Susquehanna County is a county in Pennsylvania, United States, in the northeastern corner of the state along the New York border. It had a population of 38,434 at the 2020 census and covers 832 square miles (2,150 km2) of land and water, centred near 41°49′N 75°48′W.
Montrose is the county seat, and its postal code is 18801. The county has 13 boroughs, 27 townships, and dozens of unincorporated hamlets and lake communities. It runs on Eastern Time and was formed in 1810.
Towns & Villages in Susquehanna County
Susquehanna County’s 13 boroughs anchor its townships, alongside a long list of crossroads hamlets and lake communities carried over from local usage. CDP = census-designated place; Unincorp. = unincorporated community or hamlet with no municipal government of its own.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montrose | Town · seat | Bridgewater Twp. | 1,571 | 18801 |
| Forest City | Town | Clifford Twp. area | 1,748 | 18421 |
| Great Bend | Town | Great Bend Twp. | 713 | — |
| Hallstead | Town | Great Bend Twp. | 1,183 | 18822 |
| New Milford | Town | New Milford Twp. | 828 | 18834 |
| Susquehanna Depot | Town | Oakland Twp. area | 1,545 | 18847 |
| Thompson | Town | Thompson Twp. | 361 | — |
| Lanesboro | Town | Oakland Twp. area | 525 | — |
| Oakland | Town | Oakland Twp. | 135 | — |
| Union Dale | Town | Herrick Twp. area | 287 | 18470 |
| Little Meadows | Town | Apolacon Twp. area | 158 | — |
| Hop Bottom | Town | Brooklyn Twp. area | 270 | — |
| Friendsville | Town | Choconut Twp. area | 63 | — |
| Alford | Unincorp. | Bridgewater Twp. | — | — |
| Ararat | Unincorp. | Ararat Twp. | — | 18706 |
| East Ararat | Unincorp. | Ararat Twp. | — | — |
| Auburn Center | Unincorp. | Auburn Twp. | — | — |
| Auburn Four Corners | Unincorp. | Auburn Twp. | — | — |
| South Auburn | Unincorp. | Auburn Twp. | — | — |
| West Auburn | Unincorp. | Auburn Twp. | — | — |
| Birchardville | Unincorp. | Apolacon Twp. | — | — |
| Birchtown | Unincorp. | Herrick Twp. | — | — |
| Brackney | Unincorp. | Silver Lake Twp. | — | 18812 |
| Brandt | Unincorp. | Harmony Twp. | — | — |
| Brookdale | Unincorp. | Auburn Twp. | — | — |
| Brooklyn | Unincorp. | Brooklyn Twp. | — | 18813 |
| Brushville | Unincorp. | Herrick Twp. | — | — |
| Burnwood | Unincorp. | Harford Twp. | — | — |
| Choconut | Unincorp. | Choconut Twp. | — | — |
| Clifford | Unincorp. | Clifford Twp. | — | 18413 |
| West Clifford | Unincorp. | Clifford Twp. | — | — |
| Deckertown | Unincorp. | Harford Twp. | — | — |
| Dimock | Unincorp. | Dimock Twp. | — | 18816 |
| Dundaff | Unincorp. | Clifford Twp. | — | — |
| East Lenox | Unincorp. | Lenox Twp. | — | — |
| East Lynn | Unincorp. | Franklin Twp. | — | — |
| East Rush | Unincorp. | Rush Twp. | — | — |
| Elk Lake | Unincorp. | Dimock Twp. | — | — |
| Elkdale | Unincorp. | Clifford Twp. | — | — |
| Fairdale | Unincorp. | Harford Twp. | — | — |
| Fisk Mill | Unincorp. | Harford Twp. | — | — |
| Forest Lake | Unincorp. | Forest Lake Twp. | — | — |
| Franklin Forks | Unincorp. | Franklin Twp. | — | 18839 |
| Gelatt | Unincorp. | Herrick Twp. | — | — |
| Gibson | Unincorp. | Gibson Twp. | — | 18820 |
| South Gibson | Unincorp. | Gibson Twp. | — | — |
| Glenwood | Unincorp. | Lenox Twp. | — | — |
| Harford | Unincorp. | Harford Twp. | — | 18823 |
| Heart Lake | Unincorp. | Jessup Twp. | — | — |
| Herrick Center | Unincorp. | Herrick Twp. | — | 18430 |
| Herrick Corner | Unincorp. | Herrick Twp. | — | — |
| Hickory Grove | Unincorp. | Jackson Twp. | — | — |
| Hillsdale | Unincorp. | Herrick Twp. | — | — |
| Island Plain | Unincorp. | Harmony Twp. | — | — |
| Jackson | Unincorp. | Jackson Twp. | — | 18825 |
| North Jackson | Unincorp. | Jackson Twp. | — | — |
| Jefferson Junction | Unincorp. | Middletown Twp. | — | — |
| Kingsley | Unincorp. | Harford Twp. | — | 18826 |
| Lakeside | Unincorp. | Auburn Twp. | — | — |
| Lakeview | Unincorp. | Auburn Twp. | — | — |
| Laurel Lake | Unincorp. | Herrick Twp. | — | — |
| Lawsville Center | Unincorp. | Silver Lake Twp. | — | — |
| Lawton | Unincorp. | Liberty Twp. | — | — |
| Lenox | Unincorp. | Lenox Twp. | — | — |
| West Lenox | Unincorp. | Lenox Twp. | — | — |
| Lenoxville | Unincorp. | Lenox Twp. | — | — |
| Lewis Corners | Unincorp. | Middletown Twp. | — | — |
| Lindaville | Unincorp. | Silver Lake Twp. | — | — |
| Louden Hill | Unincorp. | Middletown Twp. | — | — |
| Lymanville | Unincorp. | Lathrop Twp. | — | — |
| Lynn | Unincorp. | Springville Twp. | — | — |
| Melrose | Unincorp. | Lathrop Twp. | — | — |
| Middletown Center | Unincorp. | Middletown Twp. | — | — |
| Nixon | Unincorp. | Lathrop Twp. | — | — |
| Oakley | Unincorp. | Bridgewater Twp. | — | — |
| Parks Crossroad | Unincorp. | Auburn Twp. | — | — |
| Parkvale | Unincorp. | Middletown Twp. | — | — |
| Pine Grove | Unincorp. | Middletown Twp. | — | — |
| Retta | Unincorp. | Auburn Twp. | — | — |
| Royal | Unincorp. | Middletown Twp. | — | — |
| Rush | Unincorp. | Rush Twp. | — | 18847 |
| Rushboro | Unincorp. | Rush Twp. | — | — |
| Rushville | Unincorp. | Rush Twp. | — | — |
| Saint Joseph | Unincorp. | Choconut Twp. | — | — |
| Smiley | Unincorp. | Herrick Twp. | — | — |
| Snows Mill | Unincorp. | Herrick Twp. | — | — |
| South Montrose | Unincorp. | Bridgewater Twp. | — | 18843 |
| Springville | Unincorp. | Springville Twp. | — | 18844 |
| Stanfordville | Unincorp. | Choconut Twp. | — | — |
| Stevens Point | Unincorp. | Great Bend Twp. | — | — |
| Tiffany | Unincorp. | Herrick Twp. | — | — |
| Tingley | Unincorp. | Lenox Twp. | — | — |
| Tirzah | Unincorp. | Middletown Twp. | — | — |
| Tyler | Unincorp. | Franklin Twp. | — | — |
| Union Hill | Unincorp. | Auburn Twp. | — | — |
| Upsonville | Unincorp. | Middletown Twp. | — | — |
| Williams Corner | Unincorp. | Middletown Twp. | — | — |
| Woodburn | Unincorp. | Herrick Twp. | — | — |
| Woodhouse | Unincorp. | Silver Lake Twp. | — | — |
The old borough of “Susquehanna Depot” is commonly called simply Susquehanna; both names refer to the same municipality on the Susquehanna River, so it appears once here. Population figures above are 2020 census counts for boroughs; the county’s many unincorporated hamlets are not separately counted by the Census Bureau, so their populations show as —.
Townships
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Bridgewater | — | Montrose (borough), South Montrose, Alford |
| Auburn | — | Auburn Center, South Auburn, West Auburn |
| Clifford | — | Clifford, West Clifford, Dundaff, Elkdale |
| Herrick | — | Herrick Center, Herrick Corner, Union Dale (borough) |
| Middletown | — | Middletown Center, Pine Grove, Parkvale |
| Great Bend | — | Great Bend and Hallstead (boroughs), Stevens Point |
| Silver Lake | — | Brackney, Silver Lake, Lawsville Center |
| Harford | — | Harford, Kingsley, Fairdale |
| Lenox | — | Lenox, Lenoxville, East Lenox, West Lenox |
| Jackson | — | Jackson, North Jackson, Hickory Grove |
| Dimock | — | Dimock, Elk Lake |
| Rush | — | Rush, East Rush, Rushville, Rushboro |
| Gibson | — | Gibson, South Gibson |
| Ararat | — | Ararat, East Ararat |
| Franklin | — | Franklin Forks, Tyler, East Lynn |
| Choconut | — | Choconut, Friendsville (borough), Stanfordville |
| Apolacon | — | Birchardville, Little Meadows (borough) |
| Brooklyn | — | Brooklyn, Hop Bottom (borough) |
| Harmony | — | Brandt, Island Plain |
| Forest Lake | — | Forest Lake |
| Lathrop | — | Lymanville, Melrose, Nixon |
| Liberty | — | Lawton |
| Jessup | — | Heart Lake |
| Springville | — | Springville, Lynn |
| New Milford | — | New Milford (borough) |
| Oakland | — | Oakland and Lanesboro (boroughs), Susquehanna Depot |
| Thompson | — | Thompson (borough) |
The Census Bureau does not publish population separately for most Pennsylvania townships outside decennial place-level tables, so township totals show as — here; borough populations are listed in the table above.
ZIP Codes
- 18801 — Montrose (also serves Bridgewater and Oakley)
- 18847 — Susquehanna (also serves Oakland, Lanesboro, and Rush)
- 18421 — Forest City
- 18834 — New Milford
- 18822 — Hallstead
- 18812 — Brackney
- 18813 — Brooklyn
- 18816 — Dimock
- 18820 — Gibson
- 18823 — Harford
- 18825 — Jackson
- 18826 — Kingsley
- 18839 — Franklin Forks
- 18843 — South Montrose
- 18844 — Springville
- 18413 — Clifford
- 18430 — Herrick Center
- 18470 — Union Dale
- 18706 — Ararat
Smaller hamlets such as Auburn Center, Lenoxville, and Stanfordville share a ZIP with their nearest post office town rather than carrying their own.
Geography
Susquehanna County sits in the Endless Mountains region of the northern Allegheny Plateau, a landscape of rolling ridges, glacial lakes, and forested hills drained by the Susquehanna River and its tributaries. The river cuts through the county’s northeast corner near the borough of Susquehanna before continuing into New York. The county is bordered by Broome County, New York to the north, Tioga County, New York to the northwest, Bradford County to the west, Wyoming County to the southwest, Lackawanna County to the south, and Wayne County to the east.
Demographics
Susquehanna County had 38,434 residents at the 2020 census, spread across a mostly rural landscape at a density of about 47 people per square mile. Montrose and Susquehanna are the county’s two largest communities. Median household income runs below the Pennsylvania median of $73,824, reflecting the county’s rural, small-town economy.
Economy & Local Life
Natural gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale, active in the county since 2008, has been a major economic driver alongside agriculture, dairy farming, and forestry. The Montrose Area School District and Barnes-Kasson County Hospital in Susquehanna are among the county’s largest employers. Tourism tied to the county’s lakes — including Elk Lake, Forest Lake, and Heart Lake — supports summer cottage and camp traffic.
History
Susquehanna County was formed on February 21, 1810, from part of Luzerne County and formally organized in 1812. It takes its name from the Susquehanna River. Coal mining and railroading, centered on the Erie Railroad shops in Susquehanna borough, dominated the county’s economy after the Civil War; the county’s population peaked near 50,000 before the Great Depression brought decades of decline. Regular passenger rail service through the county ended in January 1970.
Getting There
Interstate 81 crosses the southeastern part of the county, with US Route 11 and a dense network of state routes (29, 92, 106, 167, 171, 247, 267, 367, 370, 371, 374, 407, 492, 547, 706, 848, and 858) connecting its boroughs and townships.
- Scranton — 30 miles south
- Binghamton, New York — 20 miles north
- Wilkes-Barre — 45 miles south
- New York City — 145 miles southeast
The nearest commercial airport is Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport; there is no Amtrak service in the county.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Susquehanna County?
It is in northeastern Pennsylvania, on the New York border, part of the Endless Mountains region.
What is the population of Susquehanna County?
38,434 people at the 2020 census.
How big is Susquehanna County?
832 square miles (2,150 km2), of which 823 square miles is land.
What is the county seat of Susquehanna County?
Montrose is the county seat.
How many towns are in Susquehanna County?
13 boroughs and 27 townships, plus dozens of unincorporated hamlets.
What ZIP codes are in Susquehanna County?
Major ZIPs include 18801 (Montrose), 18847 (Susquehanna), 18421 (Forest City), 18834 (New Milford), and 18822 (Hallstead).
Why did Susquehanna County’s coal and rail economy decline?
Regular passenger rail through the county ended in 1970, and the coal and rail jobs that had sustained the county since the Civil War faded through the mid-20th century, driving population well below its pre-Depression peak of nearly 50,000.