer | Jeannie High Grimes | Independent | 2027 |
| District Attorney | Brianna Vanata | Republican | 2027 |
| Prothonotary | Jennifer Maas | Republican | 2027 |
| Recorder of Deeds and Register of Wills | Tammy Brookover | Republican | 2027 |
| Sheriff | Marcus N. Simms | Independent | 2025 |
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Greene County consists of one Pennsylvania House District. The 50th district covers all of Greene County and parts of Washington County to the north.<ref name=":3">Template:Cite web</ref>
| District | Representative | Party |
|---|---|---|
| 50 | Donald "Bud" Cook | Republican |
Pennsylvania Senate
Greene County is entirely contained within the 46th Senatorial District, which also includes parts of Beaver County and all of Washington County.<ref name=":3" />
| District | Senator | Party |
|---|---|---|
| 46 | Camera Bartolotta | Republican |
United States House of Representatives
Greene County is part of the 14th Congressional District.<ref name=":3" />
| District | Representative | Party |
|---|---|---|
| 14 | Guy Reschenthaler | Republican |
United States Senate
| Senator | Party |
|---|---|
| John Fetterman | Democratic |
| Dave McCormick | Republican |
Economy
Greene County's development commission has assisted area business since 1998.<ref>Template:Citation</ref>
The Meadow Ridge office park has served the county since the early 2000s.<ref>Template:Citation</ref>
Two power plant construction projects are underway in Greene County. Hill Top Energy Center, a natural gas-fired power plant with a generating capacity of 625 megawatts, is scheduled to begin operations in the summer of 2021.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> A new 1,000-megawatt natural gas power plant on the site of the former Hatfield's Ferry power station was scheduled to begin operations in mid-2022, but the plan fell through.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Education
Colleges and universities
Public school districts
Greene County is divided into five public school districts.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web - Text list</ref> There are 15 public schools that serve Greene County, Pennsylvania.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Carmichaels Area School District
- Central Greene School District
- Jefferson-Morgan School District
- Southeastern Greene School District
- West Greene School District
Some schools within the five above districts include:
- Greene County Career Technology Center - Waynesburg
- East Franklin School - Waynesburg Template:Webarchive
Private schools
- Open Door Christian School in Waynesburg (grades K-12) <ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Greene Valley Christian Academy in Rices Landing (grades K-8)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Libraries
- Eva K Bowlby Public Library in Waynesburg
- Flenniken Public Library in Carmichaels, Pennsylvania
Transportation
Interstate Highways
State Highways
Airport
Greene County Airport is a county-owned, public-use airport located two nautical miles (4 km) east of the central business district of Waynesburg, Pennsylvania.<ref>Template:FAA-airport. Federal Aviation Administration. Effective May 31, 2012.</ref>
Communities
Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: cities, boroughs, townships, and, in at most two cases, towns. The following boroughs and townships are located in Greene County:
Boroughs
- Carmichaels
- Clarksville
- Greensboro
- Jefferson
- Rices Landing
- Waynesburg (county seat)
Townships
- Aleppo
- Center
- Cumberland
- Dunkard
- Franklin
- Freeport
- Gilmore
- Gray
- Greene
- Jackson
- Jefferson
- Monongahela
- Morgan
- Morris
- Perry
- Richhill
- Springhill
- Washington
- Wayne
- Whiteley
Census-designated places
Census-designated places are geographical areas designated by the U.S. Census Bureau for the purposes of compiling demographic data. They are not actual jurisdictions under Pennsylvania law. Other unincorporated communities, such as villages, may be listed here as well.
- Bobtown
- Brave
- Crucible
- Dry Tavern
- Fairdale
- Mapletown
- Mather
- Morrisville
- Mount Morris
- Nemacolin
- New Freeport
- Rogersville
- West Waynesburg
- Wind Ridge
Population ranking
The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Greene County.
† county seat
| Rank | City/Town/etc. | Municipal type | Population (2020 Census)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | † Waynesburg | Borough | 4,006 |
| 2 | Fairdale | CDP | 2,064 |
| 3 | Morrisville | CDP | 1,209 |
| 4 | Nemacolin | CDP | 826 |
| 5 | Bobtown | CDP | 701 |
| 6 | Crucible | CDP | 673 |
| 7 | Mather | CDP | 659 |
| 8 | Dry Tavern | CDP | 655 |
| 9 | Mount Morris | CDP | 645 |
| 10 | Carmichaels | Borough | 432 |
| 11 | Rices Landing | Borough | 425 |
| 12 | West Waynesburg | CDP | 401 |
| 13 | Greensboro | Borough | 264 |
| 14 | Jefferson | Borough | 253 |
| 15 | Rogersville | CDP | 215 |
| 16 | Wind Ridge | CDP | 204 |
| 17 | Clarksville | Borough | 203 |
| 18 | Brave | CDP | 142 |
| 19 | Mapletown | CDP | 125 |
| 20 | New Freeport | CDP | 77 |
See also
- Greene Connections: Greene County, Pennsylvania Archives Project
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Greene County, Pennsylvania
References
Template:NotelistTemplate:Reflist
Further reading
- Martines, Jamie. A Pennsylvania county went from bust to boom times with natural gas. Now, it’s nearly broke. Spotlight PA. March 8, 2021
- White-Nockleby, Caroline; Wahid, Mimi; Boone, Caroline; Delhees, Benjamin. Changes in the contribution of coal to tax revenues in Greene County, PA, 2010-2019 Massachusetts Institute of Technology Environmental Solutions Initiative. March 2021.
- Ohio River Valley Institute. Appalachia's Natural Gas Counties: Contributing more to the U.S. economy and getting less in return. The Natural Gas Fracking Boom and Appalachia's Lost Economic Decade February 12, 2021.
External links
Template:Geographic Location Template:Greene County, Pennsylvania Template:US state navigation box