Pennsylvania

Cumberland

259,469
2020 population
1790
first census record
24
census records

About Cumberland

Cumberland, Pennsylvania, first appears in the United States federal census in 1790, when it recorded a population of 18,243. At the most recent census, in 2020, its population stood at 259,469.

The county's recorded population has risen across the decades to its highest level in 2020.

On the ground today, 13 documented military engagements have been recorded within the county, among them Raid on Harris's Ferry (1755), Buckshot War (Harrisburg), Sporting Hill Skirmish, and 36 places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Population by decade

Census YearPopulationChart
2020259,469
2010235,406
2000213,674
1990195,257
1980178,541
1970158,177
1960124,816
195094,457
194074,806
193068,236
192058,578
191054,479
190050,344
189047,271
188045,977
187043,912
186040,098
185034,327
184030,953
183029,226
182023,606
181026,757
180025,386
179018,243
Source

Population data from the United States decennial census, U.S. Census Bureau (public domain).

Battles & engagements in Cumberland

Military engagements that took place in Cumberland, Pennsylvania.

Raid on Harris's Ferry (1755)
1755
Buckshot War (Harrisburg)
1838
Sporting Hill Skirmish
1863
Battle of Sporting Hill
1863
Battle of Carlisle
1863
Gettysburg Campaign — Shippensburg Occupation (June 1863)
1863
Harrisburg / Cumberland Valley Railroad Threat 1863
1863
Battle of Carlisle PA June 1863
1863
Oyster Point Skirmish
1863
Carlisle Bombardment
1863
Harrisburg Approaches Skirmish (Camp Hill)
1863
Battle of Sporting Hill / Mechanicsburg PA June 1863
1863
Carlisle PA — Confederate Occupation June 1863
1863

Historic places in Cumberland

National Register of Historic Places listings in Cumberland, Pennsylvania.

Boiling Springs Historic District
Boiling Springs
Peace Church
Camp Hill
Dykeman's Spring
Shippenburg
Cumberland Valley Railroad Station and Station Master's House
Mechanicsburg
Carlisle Armory
Carlisle
Union Hotel
Shepherdstown
Blythe, Benjamin, Homestead
Shippensburg
Gilbert Bridge
Grantham
Irving Female College
Mechanicsburg
Carlisle Indian School
Carlisle
Widow Piper's Tavern
Shippensburg
Given, James, Tavern
Carlisle
Carlisle Historic District
Carlisle
Mechanicsburg Commercial Historic District
Mechanicsburg
Williams, John, House
Williams Grove
Cumberland Valley State Normal School Historic District
Shippensburg
Pine Grove Furnace
Dickinson
Shippensburg Historic District
Shippensburg
Etters Bridge
Lower Allen Township
Eberly, Johannes, House
Mechanicsburg
Hessian Powder Magazine
Carlisle
Wormley, John, House
Wormleysburg
Simpson Street School
Mechanicsburg
Market Street Bridge
Harrisburg
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Other counties in Pennsylvania

Explore census history and historic records for more Pennsylvania counties.

CentreChesterClarionClearfieldClintonColumbiaCrawfordDauphinDelawareElkErieFayetteForestFranklinFultonGreeneHuntingdonIndianaJeffersonJuniata
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Everything a full report reveals about Cumberland County, Pennsylvania

This page charts the census history of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. A full Aubrey report for an address here pulls together everything the historical record holds about the ground, from the earliest settlement to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Frequently asked about Cumberland

When does Cumberland first appear in the US census?
Cumberland, Pennsylvania first appears in the federal census in 1790, with a recorded population of 18,243.
What is the population of Cumberland?
At the most recent federal census (2020), Cumberland had a recorded population of 259,469.
Were any battles fought in Cumberland?
13 documented military engagements took place in Cumberland, including Raid on Harris's Ferry (1755), Buckshot War (Harrisburg), Sporting Hill Skirmish.
How many historic places are in Cumberland?
36 sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Cumberland, Pennsylvania.
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