Salisbury Township, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Salisbury Township is a township in Lehigh County
, Pennsylvania
, in the United States
. The township borders Allentown
(the third largest municipality in Pennsylvania,) Bethlehem
, and Emmaus
, in the Lehigh Valley
region.
The population of Salisbury Township was 13,498 at the 2000 census.
The township is home of the South Mall
.
, the township has a total area of 11.1 square miles (28.9 km²), of which, 11.0 square miles (28.5 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.3 km²) of it (1.08%) is water. It is drained by the Lehigh River
, which separates it from Bethlehem and the east side of Allentown, and its border with Upper Saucon is on Lehigh Mountain
. Elevations range from approximately 300 feet on the river to at least 1,000 feet in Big Rock County Park.
Emmaus and Allentown share a border, separating Salisbury into two demographically-distinct non-contiguous portions. The township's villages of Farmington, Gauff Hill, and Summit Lawn
(also in Upper Saucon Township) are in the eastern portion. Salisbury's major thoroughfares include Interstate 78
/Route 309
, Route 145
, Emmaus Avenue, Susquehanna Street/Broadway, Lehigh Street
, 24th Street, and Cedar Crest Boulevard.
of 2000, there were 13,498 people, 5,138 households, and 3,868 families residing in the township. The population density
was 1,224.9 people per square mile (472.9/km²). There were 5,281 housing units at an average density of 479.2 per square mile (185.0/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 95.41% White, 1.51% African American, 0.04% Native American, 1.48% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.85% from other races
, and 0.67% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.14% of the population.
There were 5,138 households out of which 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.9% were married couples
living together, 6.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.7% were non-families. 20.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the township the population was spread out with 23.3% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 27.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 95.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.4 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $52,935, and the median income for a family was $62,534. Males had a median income of $44,071 versus $27,746 for females. The per capita income
for the township was $28,073. About 1.7% of families and 2.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.8% of those under age 18 and 3.4% of those age 65 or over.
. Salisbury High School
serves grades 10 through 12.
Board of Commissioners:
Treasurer:
Lehigh County, Pennsylvania
-Climate:Most of the county's climate is considered to fall in the humid continental climate zone. Summers are typically hot and muggy, fall and spring are generally mild, and winter is cold. Precipitation is almost uniformly distributed throughout the year....
, 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...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The township borders Allentown
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown is a city located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is Pennsylvania's third most populous city, after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and the 215th largest city in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 118,032 and is currently...
(the third largest municipality in Pennsylvania,) Bethlehem
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Bethlehem is a city in Lehigh and Northampton Counties in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 74,982, making it the seventh largest city in Pennsylvania, after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie,...
, and Emmaus
Emmaus, Pennsylvania
Emmaus is a borough in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is located five miles southwest of Allentown, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of the state.The population of Emmaus was 11,313 at the 2000 census...
, in the Lehigh Valley
Lehigh Valley
The Lehigh Valley, known officially by the United States Census Bureau as the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metropolitan area and referred to locally as The Valley and A-B-E, is a metropolitan region consisting of Lehigh, Northampton, Berks, and Carbon counties in eastern Pennsylvania and...
region.
The population of Salisbury Township was 13,498 at the 2000 census.
The township is home of the South Mall
South Mall
The South Mall is an enclosed shopping mall located in Salisbury Township, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania in the United States, immediately outside of the city of Allentown....
.
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 11.1 square miles (28.9 km²), of which, 11.0 square miles (28.5 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.3 km²) of it (1.08%) is water. It is drained by the Lehigh River
Lehigh River
The Lehigh River, a tributary of the Delaware River, is a river located in eastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. Part of the Lehigh, along with a number of its tributaries, is designated a Pennsylvania Scenic River by the state's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources...
, which separates it from Bethlehem and the east side of Allentown, and its border with Upper Saucon is on Lehigh Mountain
South Mountain (eastern Pennsylvania)
South Mountain is a colloquial name applied to features in the mountain range extending south and south west from the Lehigh Valley to the Lebanon Valley regions of Pennsylvania. At times, it also been known as Durham Hills, Reading Hills, and the Lehigh Mountains...
. Elevations range from approximately 300 feet on the river to at least 1,000 feet in Big Rock County Park.
Emmaus and Allentown share a border, separating Salisbury into two demographically-distinct non-contiguous portions. The township's villages of Farmington, Gauff Hill, and Summit Lawn
Summit Lawn, Pennsylvania
Summit Lawn is a small unincorporated village in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of the state. Parts of Summit Lawn are in Upper Saucon Township while others are in Salisbury Township. The Salisbury Township government offices are located in Summit Lawn.Pennsylvania Route...
(also in Upper Saucon Township) are in the eastern portion. Salisbury's major thoroughfares include Interstate 78
Interstate 78
Interstate 78 is an Interstate Highway in the Northeast United States, running 144 miles from Interstate 81 northeast of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, through Allentown, Pennsylvania, and western and northern New Jersey to the Holland Tunnel and Lower Manhattan in New York City.I-78 is a major road...
/Route 309
Pennsylvania Route 309
Pennsylvania Route 309 is a major highway which runs for 134 miles through Pennsylvania in the United States. It connects Philadelphia and its northern suburbs to Allentown, Hazleton, and Wilkes-Barre. A limited-access highway portion of PA 309 in the Wilkes-Barre area is known as the North...
, Route 145
Pennsylvania Route 145
Pennsylvania Route 145 , unofficially known as "the gateway to Allentown", is a long north–south state highway in the Lehigh Valley area of eastern Pennsylvania...
, Emmaus Avenue, Susquehanna Street/Broadway, Lehigh Street
Lehigh Street
Lehigh Street is a major road that connects Emmaus, Pennsylvania in the west to Allentown, Pennsylvania in the east, in the Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania, in the United States...
, 24th Street, and Cedar Crest Boulevard.
Adjacent municipalities
- Fountain HillFountain Hill, PennsylvaniaFountain Hill is a borough in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is a suburb of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in the Lehigh Valley region of the state.The population of Fountain Hill was 4,614 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
(northeast) - BethlehemBethlehem, PennsylvaniaBethlehem is a city in Lehigh and Northampton Counties in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 74,982, making it the seventh largest city in Pennsylvania, after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie,...
(northeast) - AllentownAllentown, PennsylvaniaAllentown is a city located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is Pennsylvania's third most populous city, after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and the 215th largest city in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 118,032 and is currently...
(north and northwest) - South Whitehall TownshipSouth Whitehall Township, PennsylvaniaSouth Whitehall Township is a township in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is a suburb of Allentown, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley area of the state. The population of South Whitehall Township was 18,028 at the 2000 census...
(west) - Lower Macungie Township (southwest)
- EmmausEmmaus, PennsylvaniaEmmaus is a borough in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is located five miles southwest of Allentown, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of the state.The population of Emmaus was 11,313 at the 2000 census...
(south) - Upper Milford Township (south)
- Upper Saucon TownshipUpper Saucon Township, PennsylvaniaUpper Saucon Township is a township in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is a suburb of Allentown, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of the state, and geographically in the Saucon Valley....
(southeast) - Lower Saucon Township, Northampton CountyLower Saucon Township, PennsylvaniaLower Saucon Township is a township in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. Lower Saucon Township is located in the Lehigh Valley region of the state, and geographically in the Saucon Valley....
(east)
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
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 13,498 people, 5,138 households, and 3,868 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 1,224.9 people per square mile (472.9/km²). There were 5,281 housing units at an average density of 479.2 per square mile (185.0/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 95.41% White, 1.51% African American, 0.04% Native American, 1.48% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.85% 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 0.67% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.14% of the population.
There were 5,138 households out of which 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.9% 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, 6.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.7% were non-families. 20.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the township the population was spread out with 23.3% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 27.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 95.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.4 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $52,935, and the median income for a family was $62,534. Males had a median income of $44,071 versus $27,746 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 $28,073. About 1.7% of families and 2.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.8% of those under age 18 and 3.4% of those age 65 or over.
Public education
The Township is served by the Salisbury Township School DistrictSalisbury Township School District
Salisbury Township School District is a school district located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It serves Salisbury Township.-Schools:* Salisbury High School*Salisbury Middle School*Harry S Truman Elementary School...
. Salisbury High School
Salisbury High School (Pennsylvania)
Salisbury High School is a public, co-educational high school located in Salisbury Township, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, USA.-History:Salisbury Township was started in 1753, and the educational system consisted of single room schools, however as time passed the need for an organized school...
serves grades 10 through 12.
Elected township officials
Salisbury Township has a home-rule charter and elects five commissioners by ward. The ward numbers increase east to west.Board of Commissioners:
- Robert Martucci, Vice President, Ward 1
- James Seagreaves, Ward 2
- Norma Cusick, Ward 3
- James Brown, President, Ward 4
- Joanne Ackerman, Ward 5
Treasurer:
- Linda Minger
Legislators
- US Representative Charlie DentCharlie DentCharles "Charlie" Dent is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. He is a member of the Republican Party.The district includes all of Northampton County, most of Lehigh County, and small parts of Berks and Montgomery Counties....
, Republican, 15th district - State Senator Rob WonderlingRob WonderlingRobert C. Wonderling was a Republican member of the Pennsylvania State Senate who represented the 24th District from 2003 to 2009. The district he represented includes portions of Montgomery, Berks, Lehigh and Northampton Counties and includes the population centers of Easton, Lansdale, and Emmaus...
, Republican, 24th district - State Representative Joseph F. BrennanJoseph F. BrennanJoseph F. Brennan is a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the 133rd legislative district. He was elected in 2006....
, Democrat, 133rd district, Ward 1 - State Representative Justin SimmonsJustin SimmonsJustin Simmons is an American politician and member of the Republican Party who is serving his first term in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives...
, Republican, 131st district, Wards 2-4 - State Representative Doug ReichleyDoug ReichleyDouglas "Doug" Reichley is a politician from the U.S. state of Pennsylvania; he was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 2002, representing the 134th district. He sits on the House Appropriations, Consumer Affairs, Health and Human Services and Professional Licensure Committees...
, Republican, 134th district, Ward 5