SafekipediaCameron County, Pennsylvania
Adapted from Wikipedia · Discoverer experience
Cameron County is a small county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is one of the least populous counties in the state, with only 4,547 people living there according to the 2020 census. 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 398.4 square miles (1,032 km2). Most of this, 396.2 square miles (1,026 km2), is land, with just 2.2 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
According to the 2020 census, Cameron County had a population of 4,547 people. The average age was 51.3 years. About 17.5% of the residents were younger than 18, and 27.7% were 65 years or older.
Most people in the county identified as White, with smaller numbers of Black or African American, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Asian residents. The county had 4,592 homes spread out across the area.
| 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 that provides education for students from kindergarten through 12th grade. This district is called the Cameron County School District.
Recreation
Cameron County has three beautiful state parks. Bucktail State Park Natural Area is a long, scenic route that runs along Pennsylvania Route 120 from Lock Haven to Emporium, the county seat. Sinnemahoning State Park and Sizerville State Park are both shared between Cameron County and Potter County.
There is also the West Creek Rail Trail, built on an old railroad path between Emporium and St. Mary's. This trail is flat and safe for walking, biking, or even snowmobiling in winter. The Fred Woods Trail is a shorter loop trail with nice views and some rocky parts to explore. 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, you can find 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.
| Rank | City/Town/etc. | Population (2010 Census) | Municipal type | Incorporated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | † Emporium | 2,073 | Borough | 1864 |
| 2 | Prospect Park | 327 | CDP | |
| 3 | Driftwood | 67 | Borough | 1872 |
Notable people
Cameron County has been home to several well-known individuals. These include Tom Mix, Joseph T. McNarney, and Nate Sestina.
Related articles
This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Cameron County, Pennsylvania, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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