Mifflin County Cooperative Extension

*Penn State Cooperative Extension*
*County Facts*	CountyStatistics

Welcome to Mifflin County

Some facts about us:
Mifflin County lies in the heart of Pennsylvania's Ridge and Valley area. About 20,000 of the county's 47,000 residents live in Lewistown, the county seat. The area is rich in history. The early settlements were along the Juniata River, which bisects the county. River, canal, rail, and road transportation allowed early access to the area.

A strong Native American influence is reflected in many of the names used today; Names like Chief Logan, Kishacoquillas, Indian Valley, Ohesson, and others still remind us of the earliest inhabitants of the county.

Steel manufacturing was important to, not only the early economy of the area but continues in importance today with one of the major employers being Standard Steel.

5,600 jobs are in manufacturing, 3,200 in retail trade, 3,423 in services industries, and 1,882 in health services.

Like the Steel industry, agriculture had a major role in the development of the county, and today remains the county's largest industry. Early Amish and Mennonite settlers recognized the potential of the broad fertile valleys and their ancestors continue the rich agricultural tradition today. The area still has a significant Amish population. The county's 685 farms generate income in excess of 54 million dollars annually. Dairy and crop production are the primary agricultural enterprises.

Cooperative Extension has provided assistance for Mifflin County residents for nearly 80 years. Pennsylvania's first county agent, "Micky" Mcdowell, was the first to provide educational programs for residents of any Pennsylvania county, and that strong tradition began right here in Mifflin County.

Mifflin County is also the premier county to build on the rich Cooperative Extension tradition and offer other Penn State Outreach Opportunities. A new concept in education from the Land Grant University is available to the residents of the Juniata Valley. All the outreach resources of Penn State are available through a single facility located in downtown Lewistown. Cooperative Extension, Distance and Continuing Education, Penn TAP, Technology Transfer, and Public Broadcasting, can all be accessed through the Mifflin County facility, located at 152 East Market Street, Lewistown.

To learn more about the area, and discover the many educational opportunities available through Penn State Outreach and Cooperative Extension, call write, or e-mail any of our staff today!

Be sure to check out the variety of educational programs offered by our staff.

County Statistics

Need some stats for your county? Check out these resources.

US Census Bureau
United States Department of Commerce

To find timely, relevant, and quality data about the people and economy of the United States, click here:
http://www.census.gov/

USDA Home Page:
http://www.usda.gov/

Central for Rural Pennsylvania -- http://www.ruralpa.org/

The Center for Rural Pennsylvania is a bipartisan, bicameral legislative agency that serves as a resource for rural policy within the Pennsylvania General Assembly. The Center works with executive agencies and federal, regional and community organizations to maximize resources and strategies that can better serve the needs of Pennsylvania's 3.7 million rural residents.