CARLISLE, Pa. (WHTM) — Did you know that the fastest-growing county in Pennsylvania is right here in the Midstate?
According to the U.S. Census Bureaus’s recently released 2022 population estimates, and a report published by the Pennsylvania State Data Center, Cumberland County has grown by 3.5% from 2020 to 2022.
This has increased the county’s population by more than 9,115 people over the last two years. The population of the county is currently estimated at 268,579, which is according to the latest census data.
“Cumberland County continues to be one of the best counties to live and work,” said Kirk Stoner, Director of Planning. “We have strong economic growth, a great balance between this growth and the preservation of prime farmland and other natural resources. Contemporary land-use planning techniques like mixed-uses or higher-density developments all make sense, and all give us a better capacity for growth while protecting the quality of life that we currently have.”
Some of the features that officials say make Cumberland County a “hub of growth” include:
- A 3.3% unemployment rate
- One of the lowest county taxes of any county in the south-central region
- The seventh-highest median household income in the state
- Over 200 miles of trails, including the Appalachian Trail and Cumberland Valley Rail Trail
- Approximately 54,000 acres of parks and natural areas, including world-class fly-fishing
- More than 22,500 acres of preserved farmland
