Cameron County, PA Property Records

    Cameron County is Pennsylvania's least populous county, with a population of 4,354. The county seat is Emporium. Created in 1860 from portions of Clinton, Elk, McKean, and Potter counties, Cameron County sits in the north-central part of the state amid dense state forest land.

    Every single resident of Cameron County lives in a rural area, and the county is the only one in Pennsylvania not crossed by either an interstate highway or a U.S. numbered route. This geographic isolation shapes both the character of the community and the nature of its real estate market. With just three incorporated municipalities (two boroughs and one township), Cameron County has the smallest municipal footprint.

    The county's housing market is among the thinnest in Pennsylvania. The Zillow Home Value Index does not track Cameron County due to its very low transaction volume.

    ACS data from the U.S. Census Bureau estimates a median home value of approximately $98,800, with a median gross rent of around $660 per month, among the lowest figures in the state. With a median household income of approximately $50,573 (ACS 5-year estimate), affordability in dollar terms is relatively strong, though low wages and limited economic opportunity keep demand correspondingly modest.

    Who Keeps the Official Land Records

    All official land records in Cameron County are maintained by the Cameron County Recorder of Deeds, a combined office serving all three functions under a single elected official. The Recorder of Deeds function within this combined office is responsible for recording and indexing all real property instruments for Cameron County.

    Remote online access to Cameron County's recorded documents is available through Landex (landex.com), the fee-based platform used by many Pennsylvania counties. Both Landex Remote (subscription-based for frequent searchers) and Landex WebStore (pay-per-document for occasional users) are available.

    Note that for Cameron County, the Landex index provides searchable records, but document images are not available remotely through Landex. To view the actual documents, you must contact the office directly or visit in person.

    What Cameron County Property Records Include

    The Cameron County Recorder of Deeds maintains all instruments affecting the ownership of real property within the county. Recorded documents include deeds, mortgages, satisfactions, releases, rights-of-way, oil and gas leases, and powers of attorney. All documents, once recorded, become part of the permanent public land record indexed by grantor/grantee name, recording date, and instrument type.

    Pennsylvania uses a recorded land title system statewide. Documents are recorded in the order received, assigned a book and page number, and indexed accordingly. For a document to provide constructive notice under Pennsylvania recording law, it must include a Uniform Parcel Identifier (UPI) number assigned to the parcel. A complete legal description of the property must also be present on the deed or included as an attachment.

    Oil and gas leases are explicitly listed as a recorded instrument category in Cameron County. The county's location within Pennsylvania's northern tier, surrounded by state forest and underlain by oil and gas-bearing formations, means that mineral rights, gas leases, and related instruments can be material to a comprehensive title search.

    How to Access Cameron County Property Records

    Cameron County property records can be accessed online via the Landex index (index only, no remote images), in person at the courthouse, or by phone/mail.

    Online Access (Landex Index Fee-Based, No Remote Images)

    The Landex platform at landex.com provides index-level access to Cameron County recorded documents. Searches can be conducted by name, recording date, and instrument type. Choose Landex Remote for frequent subscription-based searches or Landex WebStore for occasional pay-per-query use.

    Note that document images are not available through Landex for Cameron County. The index will identify the book, page, and recording date of instruments, but retrieving the actual document requires contacting the office by phone or visiting in person.

    In Person

    All records are accessible at the courthouse. In-person research is the only way to view document images for Cameron County.

    • Address: Cameron County Courthouse, 20 E. Fifth Street, Emporium, PA 15834, Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. (open during lunch hours), Copy fees: $0.50 per page; $2.00 per page for extra pages (over four) on any instrument.

    By Phone or Email

    Reach the combined office at (814) 486-3349 or (814) 486-3355, or email protho@cameroncopa.gov. For recording fee quotes and copy requests, call ahead. Staff can assist with document retrieval and mailing copies.

    By Mail/Overnight

    Mail submissions for recording to: Cameron County Recorder of Deeds, Cameron County Courthouse, 20 E. Fifth Street, Emporium, PA 15834. Include the appropriate recording fees and a self-addressed return envelope for the recorded documents.

    E-Recording

    Given Cameron County's size and transaction volume, e-recording availability may be limited. Contact the Recorder's Office directly at (814) 486-3349 to confirm current e-recording options before submitting electronically.

    What's Not at the Recorder's Office (But Matters for Property Research)

    The Recorder of Deeds' function handles recorded title instruments. Assessed values, parcel data, and tax records are maintained by the Cameron County Assessment Office, also located at the Cameron County Courthouse, 20 E. Fifth Street, Emporium.

    The Assessment Office is led by Chief Assessor Michele Reed (email: mreed@cameroncopa.gov) and can be reached at (814) 486-0723. Office hours are Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. (open during lunch hours). An online GIS parcel viewer for Cameron County properties is available at cameracounty.maps.arcgis.com.

    Note that zoning records are handled differently for the county's two boroughs. For properties in Emporium Borough, zoning inquiries should go directly to the borough's local office, which maintains its own zoning ordinance system. For properties in Driftwood Borough and Shippen Township, the Cameron County Planning Commission at (814) 486-3439 is the contact for zoning and land use matters.

    For statewide millage rates and municipal finance data, the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) is the authoritative source.

    Step-by-Step: How to Pull a Deed in Cameron County

    Because document images are not available remotely through Landex, the research process differs from most other Pennsylvania counties. Here is the recommended approach:

    • Search the Landex index online: Visit landex.com and select Cameron County. Search by grantor/grantee name, recording date, or instrument type to identify the book and page number of the relevant document.

    • Note the book and page reference: Record the instrument type, book and page number, and recording date. This is the reference you will need when contacting the office.

    • Contact the Recorder's Office to obtain the document: Call (814) 486-3349 or (814) 486-3355, or email protho@cameroncopa.gov. Provide the book and page number, and request a copy. Copies are $0.50 per page. The office will quote the total cost and can mail copies upon receipt of payment.

    • Visit the courthouse in person: For a full review of documents, visit the Cameron County Courthouse, 20 E. Fifth Street, Emporium, PA 15834, Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Staff can assist with locating records.

    • Trace the chain of title: Use prior book and page references on the current deed to work backward through ownership history.

    Cities & Towns in Cameron County (and Their Record Custodians)

    Cameron County has just three incorporated municipalities. All recorded property instruments for all three municipalities are filed with and retrievable from the single Recorder's Office at the Cameron County Courthouse.

    • Emporium Borough. The county seat is the county's largest community and primary commercial center.

    • Driftwood Borough. A small borough at the confluence of Driftwood Branch and Sinnemahoning Creek.

    • Shippen Township. The county's sole township covers the majority of the county's land area.

    There are no cities in Cameron County. The single school district, Cameron County School District, serves the entire county.

    City/Town Resources for Assessments & Taxes

    Property assessments in Cameron County are handled centrally by the Cameron County Assessment Office at the courthouse. The Assessment Office uses an ArcGIS-based parcel viewer accessible at cameracounty.maps.arcgis.com for parcel data lookups.

    For zoning matters, property owners should note the split described above: Emporium Borough maintains its own zoning process, while the Cameron County Planning Commission handles zoning for properties outside the borough. Contact the Planning Commission at (814) 486-3439 for zoning information on Driftwood Borough and Shippen Township properties.

    Cameron County's commissioners recently engaged a consulting firm to evaluate whether a countywide reassessment is warranted. As of early 2026, no official decision had been made. Property owners should monitor county communications at cameroncountypa.com for updates. For statewide tax data, the Pennsylvania DCED is the authoritative resource.

    Cameron County-Specific Nuances

    • Landex index accessible, but document images are not available remotely: Cameron County's records are indexed on Landex, but the platform does not provide remote access to document images for this county. You can use Landex to identify the book and page number of a recorded instrument, but to obtain the document itself, you must contact the office by phone, email, or in-person visit. This is a meaningful departure from how Landex functions in most other PA counties, where full document viewing is available remotely.

    • Pennsylvania's least populous county has only 3 municipalities: With under 4,400 residents and just two boroughs and one township, Cameron County has a property market unlike any other county in the state. Very few transactions occur each year, the Zillow Home Value Index has no county-level data, and market metrics like days-to-pending are not tracked for this area.

    Buyers, sellers, and researchers should expect a non-standard experience and should contact the Recorder's Office directly rather than relying on automated data platforms.

    • 100% rural, no interstate or U.S. highway: Cameron County is the only county in Pennsylvania not crossed by either an interstate or a U.S. numbered highway. Every resident lives in a rural area. This geographic context is relevant to property research: large parcels of timber, hunting, and agricultural land are common, and many properties are accessed via state routes and local roads rather than major corridors.

    • Combined multi-function office: The Recorder of Deeds shares an office with the Register of Wills and the Clerk of Orphans Court. All three functions are handled by the same elected official and staff. When contacting the office, be prepared to specify whether your inquiry relates to real estate recording (Recorder of Deeds) or estate/probate matters (Register of Wills/Clerk of Orphans Court).

    • Oil and gas leases recorded here: Cameron County's location in Pennsylvania's northern tier means that oil and gas leases are among the recorded instrument types. Researchers conducting comprehensive title searches should specifically search for gas and oil lease filings in addition to traditional deed and mortgage documents.

    • Possible countywide reassessment under consideration: The Cameron County Commissioners engaged a consulting firm to assess whether a property reassessment is warranted. No official action had been taken as of early 2026. A reassessment if undertaken, would update assessed values to reflect current fair market values but would not automatically raise total tax collections. Buyers and their agents should monitor county updates for developments.

    • Named for a U.S. Senator: Cameron County was created in 1860 and named for Senator Simon Cameron, one of Pennsylvania's most prominent 19th-century political figures and Lincoln's first Secretary of War. The county's courthouse in Emporium holds land records going back to its founding year.

    Typical Contents of a Cameron County Property Record

    When reviewing official property records at the Cameron County Recorder of Deeds, you will typically find instruments containing the following:

    • Deeds:

      • Grantor and grantee names.

      • Full legal description of the property (on the deed or as an attachment).

      • Uniform Parcel Identifier (UPI) number.

      • Consideration amount or an Affidavit of Value if the full consideration is not stated.

      • Certificate of Residence with the grantee's name and mailing address.

      • Prior book and page reference.

      • Acknowledgment details: notary name matching the document, notary signature, stamp, and expiration date; acknowledgment date on or after execution date.

      • Deed type (warranty, quitclaim, correction, trustee, personal representative, etc.).

    • Mortgages and Releases:

      • Lender and borrower names.

      • Loan amount, interest rate, and repayment terms.

      • Book and page reference and recording date.

      • Satisfaction of the mortgage or release when the obligation is fulfilled.

    • Rights of Way and Easements:

      • Parties, description of the area, and purpose.

      • Duration and any conditions or restrictions.

    • Oil and Gas Leases:

      • Lessor and lessee names.

      • Description of the leased premises and acreage.

      • Lease term, royalty rate, and any bonus provisions.

    • Powers of Attorney:

      • Grantor and attorney-in-fact names.

      • Scope of authority, relevant to real estate if so stated.

    Recording Changes to Property Titles

    All new deeds, mortgages, releases, rights of way, oil and gas leases, and other instruments affecting title to real property in Cameron County must be recorded with the Recorder of Deeds. Submissions may be made in person or by mail.

    Every document must satisfy the following requirements: a full and accurate legal description must be present on the instrument or attached; a Uniform Parcel Identifier (UPI) number must appear on the document; the instrument must be acknowledged before a notary with the acknowledging party's name matching exactly as it appears in the document; the acknowledgment must include the notary's signature, stamp, and expiration date, and carry a date on or after the execution date; all pages must be 8.5 x 11 to 8.5 x 14 inches with minimum 1-inch margins free from markings.

    Pennsylvania's standard 2% realty transfer tax applies to most deed transactions (1% state, 1% local). A Statement of Value (Affidavit of Value) is required when the full consideration is not stated, when the deed is by gift or without consideration, or when a transfer tax exemption is claimed, submitted as an original with a completed reason for exemption and the amount.

    The base recording fee for a deed or mortgage with four names and four pages is $83.75, with additional charges for extra pages ($2.00 each), extra names ($0.50 each), and extra parcels ($0.50 each). If multiple documents constituting one transaction are submitted, the order of recording must be clearly indicated on the submission. Call (814) 486-3349 for fee quotes before submitting.

    Practical Research Flow (Checklist)

    A practical approach for researching property records in Cameron County, PA, accounting for the county's thin market and limited remote access:

    • Identify the parcel and UPI number. Use the county's ArcGIS parcel viewer at cameracounty.maps.arcgis.com to locate the parcel and confirm the UPI number and legal description.

    • Search the Landex index. Visit landex.com and search Cameron County by name, recording date, or instrument type. Note the book and page number(s) of relevant documents.

    • Contact the Recorder's Office for document copies. Call (814) 486-3349 or email protho@cameroncopa.gov. Provide book and page references and request copies. Copies are $0.50/page and can be mailed.

    • Or visit in person. For full document review, visit the Cameron County Courthouse, 20 E. Fifth Street, Emporium, PA 15834, during office hours (M–F, 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.).

    • Trace the chain of title and check for oil and gas leases. Follow prior book and page references back through ownership history. Search specifically for any oil or gas lease filings that could affect surface rights or mineral interests.

    • Check rights of way and easements. In a rural county with large parcels, easements and rights of way for access, utilities, and pipelines are common and should be reviewed carefully.

    • Verify assessment data and tax status. Contact the Assessment Office at (814) 486-0723 or use the ArcGIS viewer. For delinquent tax information, contact the Tax Claim Bureau at the courthouse.

    Appendix A: Municipalities in Cameron County

    Cameron County has just three incorporated municipalities, two boroughs, and one township. There are no cities.

    • Emporium Borough (county seat)

    • Driftwood Borough

    • Shippen Township

    Municipality list per Wikipedia and county sources.

    Appendix B: Key Contacts & Portals

    • Cameron County Recorder of Deeds, Register of Wills & Clerk of Orphans Court:

    • Landex (Online Index Fee-Based; Note: Images Not Available Remotely):

      • Website: landex.com

      • Index accessible via Landex Remote (subscription) or Landex WebStore (pay-per-query).

      • Document images must be requested from the office directly.

    • Cameron County Assessment Office:

      • Address: Cameron County Courthouse, 20 E. Fifth Street, Emporium, PA 15834.

      • Chief Assessor: Michele Reed (mreed@cameroncopa.gov).

      • Phone: (814) 486-0723 | Fax: (814) 486-9399.

      • Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

      • GIS Parcel Viewer: cameracounty.maps.arcgis.com

    • Cameron County Planning Commission (zoning, Driftwood Borough & Shippen Township):

      • Phone: (814) 486-3439.

    • Cameron County Government Website:

    • Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED):

      • Website: dced.pa.gov

      • Use for statewide millage rates, municipal finance data, and local government statistics.