Franklin County is a county located in South Central Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 155,932 Its county seat is Chambersburg.

Franklin County comprises the Chambersburg–Waynesboro, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Washington–Baltimore–Arlington-DC–MD–VA–WV–PA Combined Statistical Area. It lies to a large extent within the Cumberland Valley.

History

Originally part of Lancaster County (1729), then York County (1749), then Cumberland County (1750), Franklin County became an independent jurisdiction on September 9, 1784, relatively soon after the end of the American Revolutionary War. It is named in honor of Founding Father Benjamin Franklin.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.08%) is water.

Franklin County is in the watershed of the Chesapeake Bay and the overwhelming majority of it is drained by the Potomac River, but the Conodoguinet Creek and the Sherman Creek drain northeastern portions into the Susquehanna River. It has a hot-summer humid continental climate (Dfa) and its hardiness zone is 6b. Average monthly temperatures in Chambersburg range from 29.9 °F in January to 74.7 °F in July. [http://prism.oregonstate.edu/explorer/]

Adjacent counties

Juniata County (north)

Perry County (northeast)

Cumberland County (northeast)

Huntingdon County (Northwest)

Adams County (east)

Frederick County, Maryland (southeast)

Washington County, Maryland (south)

Fulton County (west)

Major highways

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 129,313 people, 50,633 households, and 36,405 families residing in the county. The population density was 168 people per square mile (65/km²). There were 53,803 housing units at an average density of 70 per square mile (27/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 95.33% White, 2.33% Black or African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.55% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.74% from other races, and 0.86% from two or more races. 1.75% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 40.2% were of German, 19.4% American, 7.6% Irish and 6.0% English ancestry. 96.0% spoke English and 2.1% Spanish as their first language.

There were 50,633 households, out of which 30.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.00% were married couples living together, 8.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.10% were non-families. 23.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.00% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 28.20% from 25 to 44, 23.70% from 45 to 64, and 16.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 94.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.90 males.

In 2001, Franklin County was featured in David Brooks' article "One Nation, Slightly Divisible" in The Atlantic as a representative Red or Republican Party county.

Government

County commissioners

David Keller, Chairman, Republican

John Flannery, Republican

Robert Ziobrowski, Democrat

Other county offices

Clerk of Courts, Todd Rock

Controller, Harold Wissinger

Coroner, Jeff Conner

District Attorney, Matthew Fogal

Prothonotary, Timothy Sponseller

Sheriff, Dane Anthony

Treasurer, Dave Secor

State House of Representatives

Jesse Topper, Republican, Pennsylvania's 78th Representative District

Adam Harris, Republican, Pennsylvania's 82nd Representative District

Rob W. Kauffman, Republican, Pennsylvania's 89th Representative District

Paul Schemel, Republican, Pennsylvania's 90th Representative District

State Senate

Judy Ward, Republican, Pennsylvania's 30th Senatorial District

Doug Mastriano, Republican, Pennsylvania's 33rd Senatorial District

United States House of Representatives

John Joyce, Republican, Pennsylvania's 13th congressional district

Politics

For most of its history, Franklin County has been a Republican Party stronghold in presidential elections, with only three Democratic Party candidates having managed to win the county from 1880 to the present day. The most recent Democrat to win the county in a presidential election was Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964 as he won in a landslide statewide & nationally. As a testament to the county's status as a Republican Party stronghold, Jimmy Carter in 1976 is the lone Democrat to win forty percent of the county's votes since Johnson's 1964 win.

United States Senate

Pat Toomey, Republican

Bob Casey, Democrat

Education

Universities and colleges

Wilson College

Penn State Mont Alto

Technology school

Franklin County Career and Technology Center

Chambersburg Area Career Magnet School

Triangle Tech

Intermediate unit

Lincoln Intermediate Unit (IU#12) region includes: Adams County, Franklin County and York County. The agency offers school districts, home-schooled students and private schools many services, including: special education services, combined purchasing, and instructional technology services. It runs Summer Academy, which offers both art and academic strands designed to meet the individual needs of gifted, talented and high achieving students. Additional services include: curriculum mapping, professional development for school employees, adult education, nonpublic school services, business services, migrant & ESL (English as a second language), instructional services, special education, management services, and technology services. It also provides a GED program to adults who want to earn a high school diploma and literacy programs. The Lincoln Intermediate Unit is governed by a 13-member board of directors, each a member of a local school board from the 25 school districts. Board members are elected by school directors of all 25 school districts for three-year terms that begin July 1. There are 29 intermediate units in Pennsylvania. They are funded by school districts, state and federal program specific funding and grants. IUs do not have the power to tax.

Public school districts

Chambersburg Area School District

Fannett-Metal School District (also in Perry County)

Greencastle-Antrim School District

Shippensburg Area School District (also in Cumberland County)

Tuscarora School District

Waynesboro Area School District

Private schools

Anchor Christian Day School – Shippensburg

Antrim Mennonite School – Greencastle

Brook Side Amish School – Spring Run

Calvary Mennonite School – Chambersburg

Clearfield Parochial School – Shippensburg

Conococheague Amish School – Spring Run

Corpus Christi Catholic School – Chambersburg

Cornell Abraxas Leadership Development Program

Cornell Abraxas Youth Center – South Mountain

Culbertson Mennonite School – Chambersburg

Cumberland Valley Christian School – Chambersburg

Emmanuel Christian School – Chambersburg

Franklin Learning Center – Chambersburg

Highfield Christian Academy – Blue Ridge Summit

Living Word Academy – Blue Ridge Summit

Maple Grove Amish School Dry Run

McClays Mill Amish School – Newburg

Meadow Brook Amish School – Spring Run

Manito Day Treatment – Chambersburg

Mercersburg Academy – Mercersburg

Montessori Academy of Chambersburg

Mountain View Amish School – Spring Run

Mowersville Christian Academy – Newburg

Noahs Ark Christian Church Center – Waynesboro

Otterbein School – Shippensburg

Path Valley Christian School – Doylesburg

Portico River Brethren School – Chambersburg

Providence School – Waynesboro

St. Andrew the Apostle Catholic School – Waynesboro

Shady Grove Mennonite School – Greencastle

Shalom Christian Academy – Chambersburg

South Mountain Secure Treatment Unit – South Mountain

Stoney Creek Parochial School – Orrstown

Sunset Amish School – Newburg

Sweetwater Ridge School – Dry Run

Sylvan Learning Center – Chambersburg

Tunnel Run School – Newburg

Visionquest-South Mountain Lodge – South Mountain

Willow Hill Parochial School – Willow Hill

Libraries

The Franklin County Library system has five branches:

Blue Ridge Summit Free Library – Blue Ridge Summit

Coyle Free Library – Chambersburg

Grove Family Library – Chambersburg

Lilian S Besore Memorial Library – Greencastle

St Thomas Branch Library – Saint Thomas

The system also supports the Alexander Hamilton Memorial Library in Waynesboro, PA. In addition, the system currently operates two bookmobiles.

Recreation

There are four Pennsylvania state parks in Franklin County.

Caledonia State Park straddles the Franklin and Adams County line along U.S. Route 30 between Chambersburg and Gettysburg.

Buchanan's Birthplace State Park is the birthplace of the 15th President of the United States, James Buchanan.

Mont Alto State Park is the oldest state park in Pennsylvania.

Cowans Gap State Park is largely surrounded by Buchanan State Forest and straddles the Franklin and Fulton County border.

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 Franklin County:

Boroughs

Chambersburg (county seat)

Greencastle

Mercersburg

Mont Alto

Orrstown

Shippensburg (mostly in Cumberland County)

Waynesboro

Townships

Antrim Township

Fannett Township

Greene Township

Guilford Township

Hamilton Township

Letterkenny Township

Lurgan Township

Metal Township

Montgomery Township

Peters Township

Quincy Township

Southampton Township

St. Thomas Township

Warren Township

Washington Township

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.

Blue Ridge Summit

Fayetteville

Fort Loudon

Guilford

Marion

Pen Mar

Rouzerville

Scotland

State Line

Wayne Heights