Chester County, Pennsylvania

Chester County, Pennsylvania
County of Pennsylvania
County of Chester

Flag
Seal
Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Chester County
Location in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania
Map of the United States highlighting Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania's location in the U.S.
Founded November 1682
Named for Chester, England
Seat West Chester
Largest city Coatesville
Area
 • Total 759 sq mi (1,966 km2)
 • Land 751 sq mi (1,945 km2)
 • Water 8.7 sq mi (23 km2), 1.1%
Population (est.)
 • (2017) 519,293
 • Density 691.5/sq mi (267.0/km2)
Congressional district 6th
Time zone Eastern: UTC−5/−4
Website www.chesco.org
Footnotes:
Designated October 26, 1982[1]

Chester County (Chesco) is a county in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 498,886, increasing by 4.1% to a census-estimated 519,293 residents as of 2017.[2] The county seat is West Chester.[3] Chester County was one of the three original Pennsylvania counties created by William Penn in 1682. It was named for Chester, England.

Chester County is part of the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD Metropolitan Statistical Area. Eastern Chester County is home to many communities that comprise part of the Main Line western suburbs of Philadelphia, while part of its southernmost portion is considered suburban Wilmington, along with southwest Delaware County.

Chester County is the highest-income county in Pennsylvania and 24th highest in the nation as measured by median household income (as of 2010).[4]

History

Chester County, Pennsylvania sign

Philadelphia, Bucks, and Chester were the three Pennsylvania counties initially created by William Penn on August 24, 1682.[5][6] At that time, Chester County's borders were Philadelphia County to the north, the ill-defined western edge of the colony (approximately the Susquehanna River) to the west, the Delaware River to the east, and Delaware and Maryland to the south. Chester County replaced the Pennsylvania portion of New Netherland/New York’s "Upland", which was officially eliminated when Pennsylvania was chartered on March 4, 1681, but did not cease to exist until June of that year.[7][8] Much of the Welsh Tract was in eastern Chester County, and Welsh place names, given by early settlers, continue to predominate there.

The fourth county in the state, Lancaster County, was formed from Chester County on May 10, 1729. On March 11, 1752, Berks County was formed from the northern section of Chester County, as well as parts of Lancaster and Philadelphia counties.

The original Chester County seat was the city of Chester, a center of naval shipbuilding, at the eastern edge of the county. In an effort to accommodate the increased population of the western part of the county, the county seat was moved to a more central location in 1788; in order to mollify the eastern portion of the county, the village, known as Turk's Head, was renamed West Chester. Apparently, this did not work: the eastern portion of the county separated from Chester County on September 26, 1789, becoming Delaware County.[9] West Chester remained the seat of the reduced Chester County, and still is.

Much of the history of Chester County arises from its location between Philadelphia and the Susquehanna River. The first road to "the West" (meaning Lancaster County) passed through the central part of Chester County, following the Great Valley westward; with some re-alignments, it became the Lincoln Highway and later U.S. Route 30. This road is still named Lancaster Avenue in most of the Chester county towns it runs through. The first railroad (which became the Pennsylvania Railroad) followed much the same route, and the Reading Railroad progressed up the Schuylkill River to Reading. Industry tended to concentrate along the rail lines. Easy transportation allowed workers to commute to urban jobs, and the rise of the suburbs followed. To this day, the developed areas form "fingers" extending along major lines of transportation.

During the American Revolutionary War, the Battle of Brandywine was fought at what is now the southeastern fringe of the county. The Valley Forge encampment was at the northeastern edge.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 759 square miles (1,970 km2), of which 751 square miles (1,950 km2) is land and 8.7 square miles (23 km2) (1.1%) is water.[10] The topography consists of rolling hills and valleys and it is part of the region known as the Piedmont.

Watersheds that serve Chester County include the Octoraro, the Brandywine, and Chester creeks, and the Schuylkill River. Many of the soils are fertile, rich loam as much as twenty-four inches thick; together with the temperate climate, this was long a major agricultural area. Because of its proximity to Philadelphia, Chester County has seen large waves of development over the past half-century due to suburbanization. Although development in Chester County has increased, agriculture is still a major part of the county's economy, and the number of horse farms is increasing in the county. Mushroom growing is a specialty in the southern portion of the county.

Elevations (in feet): High point—1020 Welsh Mt., Honeybrook Twp. Other high points—960 Thomas Hill, Warwick Twp; 960 Barren Hill, West Caln Twp. Low point—66 Schuylkill River, Chester-Montgomery county line. Cities and boroughs: Coatesville 314; Downingtown 255; Kennett Square 300; Oxford 535; Parkesburg 542; Phoenixville 127; Spring City 114; West Chester 459.[11]

Chester County has four distinct seasons and has a hot-summer humid continental climate (Dfa) except for some far southern lowlands which have a humid subtropical climate (Cfa). The hardiness zones are 6b and 7a.

Adjacent counties

National protected area

State protected areas

Major highways

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.%±
179027,829—
180032,09315.3%
181039,59623.4%
182044,45112.3%
183050,91014.5%
184057,51513.0%
185066,43815.5%
186074,57812.3%
187077,8054.3%
188083,4817.3%
189089,3777.1%
190095,6957.1%
1910109,21314.1%
1920115,1205.4%
1930126,62910.0%
1940135,6267.1%
1950159,14117.3%
1960210,60832.3%
1970278,31132.1%
1980316,66013.8%
1990376,39618.9%
2000433,50115.2%
2010498,88615.1%
Est. 2017519,293[2]4.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[12]
1790-1960[13] 1900-1990[14]
1990-2000[15] 2010-2017[2]

As of the 2010 census, the county was 82.1% White Non-Hispanic, 6.1% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American or Alaskan Native, 3.9% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian, 1.8% were two or more races, and 2.4% were some other race. 6.5% of the population were Hispanic or Latino.

As of the census[16] of 2000, there were 433,501 people, 157,905 households, and 113,375 families residing in the county. The population density was 573 people per square mile (221/km²). There were 163,773 housing units at an average density of 217 per square mile (84/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 89.21% White, 6.24% Black or African American, 0.15% Native American, 1.95% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.35% from other races, and 1.06% from two or more races. 3.72% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 18.0% were of Irish, 17.3% German, 13.1% Italian, 10.1% English and 5.6% American ancestry. 91.4% spoke English and 3.7% Spanish as their first language.

There were 157,905 households out of which 35.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.50% were married couples living together, 8.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.20% were non-families. 22.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.15.

In the county, the population was spread out with 26.20% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 30.40% from 25 to 44, 23.80% from 45 to 64, and 11.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 96.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $65,295, and the median income for a family was $76,916 (these figures had risen to $80,818 and $97,894 respectively as of a 2007 estimate). Males had a median income of $51,223 versus $34,854 for females. The per capita income for the county was $31,627. About 3.10% of families and 5.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.10% of those under age 18 and 5.50% of those age 65 or over.

The region was originally occupied by the Lenni Lenape people, who greeted European settlers in the seventeenth century with amity and kindness. British settlers were mostly English, Scotch-Irish and Welsh in ethnicity. From the late 19th to early 20th century, the industrial areas of the region, such as Coatesville, attracted immigrants and job seekers from Germany and Ireland, Eastern Europe, Italy, and the American rural South, with both black and white migrants coming north. Later Hispanic immigrants have included Puerto Ricans and, most recently, Mexicans.

Long a primarily rural area, Chester County is now the fastest-growing county in the Delaware Valley; it is one of the fastest growing in the entire Northeastern section of the United States.

Religion

Uwchlan Meetinghouse

In keeping with its colonial history, Chester County is home to a number of historic Quaker buildings, including Birmingham, Birmingham Orthodox, Bradford, Caln, Old Kennett, Parkersville, Westtown, and Uwchlan meeting houses. Other historic religious buildings include St. Malachi Church, southeastern Pennsylvania's oldest active Catholic mission church, and the Episcopal St. Mary's, St. Paul's, and St. Peter's churches, and Washington Memorial Chapel. Also located in the county are the First Presbyterian Church of West Chester, Coventryville United Methodist Church, which is part of the Coventryville Historic District, and Beth Israel Congregation of Chester County, a Conservative synagogue in Coatesville, a site of Eastern European immigration in the 20th century.

Politics

Election results
2012 US presidential election in Chester County
  Obama—80-90%
  Obama—70-80%
  Obama—60-70%
  Obama—50-60%
  Obama—<50%
  Romney—<50%
  Romney—50-60%
  Romney—60-70%

As of 31 December 2016, there are 354,316 registered voters in Chester County.[17]

  • Republican: 155,439 (43.87%)
  • Democratic: 136,893 (38.64%)
  • Other Political parties and no affiliation: 61,984 (17.49%)

Chester County has historically been reliably Republican at the county level; traditionally, it was the most conservative county near Philadelphia in Pennsylvania. In recent elections, however, it has been trending Democratic, though not as overwhelmingly as the rest of the Philadelphia suburbs. In 2000 Al Gore lost it by almost 10 percent but in 2004 George W. Bush defeated John Kerry by a much smaller margin of only 4.5 percent. Bob Casey, Jr. carried it by 10% when he unseated incumbent Republican US Senator Rick Santorum in 2006. In 2008, Chester County sided with the rest of Pennsylvania and voted for Barack Obama by a much larger margin of 9%, making him the first Democrat to carry it in a Presidential election since 1964. But, in 2009, with a smaller turnout, Republican candidates swept all county-row offices, winning with an average margin of 20%. In 2012 the county voted for Republican candidate Mitt Romney, by a very small margin of about 500 votes.[18]

In 2016, despite Pennsylvania voting for a Republican presidential candidate for the first time since 1988, Chester County voted more Democratic than in 2012, with Hillary Clinton leading Donald Trump by over 25,000 votes or 9.4 percentage points; a 4.8 percentage point swing from 2012. The only two statewide winners in 2016 to carry Chester County were U.S. Senator Pat Toomey (R) and Pennsylvania State Treasurer Joe Torsella (D). Republican candidates John Brown and John Rafferty carried Chester County, though both lost their races for Auditor General and Attorney General, respectively (Rafferty, a State Senator whose district includes northern Chester County, carried the county by a slim margin of 50 votes[19])

Democrats have made gains in Chester County state legislative seats in recent elections. Democrat Andy Dinniman picked up the 19th Senate District in May 2006 in the special election to replace the late Robert Thompson. Democrat Barbara McIlvaine Smith picked up the open 156th House district in November 2006, winning by 28 votes and tipping the State-House majority to the Democrats. This was the first time that a Democrat had served part of Chester County as State Representative since Jim Gerlach (who represented much of Chester County for 12 years in Congress) unseated Sam Morris in 1990. In 2008, two more open House seats in the county went Democratic—to Tom Houghton in the 13th and Paul Drucker in the 157th. In 2010, however, Chester County swung back to the GOP, with Republicans Dan Truitt (who defeated McIlvaine Smith), Warren Kampf (who defeated Drucker), and John Lawrence (who defeated Houghton) all elected to the State House. On November 8, 2017, Democrats made historic inroads in Chester County by winning their first County Row Office seats since 1799, picking up 4 row office seats.[20]

Presidential elections results
Presidential Elections Results[21]
Year Republican Democratic Third Parties
2016 42.5% 116,114 51.9% 141,682 5.6% 15,202
2012 49.4% 124,840 49.2% 124,311 1.4% 3,425
2008 44.8% 114,421 54.0% 137,833 1.2% 2,998
2004 52.0% 120,036 47.5% 109,708 0.5% 1,079
2000 53.3% 100,080 43.7% 82,047 3.0% 5,549
1996 48.6% 77,029 40.9% 64,783 10.5% 16,554
1992 43.7% 74,002 35.3% 59,643 21.0% 35,563
1988 67.0% 93,522 32.1% 44,853 0.9% 1,210
1984 70.1% 92,221 29.6% 38,870 0.3% 440
1980 60.9% 73,046 28.6% 34,307 10.5% 12,543
1976 60.4% 67,686 38.1% 42,712 1.5% 1,628
1972 68.4% 72,726 29.3% 31,118 2.3% 2,415
1968 57.2% 56,073 33.3% 32,606 9.6% 9,372
1964 45.5% 40,280 54.1% 47,940 0.4% 390
1960 63.6% 53,059 36.2% 30,167 0.2% 147
1956 70.2% 47,225 29.7% 19,957 0.1% 50
1952 64.9% 39,961 34.9% 21,490 0.3% 164
1948 65.8% 29,258 33.0% 14,670 1.2% 550
1944 58.7% 26,655 40.8% 18,548 0.5% 208
1940 55.5% 28,222 44.2% 22,473 0.4% 183
1936 51.8% 29,340 47.1% 26,676 1.1% 613
1932 69.2% 29,425 28.3% 12,040 2.5% 1,052
1928 82.3% 36,659 17.3% 7,689 0.5% 210
1924 75.8% 22,333 20.2% 5,946 4.1% 1,201
1920 69.6% 18,129 26.9% 7,004 3.6% 927
1916 56.8% 11,845 40.8% 8,514 2.4% 505
1912 28.9% 5,708 34.9% 6,901 36.3% 7,177[22]
1908 64.1% 13,118 32.0% 6,555 3.9% 803
1904 73.9% 14,200 22.6% 4,342 3.5% 673
1900 66.2% 13,809 29.8% 6,214 4.0% 835
1896 67.8% 14,232 28.9% 6,058 3.3% 700
1892 55.6% 10,982 39.7% 7,850 4.7% 932
1888 58.5% 11,578 38.1% 7,541 3.4% 669

Government

Commissioners

Chester County is administered by a three-person Board of Commissioners, who serve four-year terms. Elections occur in the odd-numbered years that precede U.S. Presidential elections, with the next election falling in 2019. The Commissioners have selective policy-making authority to provide certain local services and facilities on a county-wide basis. Accordingly, the commissioners are responsible for the management of the fiscal and administrative functions of the county.

Official Party Term ends
Michelle KichlineRepublican2019
Terence FarrellRepublican2019
Kathi CozzoneDemocratic2019

County Row Officers

As of the November 2017 election:[20]

Office Official Party Term ends
Clerk of CourtsYolanda Van de KrolDemocratic2021
ControllerMargaret ReifDemocratic2021
CoronerChristina VandePol, M.D.Democratic2021
TreasurerPatricia MaisanoDemocratic2021
District AttorneyTom Hogan, Esq.Republican2019
ProthonotaryMatt HollidayRepublican2019
Recorder of DeedsRick LougheryRepublican2019
Register of WillsTerri ClarkRepublican2019
SheriffCarolyn Bunny WelshRepublican2019

United States House of Representatives

The 2018 congressional map ordered by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania places Chester County completely within the 6th congressional district.

Note: The current congressional representation listing is based on the 2011 congressional map ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. This representation will remain in place until January 2019 (after the 2018 election).

District Representative Party
6Ryan CostelloRepublican
7VACANT
16Lloyd SmuckerRepublican

United States Senate

SenatorParty
Bob CaseyDemocratic
Pat ToomeyRepublican

State House of Representatives

State House districts in Chester County
District Representative Party
13John LawrenceRepublican
26Tim HennesseyRepublican
74Harry LewisRepublican
155Becky CorbinRepublican
156Carolyn ComittaDemocratic
157Warren KampfRepublican
158Eric RoeRepublican
160Stephen BarrarRepublican
167Duane MilneRepublican

State Senate

State Senate districts in Chester County
District Representative Party
9Tom KillionRepublican
19Andy DinnimanDemocratic
26Thomas J. McGarrigleRepublican
44John C. Rafferty Jr.Republican

Education

Colleges and universities

Philips Hall at West Chester University of Pennsylvania

Public school districts

Map of Chester County, Pennsylvania Public School Districts

Charter schools

  • Achievement House Charter School grades 9-12, Exton
  • Avon Grove Charter School grades K-12, West Grove
  • Chester County Family Academy Charter School grades K-2, West Chester
  • Collegium Charter School grades K-12, Exton
  • Pennsylvania Leadership Charter School K-12, West Chester
  • Renaissance Academy Charter School grades K-12, Phoenixville
  • Sankofa Academy Charter School grades 5-8, West Chester
  • 21st Century Cyber Charter School grades 6-12. Downingtown.

There are 11 public cyber charter schools and 144 bricks and mortar charter schools in Pennsylvania that are available for free statewide, to children K-12. See: Education in Pennsylvania.[23]

Independent schools

Libraries

The Chester County Library System in southeastern Pennsylvania was organized in 1965. It is a federated system composed of a District Center Library in Exton and sixteen member libraries. The system provides materials and information for life, work and pleasure.

Communities

Map of Chester County, Pennsylvania with Municipal Labels showing Cities and Boroughs (red), Townships (white), and Census-designated places (blue).

Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: cities, boroughs, townships, and, in at most two cases, towns. The post office uses community names and boundaries that usually do not correspond to the townships, and usually only have the same names as the municipalities for the cities and boroughs. The names used by the post office are generally used by residents to describe where they live. The following cities, boroughs and townships are located in Chester County:

City

Boroughs

Townships

Unincorporated communities

Census-designated places

Census-designated places are geographical areas designated by the U.S. Census Bureau for the purposes of compiling demographic data. They are not actual jurisdictions under Pennsylvania law.

Historic community

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Chester County.[34]

† county seat

Rank City/Town/etc. Municipal type Population (2010 Census)
1 † West Chester Borough 18,461
2 Phoenixville Borough 16,440
3 Coatesville City 13,100
4 Downingtown Borough 7,891
5 Lionville CDP 6,189
6 Kennett Square Borough 6,072
7 Paoli CDP 5,575
8 Oxford Borough 5,077
9 Exton CDP 4,842
10 Chesterbrook CDP 4,589
11 Berwyn CDP 3,631
12 Parkesburg Borough 3,593
13 Thorndale CDP 3,407
14 Spring City Borough 3,323
15 Malvern Borough 2,998
16 West Grove Borough 2,854
17 South Pottstown CDP 2,081
18 Kenilworth CDP 1,907
19 Lincoln University CDP 1,726
20 Honey Brook Borough 1,713
21 Eagleview CDP 1,644
22 Caln CDP 1,519
23 Devon CDP 1,515
24 Toughkenamon CDP 1,492
25 Atglen Borough 1,406
26 South Coatesville Borough 1,303
27 Avondale Borough 1,265
28 Elverson Borough 1,225
29 Cheyney University (partially in Delaware County) CDP 988
30 Westwood CDP 950
31 Cochranville CDP 668
32 Modena Borough 535
33 Pomeroy CDP 401

Notable people

See also

References

  1. ↑ "PHMC Historical Markers Search" (Searchable database). Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Retrieved 2014-01-25.
  2. 1 2 3 "QuickFacts Chester County, Pennsylvania". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 18, 2018.
  3. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 10, 2015. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. ↑ http://www.philly.com/philly/news/breaking/20100309_On_Richest_Counties_list__Only_1_near_Philly.html
  5. ↑ Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (1852–1935). Pennsylvania Archives. 9 Series, 109 Volumes. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. pp. Series 2, Volume 5: 739–744.
  6. ↑ Futhey, John and Cope, Gilbert (1881). History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, with genealogical and biographical sketches. Philadelphia: L. H. Everts.
  7. ↑ Armstrong, Edward; Editor (1860). Record of the Court at Upland, in Pennsylvania, 1676 to 1681. Memoirs of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania Volume 7. p. 196.
  8. ↑ Swindler, William F., Editor (1973–1979). Sources and Documents of United States Constitutions. 10 Volumes. Dobbs Ferry, New York: Oceana Publications. pp. Vol. 8: 243.
  9. ↑ Ashmead, Henry Gordon (1884). A History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: L.H. Everts & Co. pp. 77–83. Retrieved May 24, 2017.
  10. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  11. ↑ Elevations in Pennsylvania, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Dept. of Environmental Resources, Bureau of Topographic and Geologic Survey, Information Circular 4, Fourth Series
  12. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on May 12, 2015. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  13. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  14. ↑ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 24, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  15. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  16. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on September 11, 2013. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  17. ↑ Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of State. "2016 Pennsylvania Voter Registration" (PDF).
  18. ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org.
  19. ↑ "Pennsylvania Attorney General Results: Josh Shapiro Wins". The New York Times. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  20. 1 2 "Election results 2017: Democrats take the lead - Chester County Press". www.chestercounty.com.
  21. ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org.
  22. ↑ The leading "other" candidate, Progressive Theodore Roosevelt, received 6,596 votes, while Socialist candidate Eugene Debs received 314 votes, Prohibition candidate Eugene Chafin received 263 votes, and Socialist Labor candidate Arthur Reimer received 4 votes.
  23. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of Education. "Charter Schools in Pennsylvania". Retrieved February 9, 2011.
  24. ↑ "Chester County Intermediate Unit / Overview". www.cciu.org.
  25. ↑ "Private School for Children with LD & Dyslexia in Philadelphia - DVFS". www.dvfs.org.
  26. ↑ "Goshen Friends School - Home". www.goshenfriends.org.
  27. ↑ "Kimberton Waldorf School - The Art of Education". kimberton.org.
  28. ↑ "Welcome to TCS! - The Concept School". www.theconceptschool.org.
  29. ↑ "Upland Country Day School Best Private Schools in Chester County". www.uplandcds.org.
  30. ↑ "westchesterfriends". westchesterfriends.
  31. ↑ "Windsor Christian Academy – Classical Christian Education in Upper Uwchlan, PA". www.windsorca.org.
  32. ↑ "Windsor Christian Preschool - Offering Morning or Afternoon Preschool Classes for 2-1/2, 3, 4, or 5 Year Olds". www.windsorcp.org.
  33. ↑ "Regina Luminis Academy - Catholic Classical Education". Regina Luminis Academy - Catholic Classical Education.
  34. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on December 21, 2013. Retrieved 2013-02-10.

Coordinates: 39°58′N 75°45′W / 39.97°N 75.75°W / 39.97; -75.75

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