West Mifflin, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
West Mifflin is a borough
in Allegheny County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
, located southeast of downtown Pittsburgh. The population was 20,313 at the 2010 census.
Although the borough is heavily residential, it is home to one of America's oldest traditional amusement parks, Kennywood Park; the fourth largest shopping mall in the region, Century III
; advanced naval nuclear propulsion technology research and development facility, Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory
; monorail manufacturer Bombardier; US Steel's Irvin Plant; Community College of Allegheny County
's South Campus; the Allegheny County Airport
; and various other businesses and industries.
, the borough has a total area of 14.4 square miles (37.3 km²), of which 14.2 square miles (36.8 km²) is land and 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²), or 1.80%, is water. The landscape is largely hilly and wooded, and the borough's eastern boundary is contiguous with the Monongahela River
three separate times. Much of the original landscape has been altered as a result of the historic dumping of steel mill
byproducts such as slag
and fly ash
. Coal mining has also affected the flow and water quality of small streams. Land developers have produced more level ground by clean-filling ravines and other small parcels of land to improve the land usage. Toxic waste
dump areas are meticulously monitored with water quality improvement with bioremediation
successfully implemented. West Mifflin operates its own sewage treatment
facility.
and Hays
to the north, as well as the boroughs of Munhall
and Whitaker
to the north, the boroughs of Braddock
and North Braddock
across the Monongahela River to the northeast, the city of Duquesne
to the east, the city of McKeesport
and the borough of Glassport
across the Monongahela River to the southeast, the borough of Dravosburg
to the southeast, the city of Clairton
and the boroughs of Jefferson Hills
and Pleasant Hills
to the south, and the borough of Baldwin to the west.
of 2000, there were 22,464 people, 9,509 households, and 6,475 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 1,586.2 people per square mile (612.5/km²). There were 9,966 housing units at an average density of 703.7 per square mile (271.7/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 89.64% White, 8.85% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.25% from other races
, and 0.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.57% of the population.
There were 9,509 households out of which 26.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.6% were married couples
living together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.9% were non-families. 29.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.89.
In the borough the population was spread out with 21.5% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 21.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 89.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.3 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $36,130, and the median income for a family was $46,192. Males had a median income of $36,984 versus $26,529 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $18,140. About 8.8% of families and 10.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.6% of those under age 18 and 9.1% of those age 65 or over.
is the public education provider for the borough. The district operates the following seven schools: the Early Childhood Education Center, Clara Barton Elementary, Homeville Elementary, New England Elementary, New Emerson Elementary, West Mifflin Area Middle School, and West Mifflin Area High School
. Although the district bears the borough's name, it also provides PreSchool-12 education to the residents of Whitaker
and high school education to a number of students residing in Duquesne
.
Borough (Pennsylvania)
In the U.S. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, a borough is a self-governing municipal entity that is usually smaller than a city. There are 958 boroughs in Pennsylvania. All municipalities in Pennsylvania are classified as either cities, boroughs, or townships...
in Allegheny County
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Allegheny County is a county in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,223,348; making it the second most populous county in Pennsylvania, following Philadelphia County. The county seat is Pittsburgh...
, 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...
, located southeast of downtown Pittsburgh. The population was 20,313 at the 2010 census.
Although the borough is heavily residential, it is home to one of America's oldest traditional amusement parks, Kennywood Park; the fourth largest shopping mall in the region, Century III
Century III Mall
Century III Mall is a regional shopping mall located in the southern suburb of West Mifflin, Pennsylvania. It is the fourth largest shopping mall in the Greater Pittsburgh area. Opened in 1979, and remodeled in 1997, the three-level mall contains of retail space and approximately 110 stores...
; advanced naval nuclear propulsion technology research and development facility, Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory
Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory
Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory is a U.S. Government-owned, contractor-operated research and development facility located in the Pittsburgh suburb of West Mifflin, Pennsylvania. It solely focuses on the design and development of nuclear power for the U.S. Navy....
; monorail manufacturer Bombardier; US Steel's Irvin Plant; Community College of Allegheny County
Community College of Allegheny County
Community College of Allegheny County, or CCAC as it is officially abbreviated, is a community college in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. With four campuses and six centers, the college offers associate's degrees, certificate and diploma programs....
's South Campus; the Allegheny County Airport
Allegheny County Airport
Allegheny County Airport is located in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, four miles southeast of the city of Pittsburgh. It is the fifth busiest airport in Pennsylvania following Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, and Harrisburg...
; and various other businesses and industries.
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 borough has a total area of 14.4 square miles (37.3 km²), of which 14.2 square miles (36.8 km²) is land and 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²), or 1.80%, is water. The landscape is largely hilly and wooded, and the borough's eastern boundary is contiguous with the Monongahela River
Monongahela River
The Monongahela River is a river on the Allegheny Plateau in north-central West Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania in the United States...
three separate times. Much of the original landscape has been altered as a result of the historic dumping of steel mill
Steel mill
A steel mill or steelworks is an industrial plant for the manufacture of steel.Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon. It is produced in a two-stage process. First, iron ore is reduced or smelted with coke and limestone in a blast furnace, producing molten iron which is either cast into pig iron or...
byproducts such as slag
Slag
Slag is a partially vitreous by-product of smelting ore to separate the metal fraction from the unwanted fraction. It can usually be considered to be a mixture of metal oxides and silicon dioxide. However, slags can contain metal sulfides and metal atoms in the elemental form...
and fly ash
Fly ash
Fly ash is one of the residues generated in combustion, and comprises the fine particles that rise with the flue gases. Ash which does not rise is termed bottom ash. In an industrial context, fly ash usually refers to ash produced during combustion of coal...
. Coal mining has also affected the flow and water quality of small streams. Land developers have produced more level ground by clean-filling ravines and other small parcels of land to improve the land usage. Toxic waste
Toxic waste
Toxic waste is waste material that can cause death or injury to living creatures. It spreads quite easily and can contaminate lakes and rivers. The term is often used interchangeably with “hazardous waste”, or discarded material that can pose a long-term risk to health or environment.Toxic waste...
dump areas are meticulously monitored with water quality improvement with bioremediation
Bioremediation
Bioremediation is the use of microorganism metabolism to remove pollutants. Technologies can be generally classified as in situ or ex situ. In situ bioremediation involves treating the contaminated material at the site, while ex situ involves the removal of the contaminated material to be treated...
successfully implemented. West Mifflin operates its own sewage treatment
Sewage treatment
Sewage treatment, or domestic wastewater treatment, is the process of removing contaminants from wastewater and household sewage, both runoff and domestic. It includes physical, chemical, and biological processes to remove physical, chemical and biological contaminants...
facility.
Surrounding communities
The borough is bordered by the City of Pittsburgh neighborhoods Lincoln PlaceLincoln Place (Pittsburgh)
Lincoln Place is a neighborhood in the 31st ward of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, located in the southeast corner of the city. It spans two ZIP codes, 15207 and 15120, and is represented on the by Douglas Shields....
and Hays
Hays (Pittsburgh)
Hays is a neighborhood in the 31st Ward of southeastern Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is represented on by the representative of . It occupies ZIP codes 15227, 15207, and 15236. It is named after James H...
to the north, as well as the boroughs of Munhall
Munhall, Pennsylvania
Munhall is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, on the west bank of the Monongahela River, south of the confluence of the Monongahela and the Allegheny rivers where the Ohio River begins. It abuts the borough of Homestead. A large part of the Homestead Works of the Carnegie Steel Company...
and Whitaker
Whitaker, Pennsylvania
Whitaker is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and is on the Monongahela River upriver from Pittsburgh. The population was 1,271 at the 2010 census.The borough is named for James Whitaker, who was deeded the land in 1788....
to the north, the boroughs of Braddock
Braddock, Pennsylvania
Braddock is a borough located in the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, 10 miles upstream from the mouth of the Monongahela River. The population was 2,159 at the 2010 census...
and North Braddock
North Braddock, Pennsylvania
North Braddock is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. North Braddock was organized from a part of Braddock Township in 1897. North Braddock is a suburb east of Pittsburgh with a 15-minute travel time to the city...
across the Monongahela River to the northeast, the city of Duquesne
Duquesne, Pennsylvania
Duquesne is a city along the Monongahela River in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and is part of the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area. The population was 5,565 at the 2010 census.-History:...
to the east, the city of McKeesport
McKeesport, Pennsylvania
McKeesport is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, in the United States; it is located at the confluence of the Monongahela and Youghiogheny rivers and is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The population was 19,731 at the 2010 census...
and the borough of Glassport
Glassport, Pennsylvania
Glassport is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, approximately south of Pittsburgh and the confluence of the Monongahela and Allegheny rivers where they form the Ohio River...
across the Monongahela River to the southeast, the borough of Dravosburg
Dravosburg, Pennsylvania
Dravosburg is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The population was 1,792 at the 2010 census...
to the southeast, the city of Clairton
Clairton, Pennsylvania
Clairton is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, along the Monongahela River. It is part of the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area. The population was 6,796 at the 2010 census. Under Pennsylvania legal classifications for local governments, Clairton is considered a third-class city...
and the boroughs of Jefferson Hills
Jefferson Hills, Pennsylvania
Jefferson Hills is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. It includes the community of "Large, Pennsylvania". As of the 2010 census the population was 10,619...
and Pleasant Hills
Pleasant Hills, Pennsylvania
Pleasant Hills is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 8,268.-Geography:Pleasant Hills is located at ....
to the south, and the borough of Baldwin to the west.
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 22,464 people, 9,509 households, and 6,475 families residing in the borough. 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 1,586.2 people per square mile (612.5/km²). There were 9,966 housing units at an average density of 703.7 per square mile (271.7/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 89.64% White, 8.85% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.25% 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 0.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.57% of the population.
There were 9,509 households out of which 26.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.6% 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, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.9% were non-families. 29.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.89.
In the borough the population was spread out with 21.5% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 21.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 89.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.3 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $36,130, and the median income for a family was $46,192. Males had a median income of $36,984 versus $26,529 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 borough was $18,140. About 8.8% of families and 10.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.6% of those under age 18 and 9.1% of those age 65 or over.
Schools
The West Mifflin Area School DistrictWest Mifflin Area School District
West Mifflin Area School District is a suburban, public school district in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is located in the south hills of Allegheny County. It serves the boroughs of West Mifflin, and Whitaker. West Mifflin Area School District encompasses approximately 15 square miles. ...
is the public education provider for the borough. The district operates the following seven schools: the Early Childhood Education Center, Clara Barton Elementary, Homeville Elementary, New England Elementary, New Emerson Elementary, West Mifflin Area Middle School, and West Mifflin Area High School
West Mifflin Area High School
-School history:The West Mifflin Area High School first opened its doors on Commonwealth Avenue in 1956. At that time, it was one of the borough's two public high schools, and it is today the West Mifflin Area School District's largest and most modern facility...
. Although the district bears the borough's name, it also provides PreSchool-12 education to the residents of Whitaker
Whitaker, Pennsylvania
Whitaker is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and is on the Monongahela River upriver from Pittsburgh. The population was 1,271 at the 2010 census.The borough is named for James Whitaker, who was deeded the land in 1788....
and high school education to a number of students residing in Duquesne
Duquesne, Pennsylvania
Duquesne is a city along the Monongahela River in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and is part of the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area. The population was 5,565 at the 2010 census.-History:...
.