Cameron County, Pennsylvania

Cameron County is a small county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is one of the least populous counties in the state. The main town, or county seat, is Emporium.

The county was created on March 29, 1860. It was formed from parts of four other counties: Clinton, Elk, McKean, and Potter. The county was named to honor Senator Simon Cameron. Today, Cameron County is part of the North Central region of Pennsylvania.

Geography

Cameron County in Pennsylvania covers an area of 398 square miles (1,032 km²). Most of this, 396 square miles (1,026 km²), is land, with just 2 square miles (5.7 km²) being water. The county has a warm-summer humid continental climate, with temperatures in the town of Emporium ranging from about 24 °F in January to 69 °F in July.

The county is bordered by several other counties: McKean County to the north, Potter County to the northeast, Clinton County to the east, Clearfield County to the south, and Elk County to the west. Cameron County is unique in Pennsylvania because it does not have any interstate highways or U.S. Routes running through it. The main roads in the county include PA 46, PA 120, PA 155, PA 555, and PA 872.

Demographics

2020 census

The 2020 census said Cameron County had 4,547 people. The average age was 51.3 years. About 17.5% were younger than 18, and 27.7% were 65 or older.

Most people were White. There were smaller groups of Black or African American, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Asian people. The county had 4,592 homes.

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1870	4,273		—
1880	5,159		20.7%
1890	7,238		40.3%
1900	7,048		−2.6%
1910	7,644		8.5%
1920	6,297		−17.6%
1930	5,307		−15.7%
1940	6,852		29.1%
1950	7,023		2.5%
1960	7,586		8.0%
1970	7,096		−6.5%
1980	6,674		−5.9%
1990	5,913		−11.4%
2000	5,974		1.0%
2010	5,085		−14.9%
2020	4,547		−10.6%
2025 (est.)	4,211		−7.4%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2017

Law and government

Cameron County has different groups of people who help run the area. As of February 2024, there are 2,931 people registered to vote. Most of them support the Republican party, with some supporting the Democratic party, a few Independent voters, and a smaller number from Other Parties.

The county uses the Pennsylvania State Police to keep people safe. There are also important jobs like County Commissioners, Sheriff, and others who help manage the county. For state and national levels, people like Cris Dush and Martin T. Causer represent the area, and for the United States Senate, Dave McCormick and John Fetterman are the representatives.

Education

Cameron County has one school district. It provides education for students from kindergarten through 12th grade. The district is called the Cameron County School District.

Recreation

Cameron County has three beautiful state parks. Bucktail State Park Natural Area runs along Pennsylvania Route 120 from Lock Haven to Emporium, the county seat. Sinnemahoning State Park and Sizerville State Park are shared between Cameron County and Potter County.

There is also the West Creek Rail Trail. It was built on an old railroad path between Emporium and St. Mary's. The trail is flat and safe for walking, biking, or snowmobiling in winter. The Fred Woods Trail is a shorter loop trail with nice views. You can start this trail from Mason Hill Road near Driftwood.

Communities

Pennsylvania has different kinds of towns and cities, called municipalities. In Cameron County, there are boroughs and townships.

The boroughs in Cameron County are Driftwood and Emporium (which is the county seat).

The townships are Gibson, Grove, Lumber, Portage, and Shippen.

There is also a place called Prospect Park that is not a borough or township but is known as a census-designated place.

Notable people

Cameron County has been home to several famous people. These include Tom Mix, Joseph T. McNarney, and Nate Sestina.