Northumberland

Two branches of the Susquehanna River flow together at Northumberland providing a picturesque setting. Steeped in history, Northumberland has homes dating to the early 1700's. Once a hub of the busy barge canals, later replaced by the growing railroad industry, Northumberland played an integral part in the growth of the area. Located at the intersection of Route 147 and U S Route 11, this area is easily accessed from points north and south.

Located in an area referred to as the Central Susquehanna Valley, this region includes the five counties of Northumberland, Snyder, Union, Montour and Columbia. A large percentage of the land area is agricultural and woodland. The communities are smaller than average with populations of 100-10,000, with residents traveling 5-25 miles to employment. Although a rural area, there are small industrial parks scattered throughout the counties with major industries being represented, such as ConAgra, ACF Industries, Celotex, Fleetwood Motor Homes, Cherokee Pharmaceuticals, WoodMode, and Conestoga Wood Products. There are a larger than typical number of manufacturers of mobile and modular homes who distribute worldwide, as well as manufacturers of construction related products.

Throughout the years, this area has not experienced the tremendous swings in economic activity characteristic of urban areas. The local economy has remained stable with the region being slow to respond to downward trends in industrial and financial markets. Not being dependent on any one industry has contributed to the stability of the area and should continue to do so in the future.

It is anticipated that industry will continue to be attracted to the area due to our lower land costs, lower construction costs, lower taxes and available workforce. As part of Appalachia, the region has been fortunate to receive numerous grants and low interest loans for improvement of water and sewer facilities, downtown restorations, rejuvenation of rental housing, etc.

Northumberland is a great place to live, work and raise a family, while enjoying all the benefits of a tranquil rural atmosphere where people care about other people.