Greene County, Pennsylvania

History

A significant Native American village, now known as The Fisher Site, was once located in what is now Richhill Township.

One researcher claims that the first white (non-Native Americans) settlers in what later became Greene County were a Dr. Thomas Eckerlin and his two brothers, who lived at the mouth of Dunkard Creek beginning in 1745. Other early pioneers in the mid-1750s include the Provins and Cox families; they lived along Whiteley Creek and at Ten Mile on Castile Run respectively. John Armstrong settled on Muddy Creek and claimed to have the first white child born west of the Monongahela River.

Writing in 1875-1876, another researcher stated that early settlers were largely of Scots, Irish and German origin; that the county was the site of much conflict between early settlers and Native Americans; and that the Great Catawba Indian War Path crossed the Dunkard valley and ran south to Monongalia County, West Virginia.

What is now Greene County was originally claimed by Virginia. Later it was part of Washington County, Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania State Legislature created Greene County on February 9, 1796. The capital, Waynesburg, was named after Anthony Wayne, a general in the American Revolutionary War and Native American conflicts.

Garards Fort, an unincorporated commumity southeast of Waynesburg, is known for the Revolutionary era Corbly family massacre.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 578 sqmi, of which 576 sqmi is land. 2.0 sqmi (0.4%) is water.

Climate

The county has a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfa/Dfb) and average monthly temperatures in Waynesburg range from 28.9 °F in January to 71.9 °F in July. Greene County is one of the 423 counties served by the Appalachian Regional Commission, 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. It is also located within the Laurel Highlands subrange, which consists of low plateaus and river valleys.

Minerals

Bituminous coal underlies much of the county and has been mined extensively (see "Economy"). Shale, sandstone and limestone are also present.

Rivers, Streams and Watersheds

Coal Lick Run was the site of early settlers' homes. Ruff Creek is said to be named for a Native American who lived nearby in pioneer days. Others include Tenmmile Creek, Dunkard Creek, and South Fork Tenmile Creek.

State Park

Ryerson Station State Park is on Duke Lake in Richhill township.

Adjacent counties

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

Demographics

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2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 35,954. The median age was 43.7 years, 18.6% of residents were under the age of 18, and 20.2% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 109.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 109.6 males age 18 and over.

Racial and ethnic composition is detailed in the table below.

24.3% of residents lived in urban areas, while 75.7% lived in rural areas.

There were 14,058 households in the county, of which 26.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 48.0% were married-couple households, 19.6% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 24.9% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 16,138 housing units, of which 12.9% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 73.4% were owner-occupied and 26.6% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.9% and the rental vacancy rate was 9.1%.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 38,686 people, 14,724 households, and 9,970 families residing in the county. The population density was 67 /mi2. There were 16,678 housing units at an average density of 29 /mi2. 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.

The county population distribution by age was 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.

Government and politics

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 environmental safety and firearms, the county was a landslide for the Republican Party in 2024 for Donald Trump who won the county with 71.5% of the vote. |}

Voter registration

As of February 8, 2025, there are 21,629 registered voters in the county. There are 11,762 registered Republicans, 7,727 registered Democrats, 1,542 voters registered non-affiliated voters, and 598 voters registered to other parties.

Commissioners

Greene County is administered by a three-person board of commissioners, who serve four-year terms. Elections occur in the odd-numbered years that precede U.S. presidential elections, with the most recent election falling in 2023. All three commissioners are chosen in the same election, and voters may vote for no more than two of the candidates. The commissioners are responsible for the management of the fiscal and administrative functions of the county.

Elected county officials

As of the 2021 and 2023 General Elections.

Pennsylvania House of Representatives

Greene County consists of one Pennsylvania House District. The 50th district covers all of Greene County and parts of Washington County to the north.

Pennsylvania Senate

Greene County is entirely contained within the 46th Senatorial District, which also includes parts of Beaver County and all of Washington County.

United States House of Representatives

Greene County is part of the 14th Congressional District.

United States Senate

Economy

Coal and natural gas have a long history in Greene County. A 19th century history lists numerous prominent citizens involved in the coal industry. Some 200 deaths were caused by the Mather Mine disaster of 1928. The Shannopin coal mine extracted coal from the Pittsburgh Seam from 1926 until it closed in 1993. Hatfield's Ferry, a coal-burning power plant near Monongahela Township, was a significant source of employment for local residents for over 40 years. It was shut down in 2013 and dismantled in 2023.

Natural gas extraction, including fracking the Marcellus Shale formation, is prevalent in the county. While it has brought new jobs to the area, opponents claim the process contaminates drinking water. A U.S. Geological Survey report notes that it creates "potentially serious landscape disturbances."

Greene County is home to Hill Top Energy Center, a modern 665-megawatt natural gas-fired power plant built on the site of a former coal mine. Blackstone Energy Transition Partners acquired the plant in 2025. In August 2025 International Electric Power announced plans to build a 944-megawatt natural gas-fired power plant in Greene County to power a proposed data center. State and federal approvals for the new power plant will be required.

State Correctional Institution – Greene (SCI Greene), located in Waynesburg, provides jobs for about 670 people.

Greene County's development commission has assisted area businesses since 1998. Meadow Ridge Business Park has served the county since the early 2000s.

Education

Colleges and universities

• Waynesburg University

Public school districts

Greene County is divided into five public school districts. There are 15 public schools that serve Greene County, Pennsylvania.

• 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 and Technology Center
• East Franklin School - Waynesburg

Private schools

• Open Door Christian School in Waynesburg (grades K-12)
• Greene Valley Christian Academy in Rices Landing (grades K-8)

Libraries

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

Transportation

Interstate Highways

State Highways

Airport

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.

Communities

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:

Boroughs

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

Townships

• Aleppo
• Center
• Cumberland
• Dunkard
• Franklin
• Freeport
• Gilmore
• Gray
• Greene
• Jackson
• Jefferson
• Monongahela
• Morgan
• Morris
• Perry
• Richhill
• Springhill
• Washington
• Wayne
• Whiteley

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.

• Bobtown
• Brave
• Crucible
• Dry Tavern
• Fairdale
• Mapletown
• Mather
• Morrisville
• Mount Morris
• Nemacolin
• New Freeport
• Rogersville
• West Waynesburg
• Wind Ridge

Population ranking

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

† county seat

Photo gallery

Click photo to enlarge File:Veterans memorial, Morris Township, Greene County,Pennsylvania.jpg|Veterans memorial, Morris Township File:Aleppo, Greene Co., PA (2), Aug. 2024.jpg|Village of Aleppo File:Tipple of mine. Buckeye Coal Company, Nemacolin Mine, Nemacolin, Greene County, Pennsylvania. - DPLA - 025866212f45640f1bcd3aebac806637 (page 4).tiff|Nemacolin Coal Mine, 1930 File:State Correctional Institution – Greene (4).jpg|State Correctional Institution, Waynesburg

References

References

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54. {{FAA-airport
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