MIFFLIN COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

'Mifflin County' is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2000, the population was 46,486. Its county seat is Lewistown⁶. It is named after Thomas Mifflin, the first Governor of Pennsylvania.

Contents

Geography

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Dialect, Accent and Language

Sports Allegiances

Media

Radio Stations

AM Radio Stations

FM Radio Stations

Television

Economy

Major Employers

Education

Public School Districts

Private Schools

Colleges & Universities

Municipalities

Boroughs

Townships

Census-designated places

External links

Geography

Mifflin County is located in, and has its boundaries defined by, the Ridge-and Valley Appalachian Mountains of Pennsylvania. US Route 322, a major divided highway, connects the county to the rest of the state on its route between Harrisburg and State College.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,074 km² (415 mi²). 1,067 km² (412 mi²) of it is land and 7 km² (3 mi²) of it (0.66%) is water.

Adjacent counties

★ Centre County (north)

★ Union County (northeast)

★ Snyder County (east)

★ Juniata County (southeast)

★ Huntingdon County (west)

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there were 46,486 people, 18,413 households, and 12,907 families residing in the county. The population density was 44/km² (113/mi²). There were 20,745 housing units at an average density of 19/km² (50/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.53% White, 0.49% Black or African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.18% from other races, and 0.43% from two or more races. 0.57% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 5.7% report speaking Pennsylvania German, Dutch, or German at home.&ea=&order=r
There were 18,413 households out of which 30.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.60% were married couples living together, 8.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.90% were non-families. 26.00% 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 2.49 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the county, the population was spread out with 24.60% under the age of 18, 7.00% from 18 to 24, 27.40% from 25 to 44, 23.90% from 45 to 64, and 17.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 93.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.90 males.

Dialect, Accent and Language

The dominant form of speech in Mifflin County is the Central Pennsylvania accent. Almost everyone in Mifflin County speaks English. The Amish and some Mennonites speak Pennsylvania German, a West Central German dialect, which is very remote from modern Standard German. The Amish and Mennonites also can speak English. Few non-Amish or Mennonites in Mifflin County today speak Pennsylvania German, but this was not true in the past.
The Mifflin County School District offers only two foreign languages and only four years of each, with French and Spanish being offered in grades 9 through 12. In the past, the school district also offered German and Latin, but fiscally conservative school boards, which did not view foreign languages as important subjects, slashed spending on foreign language education. There was little outrage when Latin was eliminated in 1985, but some people were offended when German was eliminated in the mid-1990s, given the county's strong German heritage.

Sports Allegiances

By far, the most popular college sports team in Mifflin County is the Penn State football team.. In professional football, the Pittsburgh Steelers are the most popular team, with the Philadelphia Eagles also enjoying a lot of support. Although Mifflin County is geographically closer to Philadelphia, it is culturally and linguistically closer to Pittsburgh. Almost all Steelers and Eagles games are available live on network television, as Mifflin County receives stations from both the Steelers and Eagles broadcasting territories, though Baltimore Ravens games are also available through Harrisburg-based stations. The most popular baseball teams are the Pittsburgh Pirates and Philadelphia Phillies.
Historically, football has been the most popular high school sport, but over the past decade, the most successful teams have been in boys and girls basketball. In the past, high school wrestling was more popular than basketball. Although basketball is now more popular than wrestling, wrestling remains more popular in Mifflin County and in Central Pennsylvania in general than in most parts of the United States.
As in most parts of Appalachia, NASCAR is very popular in Mifflin County. Local dirt track races and drag races are widely attended on weekends.

Media

Radio Stations

AM Radio Stations

★ 'WIEZ 670 AM'- Lewistown

★ 'WKVA 920 AM'- Burnham

FM Radio Stations

★ 'WJRC 90.9'- Lewistown

★ 'WMRF 95.7'- Lewistown

★ 'WVNW 96.7'- Burnham

★ 'WCHX 105.5'- Burnham

Television

Mifflin County does not have a local television station but it is provided with local coverage from the following stations outside of the county:

★ {CBS}: WTAJ-TV, Altoona; WHP-TV, Harrisburg

★ {Fox}: WWCP-TV, Altoona; WPMT-TV, York

★ {ABC}: WATM-TV, Altoona; WHTM-TV, Harrisburg

★ {NBC}: WJAC-TV, Johnstown; WGAL-TV, Lancaster

★ {PBS}: WPSU-TV, State College

Economy

Major Employers

★ Lewistown Hospital

★ Standard Steel

★ Buckell Plastics

★ Trinity Packaging

★ Ames/True Temper

★ Marlette Homes

★ Asher’s Chocolates (Formerly Goss Candies)

★ Walmart

★ Lowe’s

Education

Public School Districts

★ Mifflin County School District

★ Mount Union Area School District

Private Schools

★ Sacred Heart provides a private, Catholic education until fifth grade.


★ Belleville Mennonite School provides a Mennonite education from kindergarten through grade twelve.


★ Mifflin County Christian Academy located in McClure provides a Christian Fundamentalist education from kindergarten through grade twelve and also provides day care.

Colleges & Universities

Mifflin-Juniata Career and Technology Center located in Lewistown provides post high school degrees in nursing, auto mechanics and electrical services and numerous other technology driven careers.


The Lewistown branch of the South Hills School of Business and Technology offers associates degrees and other certifications in various areas of business and technology.

Municipalities

Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: cities, boroughs, , and, in at most two cases, towns. The following cities, boroughs and townships are located in Mifflin County:

Boroughs

★ Burnham ★ Juniata Terrace ★ Kistler

★ Lewistown ★ McVeytown ★ Newton Hamilton

Townships

★ Armagh Township ★ Bratton Township ★ Brown Township ★ Decatur Township ★ Derry Township

★ Granville Township ★ Menno Township ★ Oliver Township ★ Union Township ★ Wayne 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.

★ Belleville ★ Highland Park ★ Milroy

★ Reedsville ★ Yeagertown

External links

★ [ftp://ftp.dot.state.pa.us/public/pdf/BPR_pdf_files/Maps/GHS/Roadnames/mifflin_GHSN.pdf Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Bureau of Planning and Research, Geographic Information Division, "2005 General Highway Map of Juniata and Mifflin Counties".] Note: shows boroughs, townships, roads, villages, some streams. URL accessed on April 5, 2006.