Greene County, Pennsylvania

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39°52′N 80°13′W / 39.86°N 80.22°W / 39.86; -80.22

Greene County
County
Greene County Courthouse
Flag Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 39°52′N 80°13′W / 39.86°N 80.22°W / 39.86; -80.22
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
Founded	February 9, 1796
Named for	Nathanael Greene
Seat	Waynesburg
Largest borough	Waynesburg
Government
• Chairman of the Board of Commissioners	Jared Edgreen
Area
• Total	578 sq mi (1,500 km2)
• Land	576 sq mi (1,490 km2)
• Water	2.0 sq mi (5 km2)  0.4%
Population  (2020)
• Total	35,954
• Density	62/sq mi (24/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	14th
Website	www.co.greene.pa.us

Greene County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 35,954.^[1] Its county seat is Waynesburg.^[2] Greene County was created on February 9, 1796, from part of Washington County and named for General Nathanael Greene. The county is part of the Southwest Pennsylvania region of the state.^[a] Greene County is part of the Pittsburgh media market. It is in the area of southwestern Pennsylvania that was claimed by Virginia, the District of West Augusta.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 578 square miles (1,500 km²), of which 576 square miles (1,490 km²) is land and 2.0 square miles (5.2 km²) (0.4%) is water.^[3] It has a humid continental climate (Dfa/Dfb) and average monthly temperatures in Waynesburg range from 28.9 °F in January to 71.9 °F in July.^[4] Greene County is one of the 423 counties served by the Appalachian Regional Commission,^[5] and it is identified as part of "Greater Appalachia" by Colin Woodard in his book American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America.^[6]

• Washington County (north)
• Fayette County (east)
• Monongalia County, West Virginia (south)
• Wetzel County, West Virginia (southwest)
• Marshall County, West Virginia (west)

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1800	8,605		—
1810	12,544		45.8%
1820	15,554		24.0%
1830	18,028		15.9%
1840	19,147		6.2%
1850	22,136		15.6%
1860	24,343		10.0%
1870	25,887		6.3%
1880	28,273		9.2%
1890	28,935		2.3%
1900	28,281		−2.3%
1910	28,882		2.1%
1920	30,804		6.7%
1930	41,767		35.6%
1940	44,671		7.0%
1950	45,394		1.6%
1960	39,457		−13.1%
1970	39,108		−0.9%
1980	42,253		8.0%
1990	44,164		4.5%
2000	40,672		−7.9%
2010	38,686		−4.9%
2020	35,954		−7.1%
[7]

As of the census^[8] of 2010, there were 38,686 people, 14,724 households, and 9,970 families residing in the county. The population density was 67 people per square mile (26 people/km²). There were 16,678 housing units at an average density of 29 units per square mile (11/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 94.6 percent White, 3.3 percent Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.3 percent Asian, 0.0 percent Pacific Islander, 0.7 percent from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. 1.2 percent of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 14,724 households, out of which 29.3 percent had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.5 percent were married couples living together, 10.9 percent had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.3 percent were non-families. 27.0 percent of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.7 percent had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.91.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 19.9 percent under the age of 18, 9.9 percent from 18 to 24, 25.5 percent from 25 to 44, 29.3 percent from 45 to 64, and 15.3 percent who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.1 years. For every 100 females there were 106.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.6 males.

Greene County Racial Composition^[9]

Race	Num.	Perc.
White (NH)	32,898	91.5%
Black or African American (NH)	1,062	3%
Native American (NH)	69	0.2%
Asian (NH)	120	0.33%
Pacific Islander (NH)	6	0.02%
Other/Mixed (NH)	1,289	3.6%
Hispanic or Latino	510	1.42%

Greene County was long a Democratic stronghold, due to the strong unionization of the county's steel mills; between 1932 and 2000, the Democratic presidential candidate won the county in every election except in the Republican landslide of 1972. Due to the decline of the Pittsburgh area's steel industry (similar to other Appalachian counties), and the Democratic Party's shift on cultural issues like the environment and guns, the county has shifted towards the Republican Party, and in 2016 Donald Trump won the county with 68.4% of the vote.

United States presidential election results for Greene County, Pennsylvania^[10]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	12,319	71.47%	4,592	26.64%	325	1.89%
2020	12,579	71.08%	4,911	27.75%	207	1.17%
2016	10,849	68.37%	4,482	28.25%	537	3.38%
2012	8,428	57.94%	5,852	40.23%	266	1.83%
2008	7,889	48.96%	7,829	48.59%	396	2.46%
2004	7,786	50.02%	7,674	49.30%	105	0.67%
2000	5,890	43.14%	7,230	52.96%	533	3.90%
1996	4,002	29.14%	7,620	55.47%	2,114	15.39%
1992	3,482	23.01%	8,438	55.75%	3,215	21.24%
1988	4,879	34.62%	9,126	64.75%	90	0.64%
1984	6,376	40.40%	9,365	59.33%	43	0.27%
1980	5,336	37.79%	8,193	58.02%	592	4.19%
1976	5,293	37.22%	8,769	61.67%	157	1.10%
1972	7,790	57.52%	5,562	41.07%	191	1.41%
1968	5,099	35.41%	8,198	56.93%	1,104	7.67%
1964	3,896	25.42%	11,412	74.46%	19	0.12%
1960	7,498	43.70%	9,645	56.21%	16	0.09%
1956	7,562	43.45%	9,827	56.47%	14	0.08%
1952	6,964	40.68%	10,125	59.14%	30	0.18%
1948	4,717	36.47%	8,015	61.97%	202	1.56%
1944	5,747	40.49%	8,392	59.13%	53	0.37%
1940	6,726	39.62%	10,214	60.17%	36	0.21%
1936	6,359	34.42%	12,006	64.99%	109	0.59%
1932	4,808	33.42%	9,322	64.79%	258	1.79%
1928	6,910	56.18%	5,293	43.04%	96	0.78%
1924	4,590	41.82%	5,874	53.52%	512	4.66%
1920	4,253	42.41%	5,592	55.76%	183	1.82%
1916	2,096	33.93%	3,930	63.62%	151	2.44%
1912	1,150	19.00%	3,551	58.67%	1,351	22.32%
1908	2,438	37.22%	3,793	57.91%	319	4.87%
1904	2,442	41.32%	3,198	54.11%	270	4.57%
1900	2,427	39.02%	3,674	59.07%	119	1.91%
1896	2,453	36.41%	4,198	62.31%	86	1.28%
1892	2,126	33.39%	3,977	62.46%	264	4.15%
1888	2,373	35.79%	4,116	62.08%	141	2.13%

As of February 5, 2024, there are 21,549 registered voters in the county. There are 11,150 registered Republicans, 8,287 registered Democrats, 1,470 voters registered non-affiliated voters, and 642 voters registered to other parties.^[11]

Voter Registration and Party Enrollment
Party		Number of Voters	Percentage
	Republican	11,150	51.74%
	Democratic	8,287	38.46%
	Independent	1,470	6.82%
	Third Parties	642	2.98%
Total		21,549	100%

• Jared Edgreen, Republican^[12]
• Betsy McClure, Republican^[13]
• Blair Zimmerman, Democrat

• President Judge, Hon. Louis Dayich
• Associate Judge, Hon. Jeffry N. Grimes^[14]
• District Attorney, Brianna Vanata, D/R, (Since 2024)^[12]
• Sheriff, Marcus N. Simms, D/R, (Since 2020)^[13]
• Coroner, Gene Rush, D/R, (Since 2018)^[15]
• Clerk of Courts, Crystal Walters, D/R, (Since 2024)^[12]
• Prothonotary, Jennifer Maas, Republican, (Since 2024)
• Register & Recorder, Tammy Brookover, Republican, (Since 2024)
• Treasurer, Jeannie High Grimes, D/R, (Since 2024)
• Controller, Ami Cree, D/R, (Since 2020)^[13]

• Donald "Bud" Cook, Republican, 50th district^[16]

• Camera Bartolotta, Republican, 46th district^[16]

• Guy Reschenthaler, Republican, 14th district^[16]

• John Fetterman, Democrat^[16]
• Bob Casey, Jr., Democrat

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (July 2016)

Greene County's development commission has assisted area business since 1998.^[17]

The Meadow Ridge office park has served the county since the early 2000s.^[18]

Two power plant construction projects are underway in Greene County. Hill Top Energy Center, a natural gas-fired power plant with a generating capacity of 625 megawatts, is scheduled to begin operations in the summer of 2021.^[19][20] A new 1,000-megawatt natural gas power plant on the site of the former Hatfield's Ferry power station was scheduled to begin operations in mid-2022, but the plan fell through.^{[21][22][23][24]}

• Waynesburg University

Greene County is divided into five public school districts.^[25][26] There are 15 public schools that serve Greene County, Pennsylvania.^[27]

• Carmichaels Area School District
• Central Greene School District
• Jefferson-Morgan School District
• Southeastern Greene School District
• West Greene School District

Some schools within the five above districts include:

• Greene County Career Technology Center - Waynesburg
• East Franklin School - Waynesburg Archived January 5, 2013, at the Wayback Machine

• Open Door Christian School in Waynesburg (grades K-12) ^[28][29]
• Greene Valley Christian Academy in Rices Landing (grades K-8)^[30]

• Eva K Bowlby Public Library in Waynesburg
• Flenniken Public Library in Carmichaels, Pennsylvania

• I-79

• US 19
• PA 18
• PA 21
• PA 88
• PA 188
• PA 218
• PA 221
• PA 231

Greene County Airport is a county-owned, public-use airport located two nautical miles (4 km) east of the central business district of Waynesburg, Pennsylvania.^[31]

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 Greene County:

• Carmichaels
• Clarksville
• Greensboro
• Jefferson
• Rices Landing
• Waynesburg (county seat)

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.

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Greene County.

† county seat

Rank	City/Town/etc.	Municipal type	Population (2020 Census)[32]
1	† Waynesburg	Borough	4,006
2	Fairdale	CDP	2,064
3	Morrisville	CDP	1,209
4	Nemacolin	CDP	826
5	Bobtown	CDP	701
6	Crucible	CDP	673
7	Mather	CDP	659
8	Dry Tavern	CDP	655
9	Mount Morris	CDP	645
10	Carmichaels	Borough	432
11	Rices Landing	Borough	425
12	West Waynesburg	CDP	401
13	Greensboro	Borough	264
14	Jefferson	Borough	253
15	Rogersville	CDP	215
16	Wind Ridge	CDP	204
17	Clarksville	Borough	203
18	Brave	CDP	142
19	Mapletown	CDP	125
20	New Freeport	CDP	77

• Greene Connections: Greene County, Pennsylvania Archives Project
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Greene County, Pennsylvania

• Martines, Jamie. A Pennsylvania county went from bust to boom times with natural gas. Now, it’s nearly broke. Spotlight PA. March 8, 2021
• White-Nockleby, Caroline; Wahid, Mimi; Boone, Caroline; Delhees, Benjamin. Changes in the contribution of coal to tax revenues in Greene County, PA, 2010-2019 Massachusetts Institute of Technology Environmental Solutions Initiative. March 2021.
• Ohio River Valley Institute. Appalachia's Natural Gas Counties: Contributing more to the U.S. economy and getting less in return. The Natural Gas Fracking Boom and Appalachia's Lost Economic Decade February 12, 2021.

• Official website