Bucks County, Pennsylvania

History

Founding

Bucks County is one of the three original counties created by colonial proprietor William Penn in 1682. Penn named the county after Buckinghamshire, the county in which he lived in England; "Bucks" is the traditional abbreviation for the English county, which became the actual name of the Pennsylvania one. He built a country estate, Pennsbury Manor, in Falls Township in present-day Bucks County.

Some places in Bucks County were named after locations in Buckinghamshire, including Buckingham and Buckingham Township, named after the former county town of Buckinghamshire; Chalfont, named after Chalfont St Giles, the parish home of William Penn's first wife and the location of the Jordans Quaker Meeting House, where Penn is buried; Solebury, named after Soulbury, England; and Wycombe, named after the town of High Wycombe.

Bucks County was originally much larger than it is today. Northampton County was formed in 1752 from part of Bucks County, and Lehigh County was formed in 1812 from part of Northampton County.

American Revolutionary War

General George Washington and his troops camped in Bucks County as they prepared to cross the Delaware River to take Trenton, New Jersey by surprise on the morning of December 26, 1776. Their successful attack on Britain's Hessian forces was a turning point in the American Revolutionary War. The town of Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania and Washington Crossing Historic Park were named to commemorate the event.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 622 sqmi, of which 604 sqmi is land and 18 sqmi (2.8%) is water.

The southern third of the county between Philadelphia and Trenton, New Jersey, often called Lower Bucks, resides in the Atlantic Coastal Plain; it is flat and near sea level, and is the county's most populated and industrialized area.

Bucks County shares a western border with Montgomery County, and also borders Philadelphia to the southwest, and Northampton and Lehigh Counties to the north. From north to south, it is linked to Warren, Hunterdon, Mercer and Burlington Counties in New Jersey by bridges.

Tohickon Creek and Neshaminy Creek are the largest tributaries of the Delaware in Bucks County. Tohickon Creek empties into the river at Point Pleasant and Neshaminy at Croydon (Bristol Township).

Demographics

|align-fn=center 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2019

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 646,538. The median age was 44.4 years. 20.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 19.8% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 96.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 94.2 males age 18 and over.

As of the 2020 census, the racial makeup of the county was 82.0% White, 4.1% Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 5.4% Asian,

The 2020 census reported that 89.7% of residents lived in urban areas, while 10.3% lived in rural areas.

The 2020 census recorded 245,587 households in the county, of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 55.8% were married-couple households, 15.2% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 23.2% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 23.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

The 2020 census recorded 255,632 housing units, of which 3.9% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 76.2% were owner-occupied and 23.8% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.9% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.3%.

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 625,249 people. The population density was 1,034.7 people per square mile. The racial makeup of the county was 86.6% Non-Hispanic white, 3.9% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 4.1% Asian (2.1% Indian, 1.1% Chinese, 0.7% Korean, 0.5% Filipino, 0.3% Vietnamese, 0.1% Japanese, 0.4% other Asian) 0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.7% were of two or more races, and 1.5% were of other races. 4.4% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 218,725 households, and 160,981 families residing in the county. There were 225,498 housing units at an average density of 371 /sqmi. 20.1% were of German, 19.1% Irish, 14.0% Italian, 7.5% English and 5.9% Polish ancestry.

There were 218,725 households, out of which 35.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.20% were married couples living together, 8.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.40% were non-families. 21.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.17.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.70% under the age of 18, 7.00% from 18 to 24, 30.70% from 25 to 44, 24.30% from 45 to 64, and 12.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 96.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $59,727, and the median income for a family was $68,727. Males had a median income of $46,587 versus $31,984 for females. The per capita income for the county was $27,430. About 3.10% of families and 4.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.80% of those under age 18 and 5.50% of those age 65 or over.

Population growth

Growth began in the early 1950s, when William Levitt chose Bucks County for his second "Levittown". Levitt bought hundreds of acres of woodlands and farmland, and constructed 17,000 homes and dozens of schools, parks, libraries, and shopping centers. By the time the project was completed, the population of Levittown had swelled to nearly 74,000 residents. At the time, only whites could buy homes. This rule however, was soon overturned. Other planned developments included Croydon and Fairless Hills. This rapid sprawl continued until the mid-1960s.

In the 1970s, the county experienced a second growth spurt as developers expanded in previously underdeveloped townships, including Middletown, Lower Makefield, Northampton, and Newtown townships. Tract housing, office complexes, shopping centers, and sprawling parking lots continued to move more and more towards Upper Bucks, swallowing horse farms, sprawling forests, and wetlands. Oxford Valley Mall was constructed in Middletown, and became a retail nucleus in the county.

In the late 20th century, growth somewhat stabilized as development was completed in the county's historically underdeveloped areas, leaving little new area to be further developed.

Bucks County areas along the Delaware River have surpluses of abandoned industry, so many municipalities have granted building rights to luxury housing developers. As the regions that began the suburban boom in Bucks County, such as Levittown, have aged, commercial strips and other neglected structures have been torn down and replaced with new shopping plazas and commercial chains. With rising property values, areas with older construction are undergoing a renaissance, and Central and Upper Bucks have continued to experience rapid growth, with many municipalities doubling their populations since the late 20th century.

Economy

The boroughs of Bristol and Morrisville were prominent industrial centers along the Northeast Corridor during World War II. Suburban development accelerated in Lower Bucks in the 1950s with the opening of Levittown, Pennsylvania, the second such "Levittown" designed by William Levitt.

Among Bucks' largest employers in the twentieth century were U.S. Steel in Falls Township, and the Vulcanized Rubber & Plastics and Robertson Tile companies in Morrisville. Rohm and Haas continues to operate several chemical plants around Bristol. Waste Management operates a landfill in Tullytown that is the largest receptacle of out-of-state waste in the USA (receiving much of New York City's waste following the closure of Fresh Kills landfill in Staten Island, New York 40 mi away).

Bucks is also experiencing rapid growth in biotechnology, along with neighboring Montgomery County. The Greater Philadelphia area consistently ranks in the top 10 geographic clusters for biotechnology and biopharma. It is projected by 2020 that one out of four people in Bucks County will work in biotechnology.

Notable businesses

• 21st Century Media
• Burpee Seeds and Plants
• Byers' Choice Ltd.
• Carson Helicopters
• Charming Shoppes
• eGames, Inc.
• EPAM Systems
• GE Betz
• Keystone Aircraft
• V. La Rosa and Sons Macaroni Company
• Lehigh Defense
• McCaffrey's Food Markets
• Moon Nurseries
• New Hope and Ivyland Railroad
• Questar Corporation
• Rita's Italian Ice
• West Coast Video
• Windowizards

Tourism

Another important asset of the county is tourism. The county's northern regions, colloquially referred to as Upper Bucks, are known for their natural scenery, farmland, colonial history, and proximity to major urban areas, including Philadelphia, New York City, Allentown, Reading, and Atlantic City, each of which is within a two-hour driving radius.

Bucks County is home to twelve covered bridges. Ten are still open to vehicular traffic; two others, located in parks, are open only to non-vehicular traffic. All Bucks County bridges use the Town truss design. Schofield Ford Bridge, in Tyler State Park, was reconstructed in 1997 from the ground up after arsonists destroyed the original in 1991.

Popular attractions in Bucks County include the shops and studios of New Hope, Peddler's Village (in Lahaska), Washington Crossing Historic Park, New Hope Railroad, Bucks County River Country and Bucks County Playhouse Theater (in New Hope). Rice's Market near Lahaska is a popular destination on Tuesday mornings. Quakertown Farmer's Market (locally called "Q-Mart") is a popular shopping destination on weekends. The county seat of Doylestown has the trifecta of concrete structures built by Henry Chapman Mercer, including the Moravian Pottery and Tile Works, the Mercer Museum and Fonthill, Mercer's personal home.

Southern Bucks, colloquially referred to as Lower Bucks, is home to two important shopping malls, Neshaminy Mall, Oxford Valley Mall, and Sesame Place, a family theme park based on the Sesame Street television series. Also within Lower Bucks County is Parx Casino and Racing in Bensalem, a casino and thoroughbred horse racing track. The casino was built on the grounds of what was originally Philadelphia Park Racetrack. The complex includes the thoroughbred horse racing track, expansive casino, a dance club, numerous dining options, and the Xcite Center.

Education

Colleges and universities

• Bucks County Community College
• Delaware Valley University in Doylestown
• Cairn University in Langhorne Manor
• Holy Family University in Newtown
• La Salle University in Newtown
• Strayer University in Trevose

Public school districts

K-12 school districts include:

• Bensalem Township School District
• Bristol Borough School District
• Bristol Township School District
• Centennial School District
• Central Bucks School District
• Council Rock School District
• Morrisville Borough School District
• Neshaminy School District
• New Hope-Solebury School District
• North Penn School District (also in Montgomery County)
• Palisades School District
• Pennridge School District
• Pennsbury School District
• Quakertown Community School District
• Souderton Area School District (also in Montgomery County)

The Bucks County public schools listed above are served by a regional educational service agency called the Bucks County Intermediate Unit #22 located in the county seat of Doylestown.

Previously, the Easton Area School District included Riegelsville in Bucks County. In 2012 the Pennsylvania Department of Education approved moving Riegelsville into the Palisades School District, and this was to be effective 2013.

Public charter schools

• Bucks County Montessori Charter School
• Center Student Learning Charter School
• School Lane Charter School

Private schools

• 27 Catholic grade schools under jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia
• Abrams Hebrew Academy (K–8)
• Archbishop Wood Catholic High School
• Calvary Christian School
• Conwell-Egan Catholic High School
• George School
• Holy Family Regional Catholic School
• Holy Ghost Preparatory School (9–12 for boys)
• Newtown Friends School (PreK-8)
• Plumstead Christian School
• Quakertown Christian School
• Solebury School
• St. Katherine Drexel
• St. Michael the Archangel
• The Pen Ryn School
• Trevose Day School
• United Friends School Quakertown
• Villa Joseph Marie High School (9–12 for girls)

Community, junior, and technical colleges

• Bucks County Community College
• Bucks County School of Beauty Culture
• Bucks County Technical High School
• Cairn University
• CHI Institute
• Delaware Valley University
• Holy Family University
• Middle Bucks Institute of Technology
• Pennco Tech

Libraries

The Bucks County Library System was founded in 1956 by a resolution of the Bucks County Commissioners.

The Bucks County Library System is made up of seven branch libraries:

• Bensalem
• Doylestown
• Langhorne
• Levittown
• Perkasie
• Quakertown
• Yardley-Makefield

There are also eleven independent public libraries:

• Fallsington Library
• Free Library of New Hope & Solebury
• Free Library of Northampton Township
• Margaret R. Grundy Memorial Library
• Morrisville Free Library
• Pipersville Free Library
• Riegelsville Public Library
• Southampton Free Library
• Township Library of Lower Southampton
• Village Library of Wrightstown
• Warminster Township Free Library

Arts and culture

Fine and performing arts

Many artists and writers based in New York City have called Bucks County home, settling mainly in the small stretch between Doylestown and New Hope and along the Delaware River.

The county boasts many local theater companies, including the long-established and recently reopened Bucks County Playhouse in New Hope, Town and Country Players in Buckingham, ActorsNET in Morrisville, and the Bristol Riverside Theatre, a professional Equity theater in Bristol. The Bucks County Symphony, founded in 1953, performs in Doylestown throughout the year and the Bucks County Gilbert & Sullivan Society, founded in 2009, performs a Gilbert & Sullivan operetta with full orchestra each June.

The Wild River Review, an online magazine that publishes in-depth reporting, works of literature, art, visual art, reviews, interviews, and columns by and about contemporary artists, photographers, and writers, is based out of Doylestown.

Film

• The 2002 film Signs was primarily filmed in Bucks County, with the scenes of the house and cornfield shot at Delaware Valley University in Doylestown. Other locations within Bucks County included Newtown for the bookstore and pizza shop scenes, and Morrisville for the pharmacy scene.
• The 2012 film Safe, starring Jason Statham, was filmed at the Parx Casino and Racing in Bensalem Township.
• The 2010 NBC pilot episode for Outlaw was filmed in the Andalusia section of Bensalem Township.

Media

Local print publications include Bucks County Courier Times, The Intelligencer, The Advance of Bucks County, Bucks County Herald, Bucks County Town and Country Living, Radius Magazine, Yardley Voice, Morrisville Times, Newtown Gazette, Northampton Herald, Langhorne Ledger, Lower Southampton Spirit, New Hope News, Doylestown Observer, Warwick Journal, Fairless Focus. Online news publications are Levittown Now, Bucks County Beacon, NewtownPANow, Bucks Happening, New Hope Free Press. WBCB is a local radio news station.

Sports

Rugby league

The Bucks County Sharks rugby league team played in the AMNRL from 1997 to 2010 season. They returned to play in the AMNRL in 2011, until the league's fold in 2014, when they subsequently joined the USARL.

Little League

The county has a considerable history of producing Little League baseball contenders. Since its inception in 1947, four of the seven Pennsylvania teams to compete in the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania have come from Bucks County: Morrisville (1955), Levittown American (1960 and 1961), and Council Rock-Newtown (2005). Two of these squads, Morrisville and Levittown (1960), went on to win the World Series title. In 2007, Council Rock Northampton won the PA State championship, and lost in the finals of regionals.

PIAA

The county is a part of PIAA's District I, and has seen many schools capture multiple state titles.

American Legion baseball

In 1996, Yardley Western Post 317 won the American Legion National Championship.

Bristol Legion Post 382 recently won the 2011 American Legion State Championship.

Horse racing

• Parx Casino and Racing, formerly Philadelphia Park Racetrack and Keystone Racetrack, was the former home of Triple Crown contender Smarty Jones, is in Bensalem.

Parks and recreation

Pennsylvania state parks

There are six Commonwealth-owned parks in Bucks County:

• Five are owned and operated by the Pennsylvania Bureau of State Parks, part of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR).
  • Delaware Canal State Park
  • Neshaminy State Park
  • Nockamixon State Park
  • Ralph Stover State Park
  • Tyler State Park
• Bucks County Parks and Recreation operates an 18-bed youth hostel in the Nockamixon State Park Weisel estate. The hostel is part of Hostelling International USA.
• Washington Crossing Historic Park, a 500 acre site operated by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, is part of Washington's Crossing, a U.S. National Historic Landmark area. The park is headquartered in the village of Washington Crossing located in Upper Makefield Township. It marks the location of George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River during the American Revolutionary War.

County parks

• Bucks County Horse Park
• Core Creek Park
• Dark Hollow Park
• Lake Towhee Park
• Peace Valley Park
• Playwicki Park
• Ringing Rocks Park
• Silver Lake Park
• Tinicum Park
• Tohickon Valley Park

Historic properties

• Stover-Myers Mill and Erwin Stover House
• Moland House an old stone farmhouse built around 1750 located in Warwick Township, served as the headquarters for General George Washington during the American Revolutionary War from August 10, 1777, until August 23, 1777.
• Summerseat, also known as the George Clymer House and Thomas Barclay House, is a historic house museum in Morrisville, built about 1765. It is the only house known to have been owned by two signers of the Declaration of Independence, George Clymer and Robert Morris, and as a headquarters of General George Washington from December 8 to 14, 1776, prior to Washington's attack in the Battle of Trenton.
• Pennsbury Manor house and grounds, the home of William Penn, founder and first Governor of Pennsylvania, administered by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission in association with the Pennsbury Society and are open to the public.
• African American Museum of Bucks County

County recreation sites

• Frosty Hollow Tennis Center
• Core Creek Tennis Center
• Oxford Valley Golf Course
• Oxford Valley Pool
• Tohickon Valley Pool
• Weisel Hostel
• Peace Valley Boat Rental
• Core Creek Boat Rental

County nature centers

• Bucks County Audubon Society's Honey Hollow Environmental Education Center
• Churchville Nature Center]
• Clark Nature Center
• Peace Valley Nature Center
• Silver Lake Nature Center

Transportation

Airports

Air transportation facilities available in or close to Bucks County include:

• Doylestown Airport
• Pennridge Airport
• Philadelphia International Airport
• Quakertown Airport
• Sterling Aviation Heliport in Croydon next to Neshaminy State Park
• Van Sant Airport and Park
• Trenton-Mercer Airport

Public transportation

• Amtrak's Northeast Corridor line, which runs in southern Bucks County. Its Keystone Service trains run daily, stopping at the Cornwells Heights station in Bensalem Township
• Bucks County Transport, a paratransit and ridesharing service
  • Doylestown Dart provides public transportation around the Doylestown area
• SEPTA
  • City Division and Suburban Division bus routes across southeastern Bucks County
• Regional Rail's Lansdale/Doylestown, Trenton, Warminster and West Trenton lines
• TMA Bucks's Rushbus, which runs in parts of southern and central Bucks County

Major roads and highways

Politics and government

Like most of the Philadelphia suburbs, Bucks County was once a stronghold for the Republican Party. However, in recent years it has become more of a swing county, like Pennsylvania at large.

In presidential elections, Bucks County has been caught up in the overall Democratic trend that has swept the Philadelphia area, although the trend in Bucks has been less pronounced than in Delaware and Montgomery counties. It went Democratic in every presidential election from 1992 to 2020, though by a margin of less than 5% in each except for 2008, with three of those eight elections decided by less than 2% (1992, 2012, and 2016). In 2024, Donald Trump flipped the county with a victory margin of 0.07% or 291 votes. Prior to this Republicans won the county all but thrice between 1896 and 1988 (except in 1912, 1936, and 1964). Unlike most other suburban Philadelphia counties, Bucks County consistently voted Democratic during the Civil War era, only voting Republican twice between 1856 and 1892, in 1860 and 1872.

The executive government is run by a three-seat board of commissioners, one member of which serves as chairperson. Commissioners are elected through at-large voting and serve four-year terms. In cases of vacancy, a panel of county judges appoints members to fill seats. The current commissioners are Diane M. Ellis-Marseglia (D) (chairwoman), Robert "Bob" J. Harvie Jr. (D) (Vice-chairman), and Gene DiGirolamo (R). The current terms expire in January 2028. In 2012, four county employees were sentenced for compensating public employees for political work on behalf of Republican candidates.

Bucks County is represented in U.S. Congress by , (map) formerly numbered as the 8th District. The district is represented by Brian Fitzpatrick (R), making this district one of 18 nationwide to be held by a Republican and won by Joe Biden in 2020.

In the 2016 elections, Democrats Hillary Clinton (President), Josh Shapiro (Attorney General), and Joe Torsella (State Treasurer) won Bucks County while Republicans Pat Toomey (U.S. Senate), Brian Fitzpatrick (U.S. Representative), and John Brown (Auditor General) won Bucks County in their respective races.

The 2024 elections were mired in controversy in Bucks County, culminating in widespread condemnation of Bucks County Commissioner Diane Ellis-Marseglia (D), who was filmed on video stating that the "rule of law doesn't matter anymore in this country" in the context of a decision made by the county's Board of Elections to violate the PA State Supreme Court's ruling regarding which provisional ballots can and cannot be counted.

In the early 2020s, school board elections in Bucks County became increasingly politicized amid ongoing culture-war debates over education policy. In recent elections, Democratic candidates made significant gains, reclaiming control of several school boards after sweeping Republican victories in 2021 that had led to controversial conservative policies.

Voter registration

As of October 31, 2025, there are 481,537 registered voters in Bucks County.

• Republican: 202,815 (42.15%)
• Democratic: 192,609 (40.00%)
• Independent: 67,093 (13.92%)
• Third Party: 19,020 (3.93%)

County Commissioners

• Robert J. Harvie Jr., Chair, Democratic
• Diane M. Ellis-Marseglia, Vice Chair, Democratic
• Gene DiGirolamo, Republican

County row officers

Law enforcement

The current Bucks County Sheriff is Frederick "Fred" A. Harran. Three members of the Sheriff's Office have died in the line of duty. One was shot and two others died in traffic accidents. The first, Sheriff Abram Kulp was murdered in February 1927.

State senate

State House of Representatives

United States House of Representatives

United States Senate

Communities

Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: cities, boroughs, townships, and, in at most two cases, towns. The most populous borough in the county is Morrisville with 10,023 as of the 2000 census. The following boroughs and townships are located in Bucks County:

Boroughs

• Bristol
• Chalfont
• Doylestown (county seat)
• Dublin
• Hulmeville
• Ivyland
• Langhorne
• Langhorne Manor
• Morrisville
• New Britain
• New Hope
• Newtown
• Penndel
• Perkasie
• Quakertown
• Richlandtown
• Riegelsville
• Sellersville
• Silverdale
• Telford (lies partly in Montgomery County)
• Trumbauersville
• Tullytown
• Yardley

Townships

• Bedminster
• Bensalem
• Bridgeton
• Bristol
• Buckingham
• Doylestown
• Durham
• East Rockhill
• Falls
• Haycock
• Hilltown
• Lower Makefield
• Lower Southampton
• Middletown
• Milford
• New Britain
• Newtown
• Nockamixon
• Northampton
• Plumstead
• Richland
• Solebury
• Springfield
• Tinicum
• Upper Makefield
• Upper Southampton
• Warminster
• Warrington
• Warwick
• West Rockhill
• Wrightstown

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.

• Brittany Farms-The Highlands
• Churchville
• Cornwells Heights
• Croydon
• Eddington
• Fairless Hills
• Feasterville
• Levittown
• Milford Square
• Newtown Grant
• Plumsteadville
• Richboro
• Spinnerstown
• Trevose
• Village Shires
• Warminster Heights
• Woodbourne
• Woodside

Unincorporated communities

• Almont
• Andalusia
• Applebachsville
• Aquetong
• Argus
• Bedminster
• Blooming Glen
• Brick Tavern
• Bryn Gweled
• Buckingham
• Bucksville
• California
• Carversville
• Center Bridge
• Danboro
• Dolington
• Durham
• Elephant
• Erwinna
• Eureka
• Fallsington
• Ferndale
• Finland
• Forest Grove
• Fountainville
• Furlong
• Gallows Hill
• Gardenville
• Geryville‡
• Hagersville
• Harriman
• Harrow
• Hartsville
• Highton
• Hillside Village
• Hilltop
• Hilltown
• Hinkletown
• Holicong
• Holland
• Hood
• Jamison
• Johnsville
• Kintnersville
• Kulps Corner
• Lahaska
• Line Lexington‡
• Lodi
• Loux Corner (Hilltown)
• Lumberville
• Maple Beach
• Mechanicsville
• Mount Pleasant
• Neshaminy Falls
• Newville
• Oakford
• Ottsville
• Oxford Valley
• Paletown
• Passer
• Penns Park
• Pineville
• Pipersville
• Pleasant Valley
• Point Pleasant
• Revere
• Rushland
• Shelly
• Solebury
• Southampton
• Springtown
• Strawntown
• Uhlerstown
• Unionville‡
• Upper Black Eddy
• Washington Crossing
• White Horse
• Wrightstown
• Wycombe
• Zionhill

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

Historic communities

• New Galena, located under modern Lake Galena
• Tohickon, located under modern Lake Nockamixon

Police agencies and services

Population ranking

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

† county seat

Climate

Piedmont Region

According to the Trewartha climate classification system, the Piedmont (United States) section of Bucks County, which is located roughly northwest of U.S. Route 1, has a Temperate Continental Climate with hot and slightly humid summers, cold winters and year-around precipitation (Dcao). Dcao climates are characterized by at least one month having an average mean temperature ≤ 32.0 °F, four to seven months with an average mean temperature ≥ 50.0 °F, at least one month with an average mean temperature ≥ 72.0 °F and no significant precipitation difference between seasons. According to the Köppen climate classification system, the climate is a hot-summer, wet all year, humid continental climate (Dfa). During the summer months in the Piedmont, episodes of extreme heat and humidity can occur with heat index values 102 °F. The average wettest month is July which corresponds with the annual peak in thunderstorm activity.

During the winter months, episodes of extreme cold and wind can occur with wind chill values

| Jan record high F = 69.9 | Feb record high F = 77.8 | Mar record high F = 86.8 | Apr record high F = 93.1 | May record high F = 93.9 | Jun record high F = 94.5 | Jul record high F = 101.4 | Aug record high F = 98.6 | Sep record high F = 96.3 | Oct record high F = 88.9 | Nov record high F = 79.6 | Dec record high F = 73.7 | year record high F = 101.4 | Jan record low F = -13.9 | Feb record low F = -6.5 | Mar record low F = 0.7 | Apr record low F = 15.9 | May record low F = 31.4 | Jun record low F = 39.4 | Jul record low F = 45.4 | Aug record low F = 40.2 | Sep record low F = 33.8 | Oct record low F = 22.7 | Nov record low F = 9.8 | Dec record low F = -3.5 | year record low F = -13.9 | Jan dew point F = 19.4 | Feb dew point F = 20.8 | Mar dew point F = 26.3 | Apr dew point F = 36.1 | May dew point F = 47.5 | Jun dew point F = 58.4 | Jul dew point F = 62.4 | Aug dew point F = 62.1 | Sep dew point F = 55.6 | Oct dew point F = 44.4 | Nov dew point F = 34.4 | Dec dew point F = 24.5 | year dew point F = 41.1

Atlantic Coastal Plain Region

According to the Trewartha climate classification system, the Atlantic coastal plain section of Bucks County, which is located roughly southeast of U.S. Route 1 has a Temperate Oceanic Climate with hot and slightly humid summers, cool winters and year-around precipitation (Doak). Doak climates are characterized by all months having an average mean temperature 32.0 °F, four to seven months with an average mean temperature ≥ 50.0 °F, at least one month with an average mean temperature ≥ 72.0 °F and no significant precipitation difference between seasons. According to the Köppen climate classification, this region has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa). During the summer months in the Atlantic Coastal Plain, episodes of extreme heat and humidity can occur with heat index values 110 °F. The average wettest month is July which corresponds with the annual peak in thunderstorm activity. During the winter months, episodes of extreme cold and wind can occur with wind chill values

| Jan record high F = 72.5 | Feb record high F = 78.7 | Mar record high F = 87.7 | Apr record high F = 94.1 | May record high F = 96.1 | Jun record high F = 97.5 | Jul record high F = 103.5 | Aug record high F = 101.3 | Sep record high F = 99.1 | Oct record high F = 89.6 | Nov record high F = 81.8 | Dec record high F = 76.6 | year record high F = 103.5 | Jan record low F = -7.4 | Feb record low F = -0.6 | Mar record low F = 5.7 | Apr record low F = 19.5 | May record low F = 35.2 | Jun record low F = 44.4 | Jul record low F = 51.0 | Aug record low F = 45.4 | Sep record low F = 38.8 | Oct record low F = 27.6 | Nov record low F = 15.0 | Dec record low F = 1.6 | year record low F = -7.4 | Jan dew point F = 22.6 | Feb dew point F = 23.8 | Mar dew point F = 28.7 | Apr dew point F = 38.7 | May dew point F = 49.5 | Jun dew point F = 59.4 | Jul dew point F = 64.3 | Aug dew point F = 63.9 | Sep dew point F = 57.4 | Oct dew point F = 46.4 | Nov dew point F = 36.6 | Dec dew point F = 27.6 | year dew point F = 43.3

Ecology

According to the A. W. Kuchler U.S. potential natural vegetation types, Bucks County, Pennsylvania would have a dominant vegetation type of Appalachian Oak (104) with a dominant vegetation form of Eastern Hardwood Forest (25).

Notable people

• Charles Albright, (1830–1880), United States Congressman; born in Bucks County
• Christy Altomare (1986–), Actress and singer-songwriter, originated the role Anya in the musical Anastasia
• Jacob Jennings Brown (1775–1828), Commanding General of the United States Army
• Ulric Dahlgren (1842–1864), Union Army Colonel, unsuccessful raid on Richmond, Virginia started the Dahlgren Affair
• Charles Ellet, Jr. (1810–1862), Civil Engineer and Union Army officer
• Samuel Hartsel (1834–1918), Colorado ranching pioneer
• Michael Hurley (1941–2025), singer and guitarist
• Samuel D. Ingham (1779-1860), U.S. Representative and U.S. Treasury Secretary in the Andrew Jackson administration
• Saige Martin, former member of the Raleigh City Council
• Rembrandt Peale (1778–1860), portrait painter and museum keeper
• Allen Rosenberg (1931–2013), rower and rowing coach
• Andrew Jackson Smith (1815–1897), Union army general
• Arthur Donaldson Smith (1866–1939), explorer of East Africa
• Ezra Stone (1917–1994), actor and director

Official seal

The traditional seal of Bucks County, Pennsylvania takes its design from the inspiration of the county's founder, William Penn. The center of the seal consists of a shield from the Penn family crest with a tree above and a flowering vine surrounding it in symmetric flanks. The seal has a gold-colored background and a green band denoting Penn as the county's first proprietor and governor.

In 1683, Penn's council decreed that a tree and vine be incorporated into the emblem to signify the county's abundance of woods. The seal was used in its official capacity until the Revolutionary War. The county government has since used the official Pennsylvania state seal for official documents. Today, the Bucks County seal's use is largely ceremonial. It appears on county stationery and vehicles as a symbol of the county's heritage. The gold emblem is also the centerpiece of the official Bucks County flag, which has a blue background and gold trim.

References

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