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Allegheny County, Pennsylvania

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"Allegheny County" redirects here. Not to be confused with Alleghany County.

Allegheny County (/ˌælɪˈɡeɪni/ AL-ig-AY-nee) is a county in Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,250,578, making it the state's second-most populous county, after Philadelphia County. Its county seat and most populous city is Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's second most populous city.[2] The county is part of the Greater Pittsburgh region of the commonwealth,[a] and is the center of the Pittsburgh media market.

Allegheny County
County
Allegheny County Courthouse
Allegheny County Courthouse
Flag of Allegheny County
Flag
Official seal of Allegheny County
Seal
Official logo of Allegheny County
Logo
Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Allegheny County
Location within the U.S. state of Pennsylvania
Map of the United States highlighting Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 40°26′08″N 80°01′28″W / 40.4356°N 80.0244°W / 40.4356; -80.0244
Country United States
State Pennsylvania
FoundedSeptember 24, 1788
Named forAllegheny River
SeatPittsburgh
Largest cityPittsburgh
Area
 • Total
745 sq mi (1,930 km2)
 • Land730 sq mi (1,900 km2)
 • Water14 sq mi (40 km2)  1.9%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
1,250,578
 • Estimate 
(2023)
1,224,825 Decrease
 • Density1,700/sq mi (700/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional districts12th, 17th
Websitealleghenycounty.us
DesignatedDecember 30, 1982[1]
Map
Interactive map of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania

Allegheny was the first county in Pennsylvania to be given a Native American name. It was named after the Lenape word for the Allegheny River. The meaning of "Allegheny" is uncertain. It is usually said to mean "fine river". Some historians state that the name may come from a Lenape account of an ancient mythical tribe called "Allegewi", who lived along the river before being taken over by the Lenape.[3]

History

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1680 British map of Western Pennsylvania and Allegheny County from the Darlington Collection
 
Allegheny County Courthouse

Prior to European contact, this area was settled for thousands of years by succeeding cultures of indigenous peoples. During the colonial era, historic native groups known by the colonists to settle in the area included members of western nations of the Iroquois, such as the Seneca; the Lenape, who had been pushed from the East by European-American settlers; the Shawnee, who also had territory in Ohio; and the Mingo, a group made up of a variety of peoples from more eastern tribes.

European fur traders such as Peter Chartier established trading posts in the region in the early eighteenth century.

In 1749, Captain Pierre Joseph Céloron de Blainville claimed the Ohio Valley and all of western Pennsylvania for King Louis XV of France. The captain traveled along the Ohio and Allegheny rivers. He installed lead plates in the ground to mark the land for France.

Most of the towns during that era were developed along waterways, which were the primary transportation routes, as well as providing water for domestic uses. Through the eighteenth century, both the French and the British competed for control over the local rivers in this frontier territory of North America. Native American bands and tribes allied with the colonists to differing degrees, often based on their trading relationships. The British sent Major George Washington to expel the French from their posts, with no success. He also nearly drowned in the ice-filled Allegheny River while returning to camp.

The English tried again in 1754 to establish a post in the area. They sent 41 Virginians to build Fort Prince George. The French learned of the plan and sent an army to capture the fort. They resumed building it and added increased defensive fortification, renaming it as Fort Duquesne.

Given its strategic location at the Ohio, Fort Duquesne became an important focal point of the French and Indian War. The first British attempt to retake the fort, the Braddock Expedition, failed miserably.[4] In 1758 British forces under General John Forbes recaptured the fort; he had it destroyed to prevent any use by the French. The British built a new, larger fort on the site, including a moat, and named it Fort Pitt. The historic site has been preserved as Pittsburgh's Point State Park.

Under their colonial charters, both Pennsylvania and Virginia claimed the region that is now Allegheny County. Pennsylvania administered most of the region as part of its Westmoreland County. Virginia considered everything south of the Ohio River and east of the Allegheny River to be part of its Yohogania County, and governed it from Fort Dunmore. In addition, parts of the county were located in the proposed British colony of Vandalia and the proposed U.S. state of Westsylvania. The overlapping boundaries, multiple governments, and confused deed claims soon proved unworkable. Near the end of the American Revolutionary War, in 1780 Pennsylvania and Virginia agreed to extend the Mason–Dixon line westward. This region was assigned to Pennsylvania. From 1781 until 1788, much of what Virginia had claimed as part of Yohogania County was administered as a part of the newly created Washington County, Pennsylvania.

Allegheny County was officially created on September 24, 1788, from parts of Washington and Westmoreland counties. It was formed to respond to pressure from the increase in settlers living in the area around Pittsburgh; this was designated as the county seat in 1791. The county originally extended north to the shores of Lake Erie; it was reduced to its current borders by 1800. As population increased in the territory, other counties were organized.

In the 1790s, the United States federal government imposed a whiskey excise tax. Farmers who had depended on whiskey income refused to pay and started the so-called Whiskey Rebellion after driving off tax collector John Neville. After a series of demonstrations by farmers, President George Washington sent troops to suppress the frontier rebellion.

The area developed rapidly through the 1800s with industrialization. It became the nation's prime steel producer by the late 19th century and Pittsburgh was nicknamed "Steel Capital of the World".

In 1913, the county's 125th anniversary was celebrated with a week-long series of events. The final day, September 27, was marked by a steamboat parade of 30 paddle wheelers. They traveled from Monongahela Wharf down the Ohio to the Davis Island Dam. The boats in line were the Steel City (formerly the Pittsburgh and Cincinnati packet Virginia), the flag ship; City of Parkersburg, Charles Brown, Alice Brown, Exporter, Sam Brown, Boaz, Raymond Horner, Swan, Sunshine, I. C. Woodward, Cruiser, Volunteer, A. R. Budd, J. C. Risher, Clyde, Rival, Voyager, Jim Brown, Rover, Charlie Clarke, Robt. J. Jenkins, Slipper, Bertha, Midland Sam Barnum, Cadet, Twilight, and Troubadour.[5]

Geography

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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 745 square miles (1,930 km2), of which 730 square miles (1,900 km2) is land and 14 square miles (36 km2) (1.9%) is water.[6]

Four major rivers traverse Allegheny County: the Allegheny River and the Monongahela River converge at Downtown Pittsburgh to form the Ohio River. The Youghiogheny River flows into the Monongahela River at McKeesport, 10 miles (16 km) to the southeast. There are several islands in these courses. The rivers drain via the Mississippi River into the Gulf of Mexico. Although the county's industrial growth resulted in clearcutting of the area's forests, a significant amount of woodland has regrown.

Adjacent counties

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Major roads and highways

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Climate

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Allegheny has a humid continental climate which is hot-summer, (Dfa) except in higher elevations, where it is warm-summer (Dfb).

Climate data for Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh International Airport), 1991–2020 normals,[b] extremes 1874–present[c]
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 75
(24) 		78
(26) 		84
(29) 		90
(32) 		95
(35) 		98
(37) 		103
(39) 		103
(39) 		102
(39) 		91
(33) 		82
(28) 		74
(23) 		103
(39)
Mean maximum °F (°C) 61.5
(16.4) 		63.2
(17.3) 		73.5
(23.1) 		81.5
(27.5) 		86.8
(30.4) 		90.4
(32.4) 		91.3
(32.9) 		90.3
(32.4) 		88.2
(31.2) 		79.9
(26.6) 		70.8
(21.6) 		62.6
(17.0) 		92.6
(33.7)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 36.3
(2.4) 		39.6
(4.2) 		49.1
(9.5) 		62.4
(16.9) 		71.9
(22.2) 		79.4
(26.3) 		82.9
(28.3) 		81.7
(27.6) 		75.1
(23.9) 		63.1
(17.3) 		50.9
(10.5) 		40.6
(4.8) 		61.1
(16.2)
Daily mean °F (°C) 28.8
(−1.8) 		31.4
(−0.3) 		39.7
(4.3) 		51.5
(10.8) 		61.2
(16.2) 		69.4
(20.8) 		73.2
(22.9) 		71.8
(22.1) 		64.9
(18.3) 		53.4
(11.9) 		42.6
(5.9) 		33.7
(0.9) 		51.8
(11.0)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 21.4
(−5.9) 		23.2
(−4.9) 		30.3
(−0.9) 		40.7
(4.8) 		50.6
(10.3) 		59.3
(15.2) 		63.4
(17.4) 		62.0
(16.7) 		54.8
(12.7) 		43.7
(6.5) 		34.3
(1.3) 		26.7
(−2.9) 		42.5
(5.8)
Mean minimum °F (°C) 1.0
(−17.2) 		5.0
(−15.0) 		11.7
(−11.3) 		25.4
(−3.7) 		35.6
(2.0) 		45.2
(7.3) 		52.5
(11.4) 		51.1
(10.6) 		41.2
(5.1) 		29.5
(−1.4) 		19.3
(−7.1) 		9.7
(−12.4) 		−1.5
(−18.6)
Record low °F (°C) −22
(−30) 		−20
(−29) 		−5
(−21) 		11
(−12) 		26
(−3) 		34
(1) 		42
(6) 		39
(4) 		31
(−1) 		16
(−9) 		−1
(−18) 		−12
(−24) 		−22
(−30)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 2.96
(75) 		2.62
(67) 		3.15
(80) 		3.32
(84) 		3.83
(97) 		4.12
(105) 		4.26
(108) 		3.52
(89) 		3.30
(84) 		2.83
(72) 		2.86
(73) 		2.84
(72) 		39.61
(1,006)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 13.3
(34) 		11.7
(30) 		7.6
(19) 		1.0
(2.5) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.4
(1.0) 		2.4
(6.1) 		7.7
(20) 		44.1
(112)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 16.8 13.9 14.0 13.9 13.5 12.4 11.2 10.5 9.8 11.1 12.0 14.6 153.7
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) 12.2 9.3 5.9 1.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 3.3 7.6 40.2
Average relative humidity (%) 69.9 67.3 64.1 59.8 63.4 66.2 68.8 71.2 72.0 68.3 70.2 71.9 67.8
Average dew point °F (°C) 17.2
(−8.2) 		18.9
(−7.3) 		26.8
(−2.9) 		34.5
(1.4) 		45.9
(7.7) 		55.2
(12.9) 		60.1
(15.6) 		59.5
(15.3) 		53.4
(11.9) 		40.8
(4.9) 		32.4
(0.2) 		23.2
(−4.9) 		39.0
(3.9)
Mean monthly sunshine hours 93.9 108.5 155.4 182.8 217.4 242.2 254.9 228.4 196.7 167.3 99.4 74.4 2,021.3
Percent possible sunshine 31 36 42 46 49 54 56 54 53 48 33 26 45
Average ultraviolet index 2 2 2 4 6 6 6 5 4 3 2 1 4
Source 1: NOAA (relative humidity, dew point and sun 1961–1990)[7][8][9][10]
Source 2: Weather Atlas (UV)[11]

Government and politics

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County Medical Examiner office

Until January 1, 2000, Allegheny County's government was defined under Pennsylvania's Second Class County Code. The county government was charged with all local activities, including elections, prisons, airports, public health, and city planning. All public offices were headed by elected citizens. There were three elected county commissioners.

On January 1, 2000, the Home-Rule Charter went into effect. It replaced the three elected commissioners with an elected chief officer (the County Executive), a county council with 15 members (13 elected by district, two elected county-wide), and an appointed county manager. The changes were intended to maintain a separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches while providing greater citizen control.

The county has 130 self-governing municipalities, the most in the state.[12] (Luzerne is second with 76).[13] The county has one Second Class City (Pittsburgh) and three Third Class Cities (Clairton, Duquesne, and McKeesport).

A 2004 study found the county would be better served by consolidating the southeastern portion of the county (which includes many small communities with modest economies) into a large municipality ("Rivers City") with a combined population of approximately 250,000.[14]

Government structure

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Allegheny County has a Home Rule Charter form of government since 2000.[15] The county has three branches: the executive, the legislative, and the judicial.[16] The executive branch consists of the County Executive, who is elected for a four-year term and serves as the chief executive officer of the county; and the County Manager, who is appointed by the County Executive and oversees the daily operations of the county departments.[16][17] The current County Executive is Sara Innamorato, a Democrat who took office in 2024.[18] The current County Manager is William D. McKain, who was appointed by Fitzgerald in 2012 and reappointed in 2016 and 2020.[17] The legislative branch consists of the County Council, which is composed of 15 members elected for four-year terms from 13 single-member districts and 2 At-Large representatives, currently occupied by Bethany Hallam and Sam DeMarco. The council functions as the primary legislative and policy-making body of the county.[16][17] The current County Council President is Patrick Catena, a Democrat who represents District 4 and was elected by his fellow council members in 2018 and 2020.[17] The judicial branch consists of the Court of Common Pleas, which is the general trial court of the county; and the Magisterial District Courts, which are lower courts that handle minor criminal and civil cases. The judges of these courts are elected for ten-year terms.[16] The current President Judge of the Court of Common Pleas is Kimberly Berkeley Clark, who was elected by her fellow judges in 2018 for a five-year term.[16]

Self-governing municipalities

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Allegheny County has 130 self-governing municipalities, the most in the state. These include one city (Pittsburgh), 96 boroughs, 30 townships, and two home rule municipalities (Bethel Park and McCandless).[19][20] Each municipality has its own elected officials, such as mayor, council, commissioners, supervisors, etc., and its own local services, such as police, fire, public works, etc.[19] Some municipalities also have their own municipal authorities that provide services such as water, sewer, transit, etc.[21]

Changes to Administrative Divisions

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There have been several proposals to consolidate or merge some of the municipalities in Allegheny County, either with each other or with the City of Pittsburgh, to reduce costs, improve efficiency, and enhance regional cooperation. However, none of these proposals have been implemented so far.[22][23] One of the most recent proposals is from Wilkinsburg, a borough that borders Pittsburgh and faces financial challenges due to declining population and tax base. In 2020, Wilkinsburg residents voted to approve a referendum to explore a merger with Pittsburgh. In 2021, a joint task force was formed to study the feasibility and impact of such a merger. The task force is expected to issue a report by June 2022. If both Wilkinsburg and Pittsburgh councils approve the merger, it would then need approval from the state legislature and governor before taking effect.[22] Another recent proposal is from Allegheny County Economic Development (ACED), which is seeking to enter into an agreement with a consultant to carry out historic preservation compliance activities for projects funded by various federal programs. The consultant would help ACED develop a Programmatic Memorandum of Agreement (PMOA) with the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and other stakeholders to streamline the review process for projects that may affect historic properties within the county. ACED issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for this service in January 2022 and expects to select a consultant by March 2022.[24]

County Executive

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County Council

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  • Bethany Hallam (D), At-large
  • Samuel DeMarco III (R), At-large
  • Jack Betkowski (D), District 1
  • Suzanne Filiaggi (R), District 2
  • Anita Prizio (D), District 3
  • Patrick Catena (D), President, District 4
  • Dan Grzybek (D), District 5
  • John F. Palmiere (D), Vice President, District 6
  • Nicholas Futules (D), District 7
  • Michelle Naccarati-Chapkis (D), District 8
  • Robert J. Macey (D), District 9
  • DeWitt Walton (D), District 10,
  • Paul Klein (D), District 11
  • Robert Palmosina (D), District 12
  • David Bonaroti (D), District 13

Other elected county offices

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Voter Registration

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2020 Presidential Election by Township and City
Biden:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      90–100%
Trump:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
United States presidential election results for Allegheny County, Pennsylvania[26]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 283,250 39.19% 429,160 59.38% 10,266 1.42%
2020 282,913 39.03% 430,759 59.43% 11,128 1.54%
2016 259,480 39.48% 367,617 55.94% 30,092 4.58%
2012 262,039 42.01% 352,687 56.54% 9,101 1.46%
2008 272,347 41.64% 373,153 57.05% 8,539 1.31%
2004 271,925 42.13% 368,912 57.15% 4,632 0.72%
2000 235,361 40.41% 329,963 56.65% 17,154 2.95%
1996 204,067 37.89% 284,480 52.82% 50,068 9.30%
1992 183,035 29.80% 324,004 52.75% 107,148 17.45%
1988 231,137 39.43% 348,814 59.51% 6,200 1.06%
1984 284,692 42.76% 372,576 55.96% 8,480 1.27%
1980 271,850 43.75% 297,464 47.87% 52,104 8.38%
1976 303,127 46.79% 328,343 50.68% 16,387 2.53%
1972 371,737 55.60% 282,496 42.26% 14,302 2.14%
1968 264,790 37.09% 364,906 51.12% 84,121 11.78%
1964 241,707 33.58% 475,207 66.03% 2,811 0.39%
1960 320,970 42.76% 428,455 57.07% 1,293 0.17%
1956 384,939 54.83% 315,989 45.01% 1,102 0.16%
1952 359,224 49.00% 370,945 50.60% 2,903 0.40%
1948 253,272 42.60% 326,303 54.89% 14,931 2.51%
1944 261,218 42.52% 350,690 57.09% 2,393 0.39%
1940 263,285 41.51% 367,926 58.01% 2,987 0.47%
1936 176,224 31.35% 366,593 65.21% 19,377 3.45%
1932 152,326 42.43% 189,839 52.88% 16,838 4.69%
1928 215,626 56.86% 160,733 42.39% 2,850 0.75%
1924 149,296 59.01% 21,984 8.69% 81,733 32.30%
1920 138,908 69.21% 40,278 20.07% 21,530 10.73%
1916 77,483 55.24% 52,833 37.67% 9,948 7.09%
1912 23,822 18.85% 31,417 24.86% 71,147 56.29%
1908 74,080 60.77% 35,655 29.25% 12,170 9.98%
1904 90,594 76.51% 21,541 18.19% 6,270 5.30%
1900 71,780 69.94% 27,311 26.61% 3,533 3.44%
1896 76,691 70.90% 29,809 27.56% 1,674 1.55%
1892 45,788 58.33% 30,867 39.32% 1,849 2.36%
1888 45,118 63.58% 24,710 34.82% 1,138 1.60%
1884 37,865 61.96% 19,469 31.86% 3,774 6.18%
1880 35,539 59.85% 22,096 37.21% 1,747 2.94%

As of 4 March 2024, there were 902,957 registered voters in the county; a majority were Democrats. There were 508,935 registered Democrats, 257,857 registered Republicans, 97,708 registered as independents and 38,457 registered with other parties.[27]

Chart of voter registration

  Democratic (56.36%)
  Republican (28.56%)
  Independent (10.82%)
  Other parties (4.26%)
Voter registration and party enrollment
Party Number of voters Percentage
Democratic 508,935 56.36%
Republican 257,857 28.56%
Independent 97,708 10.82%
Other parties 38,457 4.26%
Total 902,957 100%

Political history

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

In 2000, Democrat Al Gore won 56% of the vote and Republican George W. Bush won 41%. In 2004, Democrat John Kerry received 57% of the vote and Republican Bush received 41%. In 2006, Democrats Governor Ed Rendell and Senator Bob Casey Jr. won 59% and 65% of the vote in Allegheny County, respectively. In 2008, Democrat Barack Obama received 57% of the vote, Republican John McCain received 41%, and each of the three state row office winners (Rob McCord for Treasurer, Jack Wagner for Auditor General, and Tom Corbett for Attorney General) also carried Allegheny. In 2016, despite Donald Trump being the first Republican to carry Pennsylvania since 1988, Hillary Clinton did slightly better than Barack Obama's 2012 vote total while Donald Trump was the worst performing Republican in 20 years. In the 2018 Midterms, Democrats received an even higher percentage of the vote with Tom Wolf and Casey receiving approximately two thirds of the county's vote.[28][29] This is an improvement over the approximately 55% each person received in the county in their last election in 2014 and 2012 respectively. In 2020, Joe Biden improved upon Clinton's performance, receiving the highest vote percentage for a Democrat since Michael Dukakis in 1988 and the most votes for a Democrat since Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964.

In the 21st century, populist turns to the GOP from nearly all of Appalachia in general and western Pennsylvania in particular have left the county as one of the few in the region that still supports the Democrats at a high level.

State representatives

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Source[30]

State senators

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U.S. representatives

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U.S. senators

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Religion

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In 2010 statistics, the largest religious group in Allegheny County was the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh, with 460,672 Catholics worshipping at 179 parishes; followed by the United Methodist Church, with 44,204 Methodists in 100 congregations; the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, with 42,838 Presbyterians in 145 congregations; non-denominational Protestants, with 33,103 adherents in 85 congregations; the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, with 24,718 Lutherans in 77 congregations; the American Baptist Churches USA, with 17,148 Baptists in 42 congregations; the Assemblies of God, with 12,398 Pentecostals in 30 congregations; Reform Judaism, with 8,483 Jews in 6 congregations; the 7,780 Episcopal Church (United States), with 7,780 Episcopalians in 19 congregations; and Hinduism in the United States, with 6,700 Hindus in four temples. Altogether, 60.6% of the population was claimed as members by religious congregations, although members of historically African-American denominations were underrepresented due to incomplete information.[31] In 2014, Allegheny County had 794 religious organizations, the 11th most out of all US counties.[32]

Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
179010,203—
180015,08747.9%
181025,31767.8%
182034,92137.9%
183050,55244.8%
184081,23560.7%
1850138,29070.2%
1860178,83129.3%
1870262,20446.6%
1880355,86935.7%
1890551,95955.1%
1900775,05840.4%
19101,018,46331.4%
19201,185,80816.4%
19301,374,41015.9%
19401,411,5392.7%
19501,515,2377.3%
19601,628,5877.5%
19701,605,016−1.4%
19801,450,085−9.7%
19901,336,449−7.8%
20001,281,666−4.1%
20101,223,348−4.6%
20201,250,5782.2%
2023 (est.)1,224,825−2.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[33]
1790–1960[34] 1900–1990[35]
1990–2000[36] 2010–2018[37]

[38]

As of the 2010 census, there were 1,223,348 people living in the county. The population density was 1,676 people per square mile (647 people/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 82.87% White, 14.39% Black or African American, 2.94% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.37% from other races, and 1.40% from two or more races. About 1.31% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

At the 2000 census,[39] there were 1,281,666 people, 537,150 households, and 332,495 families living in the county. The population density was 1,755 people per square mile (678 people/km2). There were 583,646 housing units at an average density of 799 per square mile (308/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 84.33% White, 12.41% Black or African American, 0.12% Native American, 1.69% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.34% from other races, and 1.07% from two or more races. About 0.87% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 20.0% were of German, 15.0% Italian, 12.7% Irish, 7.5% Polish and 5.1% English ancestry. 93.5% spoke English and 1.3% Spanish as their first language.

There were 537,150 households, out of which 26.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.10% were married couples living together, 12.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.10% were non-families. Some 32.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.96.

The age distribution of the population shows 21.90% under the age of 18, 8.50% from 18 to 24, 28.30% from 25 to 44, 23.40% from 45 to 64, and 17.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40. For every 100 females, there were 90.00 males; for every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.20 males.

2020 census

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Allegheny County Racial Composition[40]
Race Num. Perc.
White (NH) 938,252 75.0%
Black or African American (NH) 161,554 12.9%
Native American (NH) 1,305 0.1%
Asian (NH) 58,318 4.66%
Pacific Islander (NH) 304 0.02%
Other/Mixed (NH) 56,520 4.52%
Hispanic or Latino 34,325 2.74%

Economy

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See also: Economy of Pittsburgh

In the late 18th century, farming played a critical role in the growth of the area. There was a surplus of grain due to transportation difficulties in linking with the eastern portion of the state. As a result, the farmers distilled the grain into whiskey, which significantly helped the farmers financially.

 
Employment by occupation in Allegheny County

The area quickly became a key manufacturing area in the young nation. Coupled with deposits of iron and coal, and the easy access to waterways for barge traffic, the city quickly became one of the most important steel producing areas in the world. Based on 2007 data from the US Army Corps of Engineers, Pittsburgh is the second (after Laredo, Texas) busiest inland port in the nation.

US steel production declined late in the 20th century, and Allegheny County's economy began a shift to other industries. It is presently known for its hospitals, universities, and industrial centers. Despite the decline of heavy industry, Pittsburgh is home to a number of major companies and is ranked in the top ten among US cities hosting headquarters of Fortune 500 corporations, including U.S. Steel Corporation, PNC Financial Services Group, PPG Industries, and H. J. Heinz Company.

The county leads the state in number of defense contractors supplying the U.S. military.[41]

Regions

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Education

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Colleges and universities

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Community, junior and technical colleges

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Public school districts

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Map of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania Public School Districts

School districts include:[42]

Approved private schools

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These private schools provide special education for disabled students:

  • ACLD Tillotson School, Pittsburgh
  • The Day School at The Children's Institute, Pittsburgh
  • DePaul School for Hearing and Speech, Pittsburgh
  • Easter Seal Society of Western Pennsylvania
  • The Education Center at the Watson Institute, Sewickley
  • Pace School, Pittsburgh
  • Pressley Ridge Day School, Pittsburgh
  • Pressley Ridge School for the Deaf, Pittsburgh
  • The Watson Institute Friendship Academy, Pittsburgh
  • Wesley Spectrum Highland Services, Pittsburgh
  • Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children, Pittsburgh
  • Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf, Pittsburgh

Private high schools

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Transportation

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Allegheny County's public transportation provider is Pittsburgh Regional Transit. The Allegheny County Department of Public Works oversees infrastructure, maintenance, and engineering services in the county.

The Three Rivers Heritage Trail provides uninterrupted bicycle and pedestrian connections along the three rivers in the city, and the Great Allegheny Passage trail runs from downtown Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C.

The Allegheny County Airport is the original airport for Pittsburgh and houses a number of flight schools, charter flight operations, and medevac operations. It is owned and operated by The Allegheny County Airport Authority.

Pittsburgh International Airport is the major passenger airport for the county with service to many destinations on several airlines. Like the Allegheny County Airport, it is also owned and operated by The Allegheny County Airport Authority.

Major roadways

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For information about major state roads, see list of State Routes in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania and Allegheny County Belt System.

Parks and recreation

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There are two Pennsylvania state parks in Allegheny County. Point State Park is at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers in Downtown Pittsburgh, and Allegheny Islands State Park is in the Allegheny River in Harmar Township and is undeveloped as of August 2010.

Pennsylvania State Game Lands Number 203 is also located in Allegheny County providing hunting and other activities.

Allegheny Land Trust, a regional land conservation group headquartered in Sewickley, has purchased land in Allegheny County for use as public green spaces for scenic and recreational purposes.[43][44] In 2012 it pursued land formerly owned by the Pittsburgh Cut Flower Company in Richland Township.[45] In 2020, it received a grant to convert a former country club into a public green space.[46][47] In December 2020, it donated 20 undeveloped acres across three parcels in Hampton to expand North Park.[48]

Sports

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Communities

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Map of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, with municipal labels showing cities and boroughs (red), Townships (white), and census-designated places (blue)

Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: cities, boroughs, townships, and (in a case) a town. The following municipalities are in Allegheny County:

Cities

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Boroughs

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Townships

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Census-designated places

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Census-designated places are geographical areas designated by the US 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.

Unincorporated communities

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Former places

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Many political subdivisions of Allegheny County have come and gone through subdivision or annexation through the years. These include:

  • Allegheny City – the area that is now the North Shore (or North Side) of the City of Pittsburgh, north of the Allegheny River.
  • Allentown Borough – now the neighborhood of Allentown in Pittsburgh.
  • Birmingham Borough – what is now Pittsburgh's South Side.
  • Brushton Borough
  • Carrick Borough – now the neighborhood of Carrick. Formed out of Baldwin Township in 1904, this borough existed until it was annexed by Pittsburgh in 1927. It was named for Carrick-on-Suir, Ireland. Some of the area's manhole covers still bear the Carrick Borough name.
  • Chartier Township – existed at the time of the 1860 U.S. Federal Census.[52]
  • Collins Township – in what is now the northeast part of the City of Pittsburgh, east of Lawrenceville and north of Penn Avenue.
  • Knoxville Borough
  • Lawrenceville Borough
  • McClure Township – McClure was formed in 1858 from the section of Ross Township adjacent to Allegheny City. In 1867 McClure, along with sections of Reserve Township, was incorporated into Allegheny City. The McClure section of this annexation became Wards 9 (Woods Run Area) and 11 (present-day Brighton Heights) in the City of Pittsburgh.
  • Mifflin Township- comprised the modern day communities of Whitaker, West Mifflin, West Homestead, West Elizabeth, Pleasant Hills, Munhall, Lincoln Place, Jefferson Hills, Homestead, Hays, Duquesne, Dravosburg, Clairton and part of Baldwin.[53]
  • Patton Township – was in the east-central part of the county, north of North Versailles Township, east of Wilkins and Penn Townships, and south of Plum Township. In the U.S. census for 1860–1880. In 1951 it became incorporated as the borough of Monroeville.
  • Northern Liberties Borough – in what is now the Strip District of Pittsburgh. The borough was annexed to Pittsburgh in 1837 as the first addition to the city's original territory.
  • Peebles Township – included most of what is now the eastern part of the city of Pittsburgh from the Monongahela River in the south (today's Hazelwood) to the Allegheny River in the north. It was subdivided into Collins and Liberty townships, all of which were incorporated into Pittsburgh in 1868.
  • Pitt Township
  • St. Clair Township – stretched from the Monongahela River south to the Washington County line. It divided into Lower St. Clair, which eventually became part of the City of Pittsburgh, Dormont, Mount Lebanon, and Upper St. Clair.
  • Snowden – now known as South Park Township.
  • Sterrett Township
  • Temperanceville – what is now Pittsburgh's West End.
  • Union Borough – the area surrounding Temperanceville.
  • West Liberty Borough – now the neighborhoods of Brookline and Beechview in Pittsburgh.

Population ranking

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The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Allegheny County.[54]

† county seat

Rank City/Town/etc. Population (2010 Census) Municipal type Incorporated
1 † Pittsburgh 305,704 City 1794 (borough) 1816 (city)
2 Penn Hills 42,329 Municipality 1851 (Penn Twp.) 1958 (Penn Hills Twp.) 1976 (municipality)
3 Mt. Lebanon 33,137 Municipality 1912 (township) 1975 (municipality)
4 Bethel Park 32,313 Municipality 1949 (borough) 1978 (municipality)
5 Ross 31,105 Municipality 1809
6 Monroeville 28,386 Municipality 1951
7 Plum 27,126 Borough 1788 (township) 1956 (borough)
8 Allison Park 21,552 CDP
9 West Mifflin 20,313 Borough 1942
10 Baldwin 19,767 Borough 1950
11 McKeesport 19,731 City 1842 (borough) 1891 (city)
12 Wilkinsburg 15,930 Borough 1871 (Sterrett Twp.) 1887 (borough)
13 Whitehall 13,944 Borough 1948
14 Franklin Park 13,470 Borough 1823
15 South Park 13,416 Township 1931
16 Munhall 11,406 Borough
17 Carnot-Moon 11,372 CDP
18 Jefferson Hills 10,619 Borough
19 North Versailles 10,229 Township 1869
20 Brentwood 9,643 Borough 1916
21 Swissvale 8,983 Borough
22 Glenshaw 8,981 CDP
23 Dormont 8,593 Borough 1909
24 Bellevue 8,370 Borough 1867
25 Castle Shannon 8,316 Borough 1919
26 Pleasant Hills 8,268 Borough
27 Carnegie 7,972 Borough 1894
28 White Oak 7,862 Borough
29 Clairton 6,796 City 1903 (borough) 1922 (city)
30 West View 6,771 Borough
31 Forest Hills 6,518 Borough 1919
32 Oakmont 6,303 Borough 1889
33 McKees Rocks 6,104 Borough 1892
34 Crafton 5,951 Borough
35 Coraopolis 5,677 Borough 1886
36 Duquesne 5,565 City 1891 (borough) 1918 (city)
37 Fox Chapel 5,388 Borough
38 Turtle Creek 5,349 Borough
39 Bridgeville 5,148 Borough 1901
40 North Braddock 4,857 Borough
41 Avalon 4,705 Borough 1874
42 Tarentum 4,530 Borough 1842
43 Glassport 4,483 Borough
44 Green Tree 4,432 Borough 1885
45 Sewickley 3,827 Borough
46 Port Vue 3,798 Borough
47 Millvale 3,744 Borough
48 Pitcairn 3,689 Borough
49 Etna 3,451 Borough
50 Sharpsburg 3,446 Borough
51 Springdale 3,405 Borough
52 Mount Oliver 3,403 Borough
53 Ingram 3,330 Borough
54 Brackenridge 3,260 Borough 1901
55 Trafford (mostly in Westmoreland County) 3,174 Borough 1904
56 Homestead 3,165 Borough
57 Edgewood 3,118 Borough 1888
58 Churchill 3,011 Borough
59 Aspinwall 2,801 Borough 1892
60 Gibsonia 2,733 CDP
61 Liberty 2,551 Borough
62 Imperial 2,541 CDP
63 Verona 2,474 Borough 1871
64 Emsworth 2,449 Borough
65 Greenock 2,195 CDP
66 Wilmerding 2,190 Borough
67 Braddock 2,159 Borough 1867
68 McDonald (mostly in Washington County) 2,149 Borough 1889
69 East McKeesport 2,126 Borough
70 Rankin 2,122 Borough
71 West Homestead 1,929 Borough
72 Braddock Hills 1,880 Borough 1946
73 East Pittsburgh 1,822 Borough
74 Dravosburg 1,792 Borough
75 Ben Avon 1,781 Borough 1891
76 Bakerstown 1,761 CDP
77 Cheswick 1,746 Borough
78 Sturgeon 1,710 CDP
79 Edgeworth 1,680 Borough
80 Versailles 1,515 Borough
81 Elizabeth 1,493 Borough
82 Oakdale 1,459 Borough
83 Russellton 1,440 CDP
84 Blawnox 1,432 Borough 1925
85 Bell Acres 1,388 Borough 1960
86 Whitaker 1,271 Borough
87 Heidelberg 1,244 Borough
88 Leetsdale 1,218 Borough
89 Bradford Woods 1,171 Borough 1915
90 Rennerdale 1,150 CDP
91 Lincoln 1,072 Borough
92 Curtisville 1,064 CDP
93 Enlow 1,013 CDP
94 Harwick 899 CDP
95 Sewickley Heights 810 Borough
96 Chalfant 800 Borough
97 Bairdford 698 CDP
98 Pennsbury Village 661 Borough
99 Sewickley Hills 639 Borough
100 Wall 580 Borough
101 Noblestown 575 CDP
102 Glen Osborne 547 Borough
103 Boston 545 CDP
104 West Elizabeth 518 Borough
105 Thornburg 455 Borough
106 Clinton 434 CDP
107 Rosslyn Farms 427 Borough
108 Ben Avon Heights 371 Borough 1913
109 Glenfield 205 Borough
110 Haysville 70 Borough

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Includes Allegheny, Washington, Butler, Beaver, Lawrence and Armstrong Counties
  2. ^ Mean monthly maxima and minima (i.e. the highest and lowest temperature readings during an entire month or year) calculated based on data at said location from 1991 to 2020.
  3. ^ Records kept September 1874 to June 1935 at the Weather Bureau Office across the Allegheny River from downtown, at Allegheny County Airport from July 1935 to 14 September 1952, and at Pittsburgh Int'l (KPIT) since 15 September 1952. Due to its river valley and urban location as well as elevation, many of the summertime warm minima temperature records set at the WBO have not even come close to being matched at KPIT, which is at-elevation and located in the western suburbs. For more information, see Threadex

References

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  14. ^ Cohan, Jeffrey (June 20, 2004). "Can 39 towns be turned into one?". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved August 16, 2012.
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  44. ^ Phox, Jason (February 16, 2023). "Allegheny Land Trust acquires more than 120 acres as protected green space". NEXTpittsburgh. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  45. ^ Barron, Joanne (November 2012). "New director has big plans for Allegheny Land Trust". Pittsburgh Trib Live.
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  47. ^ Cipriani, Marcie (November 26, 2019). "$500,000 grant announced to help Allegheny Land Trust purchase former Churchill Valley Country Club". WTAE. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  48. ^ "Donation to add acreage to North Park in Hampton". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
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Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Allegheny County.
 
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