Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Statistic: Population, Charts, Map, Steets and More

Do you want to know how many people live in Harrisburg City? This information is helpful for determining whether Harrisburg is a good fit for you. This data is based on the 2019 American Community Survey, which updates the numbers annually. You should not rely on this data as it may not be up-to-date or completely accurate. To see more details, see the Harrisburg demographics table below.

Native Americans first inhabited the area around 3000 BC. In the early days, it served as a trading post and a resting place. Europeans eventually reached the area, and in the early 1800s it was incorporated. In 1719, a man named John Harris, Sr., acquired 800 acres of land in Harrisburg. In the eighteenth century, his son drew up plans for a town and incorporated the area in 1791. This town was designated the state capital in 1812.

Since the 1970s, Harrisburg has had a strong mayor form of municipal government. The Mayor is elected to a four-year term and serves no more than two terms. However, this form of government has been controversial and has created some divisions within the city. In fact, in the 1980s, Harrisburg became the largest city in the United States. However, this has not hampered the city's growth.

The city has over a dozen large bridges. While many of these span the Susquehanna River, there are also several bridges crossing the Paxton Creek watershed and Cameron Street. The State Street Bridge, also known as the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Bridge, connects downtown Harrisburg with City Island. However, this bridge has missing spans as a result of massive flooding in 1996.