Dauphin County () is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 286,401. The county seat is Harrisburg, Pennsylvania's state capital and ninth-most populous city. The county was created on March 4, 1785, from part of Lancaster County and was named after Louis Joseph, Dauphin of France, the first son of King Louis XVI. Dauphin County is included in the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. Located within the county is Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station, site of the 1979 nuclear core meltdown. The nuclear power plant closed in 2019. The county is part of the South Central region of the commonwealth.
Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (5.9%) is water. The county is bound to its western border by the Susquehanna River (with the exception of a small peninsula next to Duncannon). The area code is 717 with an overlay of 223.
Adjacent counties Northumberland County (north) Schuylkill County (northeast) Lebanon County (east) Lancaster County (south) York County (southwest) Cumberland County (west) Perry County (west) Juniata County (northwest)
Major roads and highways
SR 3032
Climate Most of the county by area has a humid continental climate (Dfa except for some Dfb in highlands.) The inclusion of temperature numbers for the past decade shows some lower-lying areas, including Harrisburg, to have a humid subtropical climate (Cfa.) The hardiness zone is 7a except in some higher northern areas where it is 6b and a few very small areas along the river below the city including the airport where it is 7b.
Demographics
Racial and ethnic composition +Dauphin County, Pennsylvania – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 1980Pop 1990Pop 2000Pop 2010 Pop 2020% 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)195,519193,697190,347187,402175,17584.16%81.45%75.60%69.90%61.16%Black or African American alone (NH)30,96134,84341,70946,32048,40413.33%14.65%16.56%17.28%16.90%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)2262973573963960.10%0.12%0.14%0.15%0.14%Asian alone (NH)1,3912,6834,9068,50717,1830.60%1.13%1.95%3.17%6.00%Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)x included in the Asian category in the 1980 Censusx included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census614488xx0.02%0.02%0.03%Other race alone (NH)6352693504091,4650.27%0.11%0.14%0.15%0.51%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)x not an option in the 1980 Censusx not an option in the 1990 Census3,6646,22712,439xx1.46%2.32%4.34%Hispanic or Latino (any race)3,5856,02410,40418,79531,2511.54%2.53%4.13%7.01%10.91%Total232,317237,813251,798268,100286,401 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%
2020 census As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 286,401. The median age was 39.8 years. 21.6% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.6% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 94.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 92.1 males age 18 and over.
The racial makeup of the county was 63.2% White, 17.8% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 6.0% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 5.2% from some other race, and 7.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 10.9% of the population.
85.2% of residents lived in urban areas, while 14.8% lived in rural areas.
There were 116,761 households in the county, of which 27.9% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 42.2% were married-couple households, 19.7% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 30.5% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 31.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 126,514 housing units, of which 7.7% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 61.1% were owner-occupied and 38.9% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.4% and the rental vacancy rate was 7.2%.
2010 census As of the 2010 census, the county was 72.7% White, 18.0% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 3.2% Asian, and 3.1% were two or more races. 7.0% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry.
2000 census As of the 2000 census, there were 251,798 people, 102,670 households, and 66,119 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 111,133 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 77.11% White, 16.91% Black or African American, 0.16% Native American, 1.96% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.97% from other races, and 1.85% from two or more races. 4.13% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 29.2% were of German, 7.5% Irish, 7.3% American and 7.2% Italian ancestry. 91.8% spoke English and 3.9% Spanish as their first language.
In 2000 there were 102,670 households, out of which 29.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.60% were married couples living together, 12.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.60% were non-families. 30.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.30% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 30.10% from 25 to 44, 23.80% from 45 to 64, and 14.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.80 males.
A study by Echelon Insights found Dauphin County to be the most typical county in America, with its 2016 presidential vote, median income, higher education rate, and religiosity all very close to the national averages.
Amish community Dauphin County is home to an Amish community that resides in the Lykens Valley in the northern part of the county, consisting of eight church districts. The community was settled by Amish from Lancaster County seeking cheaper land.
Metropolitan statistical area The United States Office of Management and Budget has designated Dauphin County as the Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). As of the 2020 U.S. census the metropolitan area ranked fifth-most populous in the State of Pennsylvania and the 95th-most populous in the United States with a population of 591,712. Dauphin County is also a part of the larger Harrisburg–York–Lebanon combined statistical area (CSA), which combines the populations of Dauphin County as well as Adams, Cumberland, Lebanon, Perry and York Counties in Pennsylvania. The combined statistical area ranked the 5th most populous in Pennsylvania and 43rd most populous in the nation with a population of 1,219,422.
Politics and government
Dauphin County was historically a Republican stronghold, like most of south-central Pennsylvania. It was long one of the more conservative urban counties in the nation, having only supported a Democrat for president twice from 1880 to 2004. The only breaks in this trend were in 1936 and 1964, which were national 400-electoral vote Democratic landslides.
However, there has been a decided shift toward the Democrats in national and statewide elections in recent years. This culminated when the Democrats overtook the Republicans in countywide registration during the summer of 2008.
Bob Casey Jr. carried the county in the 2006 Senate election when he unseated Rick Santorum. According to the Dauphin County Board of Elections, in 2008 Barack Obama became the first Democratic presidential candidate to carry Dauphin County since 1964, receiving 9.0% more of the vote than John McCain. It was also only the third time Dauphin County had supported a Democrat for president since 1936. Obama won Dauphin with a slightly reduced majority in 2012, while Hillary Clinton won it with a narrow plurality in 2016. It is now the only blue county in the traditionally powerfully Republican Susquehanna Valley.
Voter registration As of July 29, 2024, 44.0% of registered voters in the county were Democrats, 38.6% Republicans, 13.3% non-affiliated, and 4.1% other party.
Party registration stats according to the Secretary of State's office: Voter Registration and Party Enrollment Party Number of Voters Percentage Democratic 86,237 43.98% Republican 75,704 38.61% Independent 26,129 13.33% Third parties 7,986 4.07% Total 196,056 100%
County commissioners Justin Douglas, Chairman, Democrat Mike Pries, Vice Chairman, Republican George P. Hartwick III, Secretary, Democrat
Other county offices
Clerk of Courts, Tina Nixon, Democrat Controller, Mary Bateman, Republican Coroner, Graham Hetrick, Republican District Attorney, Fran Chardo, Republican Prothonotary, Antonio Carreno, Democrat Recorder of Deeds, Jim Zugay, Republican Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphans' Court, Jean Marfizo King, Republican Sheriff, Nick Chimienti, Republican Treasurer, Nick DiFrancesco, Republican Solicitor, Fred Lighty, Esquire
State representatives
Nathan Davidson, Democrat, 103rd district Dave Madsen, Democrat, 104th district Justin Fleming, Democrat, 105th district Tom Mehaffie, Republican, 106th district Joseph Kerwin, Republican, 125th district
State senate Patty Kim, Democrat, 15th district Greg Rothman, Republican, 34th district
United States House of Representatives Scott Perry, Republican, 10th district
United States Senate Senator Party Dave McCormick Republican John Fetterman Democrat
Education
Colleges and universities
Dixon University Center Harrisburg Area Community College Harrisburg University of Science and Technology Penn State Harrisburg Penn State Hershey Medical Center Temple University Harrisburg Campus Widener University School of Law
Public school districts School districts include: - Text list
Central Dauphin School District Derry Township School District Halifax Area School District Harrisburg School District (Pennsylvania) Lower Dauphin School District Middletown Area School District Millersburg School District Steelton-Highspire School District Susquehanna Township School District Susquenita School District (also in Perry County) Upper Dauphin School District Williams Valley School District (also in Schuylkill County)
Public charter schools Several public charter schools are established in Dauphin County Pennsylvania Department of Education Approved Public Charter Schools, January 2010 Infinity Charter School Sylvan Heights Science Charter School Capital Area School for the Arts Premier Arts and Science Charter School
Intermediate unit The Capital Area Intermediate Unit 15 is a state approved education agency that offers: school districts, charter schools, private schools, and home school students, a variety of services including: a completely developed K–12 curriculum that is mapped and aligned with the Pennsylvania Academic Standards (available online), shared services, a group purchasing program and a wide variety of special education and special needs services.
Library system The Dauphin County Library System provides library service to the residents of the county through a main central library in the state capital and county seat of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and eight branch libraries. DCLS is a private, non-profit corporation. It is governed by a 17-member Board of Trustees, five appointed annually by the Dauphin County Commissioners, and twelve elected for three-year terms. The Library is a member of the Pennsylvania library system.
Private schools As reported by the National Center for Educational Statisticsies, National Center for Education Statistics, US Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, Private School Universe Survey 2008
Armstrong Valley Christian School – Halifax