Limerick Township, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Limerick Township is a township in Montgomery County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
. It was named for the hometown of early settler William Evans, whose family arrived in the area from Limerick
, Ireland
in 1698. The township is mentioned in Philadelphia court records in the 1710s, but was not formally established of record until March Sessions 1726. Royersford
, Pennsylvania
was created from its southeastern corner in 1879. Limerick Township is a member of the Spring-Ford Area School District. The township has grown from an 1990 population of only 6,600 to 18,074(2010 census). On July 27, 1994, a deadly tornado
struck parts of Limerick Township, killing an infant and her parents. The most affected area was the Hamlet housing development.
, the township has a total area of 22.8 square miles (59.0 km²), of which, 22.6 square miles (58.5 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.5 km²) of it (0.92%) is water. The Limerick Nuclear Power Plant
is located within its borders, along with the Pottstown Limerick Airport
. It is drained by the Schuylkill River
, which separates it from Chester County. Its villages include Barlow Heights, Limerick, Linfield, and Neiffer.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 13,534 people, 5,143 households, and 3,744 families residing in the township. The population density
was 599.6 people per square mile (231.5/km²). There were 5,442 housing units at an average density of 241.1/sq mi (93.1/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 95.10% White, 2.11% African American, 0.19% Native American, 1.29% Asian, 0.44% from other races
, and 0.86% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.32% of the population.
There were 5,143 households out of which 37.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.6% were married couples
living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.2% were non-families. 21.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.09.
In the township the population was spread out with 26.8% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 40.2% from 25 to 44, 19.2% from 45 to 64, and 8.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 98.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.0 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $64,752, and the median income for a family was $73,296. Males had a median income of $46,351 versus $35,275 for females. The per capita income
for the township was $27,305. About 1.3% of families and 1.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.6% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.
Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Montgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of 2010, the population was 799,874, making it the third most populous county in Pennsylvania . The county seat is Norristown.The county was created on September 10, 1784, out of land originally part...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was named for the hometown of early settler William Evans, whose family arrived in the area from Limerick
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
in 1698. The township is mentioned in Philadelphia court records in the 1710s, but was not formally established of record until March Sessions 1726. Royersford
Royersford, Pennsylvania
Royersford is a borough in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, northwest of Philadelphia, on the Schuylkill River. The town drew its name from the location of a ford across the Schuylkill River, which happened to be adjacent to land owned by the Royer family...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
was created from its southeastern corner in 1879. Limerick Township is a member of the Spring-Ford Area School District. The township has grown from an 1990 population of only 6,600 to 18,074(2010 census). On July 27, 1994, a deadly tornado
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
struck parts of Limerick Township, killing an infant and her parents. The most affected area was the Hamlet housing development.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the township has a total area of 22.8 square miles (59.0 km²), of which, 22.6 square miles (58.5 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.5 km²) of it (0.92%) is water. The Limerick Nuclear Power Plant
Limerick Nuclear Power Plant
The Limerick Generating Station in Pennsylvania is located next to the Schuylkill River in Limerick Township, Montgomery County, northwest of Philadelphia. The facility has two General Electric boiling water reactor units, cooled by natural draft cooling towers...
is located within its borders, along with the Pottstown Limerick Airport
Pottstown Limerick Airport
Heritage Field is a public use airport located three nautical miles east of the central business district of Pottstown, in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States...
. It is drained by the Schuylkill River
Schuylkill River
The Schuylkill River is a river in Pennsylvania. It is a designated Pennsylvania Scenic River.The river is about long. Its watershed of about lies entirely within the state of Pennsylvania. The source of its eastern branch is in the Appalachian Mountains at Tuscarora Springs, near Tamaqua in...
, which separates it from Chester County. Its villages include Barlow Heights, Limerick, Linfield, and Neiffer.
Neighboring municipalities
- Lower Pottsgrove Township (west)
- New Hanover Township (northwest)
- Upper Frederick Township (north)
- Lower Frederick Township (northeast)
- Perkiomen Township (east)
- Upper Providence TownshipUpper Providence Township, Montgomery County, PennsylvaniaUpper Providence Township is a township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2010 census, the township population was 21,219.- History :...
(southeast) - RoyersfordRoyersford, PennsylvaniaRoyersford is a borough in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, northwest of Philadelphia, on the Schuylkill River. The town drew its name from the location of a ford across the Schuylkill River, which happened to be adjacent to land owned by the Royer family...
(south) - East Vincent Township, Chester County (southwest)
- East Coventry Township, Chester County (southwest)
Demographics
As of the 2010 census, the township was 91.5% White, 3.4% Black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 3.2% Asian, and 1.3% were two or more races. 1.8% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/census/profile/PA.As of the census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 13,534 people, 5,143 households, and 3,744 families residing in the township. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 599.6 people per square mile (231.5/km²). There were 5,442 housing units at an average density of 241.1/sq mi (93.1/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 95.10% White, 2.11% African American, 0.19% Native American, 1.29% Asian, 0.44% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.86% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.32% of the population.
There were 5,143 households out of which 37.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.6% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.2% were non-families. 21.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.09.
In the township the population was spread out with 26.8% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 40.2% from 25 to 44, 19.2% from 45 to 64, and 8.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 98.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.0 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $64,752, and the median income for a family was $73,296. Males had a median income of $46,351 versus $35,275 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the township was $27,305. About 1.3% of families and 1.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.6% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.
Government and Politics
| Year | Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
Democrat Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 46.8% 4,245 | 52.2% 4,734 |
| 2004 | 53.4 4,359 | 46.1% 3,764 |
| 2000 | 52.7% 2,860 | 44.8% 2,432 |
| 1996 | 46.4% 1,548 | 39.0% 1,301 |
| 1992 | 43.4% 1,301 | 31.0% 929 |
Supervisors
- Tom J. Neafcy, Jr. (Chairman)
- Kara Shuler (Vice-chair)
- Elaine DeWan
- Joseph St. Pedro
- Kenneth W. Sperring, Jr.
Legislators
- US Representative Jim GerlachJim GerlachJames "Jim" Gerlach is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party.- Early life, education and career :...
, 6th district, Republican - State Senator John Rafferty, 44th district, Republican
- State Representative Tom QuigleyTom QuigleyThomas "Tom" Quigley is serving his second term as representative of the 146th Legislative District of Pennsylvania, USA. He currently sits on the House Education, Finance and Liquor Control Committees.-Career:...
, 146th district, Republican