According to the 2000 Census, Schuylkill County has a population of 150,000. The largest community has a population of only 15,000, the county seat of Pottsville. The next largest community is Tamaqua, 7,174. Other towns include: Ashland 3,283; Butler Township, 3,588; Frackville, 4,361; Mahanoy City, 4,347; Minersville, 4,552; Orwigsburg, 3,106; Pine Grove, 2,154; Pine Grove Township, 3,930; Rush Township, 3,957; St. Clair, 3,254; Schuylkill Haven; 5,548; Shenandoah, 5,624; Wayne Township, 4,721 and West Penn Township, 3,852.

Schuylkill County is situated within 300 miles of one-third of the nation's population, and is one of the few counties in the U. S. to border eight other counties: Luzerne, Carbon, Columbia, Lehigh, Lebanon, Berks, Northumberland and Dauphin.