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I re-drew the county lines in our area (and even invented and deleted some counties), and here's what I got. Thoughts? Some of the changes are pretty dramatic.
PITTSBURGH COUNTY
Areas included: Pittsburgh, Mt. Lebanon, Ross, Shaler, Baldwin, Scott Twp, Wilkinsburg, Whitehall, Munhall, Brentwood, Swissvale, Dormont, Bellevue, Castle Shannon, Carnegie, Forest Hills, Stowe Twp, McKeesRocks, Crafton, Turtle Creek, North Braddock, Avalon, Green Tree, Millvale, Etna, Sharpsburg, Mt. Oliver, Reserve Twp, Ingram, Homestead, Edgewood, Churchhill, Aspinwall, Emsworth, Braddock, Rankin, Baldwin Twp, West Homestead, Braddock Hills, East Pittsburgh, Ben Avon, Whitaker, Heidelburg, Neville Twp, Chalfant, Thornburg, Rossalyn Farms
Total Population - 627,146
Square Miles - 139.15
Population Density - 4,507.0 ppsm
Median Income - $45,331.15
White % - 73.4%
AA % - 20.7%
Asian/PI % - 3.5%
Hispanic % - 1.9%
Other % - 0.6%
WESTMORELAND COUNTY (New)
Areas included: Hempfield Township, Penn Hills, Monroeville, Plum, Murrysville, Penn Twp, McKeesport, Greensburg, New Kensington, Lower Burrell, North Versallies, Jeannette, White Oak, Wilkins Twp, Oakmont, Arnold, Irwin, Pitcairn, Manor, Trafford, Youngwood, Delmont, Verona, Upper Burrell Twp, Wilmerding, New Stanton, SW Greensburg, S Greensburg, East McKeesport, Export, N Irwin, Wall, Penn, Madison, Arona, Adamsburg
Total Population - 355,571
Square Miles - 318.10
Population Density - 1,117.8 ppsm
Median Income - $54,917.57
White % - 85.5%
AA % - 11.4%
Asian/PI % - 1.7%
Hispanic % - 1.2%
Other % - 0.3%
NORTH ALLEGHENY COUNTY
Areas included: McCandless, Cranberry, Hampton, Franklin Park, West Deer Twp, Adams Twp, Pine, Richland, Harrison Twp, Ohara Twp, Buffalo Twp (Butler County), Indiana Twp, Marshall Twp, West View, Middlesex Twp (Butler), Fox Chapel, Ohio Twp, Tarentum, Sewickley, Brackenridge, Harmar Twp, Seven Fields, Clinton Twp (Butler), Fawn Twp, Aleppo Twp, Cheswick, Mars, Edgeworth, Springdale Twp, East Deer Twp, Blawnox, Bell Acres, Bradford Woods, Frazer Twp, Sewickley Heights, Kilbuck Twp, Sewickely HIlls, Valencia, Osborne, Callery, Ben Avon Heights, Glenfield, Haysville
Total Population - 242,705
Square Miles - 352.54
Population Density - 688.4 ppsm Median Income - $85,452.59Higher than ANY current county in PA
White % - 93.0%
AA % - 2.1%
Asian/PI % - 3.5%
Hispanic % - 1.2%
Other % - 0.2%
SOUTH ALLEGHENY COUNTY
Areas included: Bethel Park, Peters, West Mifflin, USC, South Fayette, Washington City, South Park Twp, North Strabane Twp, Robinson Twp, Cecil Twp (Washington), Jefferson Hills, South Strabane Twp, Canonsburg, Canton Twp (Washington), Pleasant Hills, Chartiers Twp (Washington), Kennedy Twp, Collier Twp, Clairton, Duquesne, Bridgeville, North Franklin Twp (Washington), Glassport, Port Vue, Nottingham Twp (Washington), Liberty, East Washington, Dravosburg, Houston, Lincoln, Pennsbury Village
Total Population - 283,782
Square Miles - 304.68
Population Density - 931.4 ppsm
Median Income - $65,092.75
White % - 89.9%
AA % - 6.6%
Asian/PI % - 2.1%
Hispanic % - 1.2%
Other % - 0.3%
MONONGAHELA COUNTY
Areas included: Elizabeth Twp, Rostraver Twp, Monessen, California, Luzerne Twp (Fayette), Union Twp (Washington), Caroll Twp (Washington), Redstone Twp (Fayette), German Twp (Fayette), Donora, Fallowfield Twp (Washington), Monongahela, Menallen Twp (Fayette), Charleroi, Washington Twp (Fayette), Masontown, Forward Twp (Allegheny), Centerville, West Newton, Perry Twp (Fayette), East Bethlehem Twp, Brownsville, New Eagle, Jefferson Twp (Fayette), North Belle Vernon, Perryopolis, Elizabeth Boro, North Charleroi, Speers, Belle Vernon, W Brownsville, Roscoe, Deemston, Brownsville Twp, Sutersville, Fayette City, Newell, Allenport, W Elizabeth, Stockdale, Finleyville, Long Branch, Dunlevy, S. Versallies Twp, Elco, Twilight, Coal Center
Total Population - 136,070
Square Miles - 406.16
Population Density - 335.0 ppsm
Median Income - $42,355.85
White % - 91.6%
AA % - 6.5%
Asian/PI % - 0.5%
Hispanic % - 1.1%
Other % - 0.4%
WEST ALLEGHENY COUNTY
Areas included: Moon, North Fayette, Hopewell, Center Twp (Beaver), Aliquippa, Economy, Ambridge, Mononaca, Corapolis, Findlay Twp (Allegheny), Smith Twp (Washington), Baden, Hanover Twps (Beaver and Washington), Mt. Pleasant Twp (Washington), Harmony Twp (Beaver), Raccoon Twp, Cresant Twp, Midland, Independence Twp (Beaver), Green Twp (Beaver), Conway, McDonald, Robinson Twp (Washington), Leet Twp, Cross Creek Twp, Oakdale, Burgettstown, Leetsdale, Jefferson Twp (Washington), Midway, Potter Twp, South Heights, Shippingport, Georgetown, Hookstown, Frankfort Springs
Total Population - 156,597
Square Miles - 466.60
Population Density - 335.6 ppsm
Median Income - $56,056.32
White % - 89.5%
AA % - 7.4%
Asian/PI % - 1.4%
Hispanic % - 1.4%
Other % - 0.4%
BEAVER COUNTY (New)
Areas included: All of Lawrence County, Beaver Falls, Brighton Twp, Chippewa Twp, New Sewickley Twp, New Brighton, North Sewickley Twp, Beaver, Franklin Twp, Rochester, Ohioville, Daughtery Twp, Patterson Twp, Rochester Twp, South Beaver Twp, Big Beaver, Darlington Twp, Industry, Freedom Pulaski Twp, White Twp, Vanport Twp, West Mayfield Marion Twp, Koppel, Bridgewater, Patterson Heights, Ellwood City, East Rochester, New Galiiee, Fallston, Darlington, Eastvale, Homewood, Glasgow
Total Population - 180,620
Square Miles - 608.30
Population Density - 296.9 ppsm
Median Income - $46,266.16
White % - 92.3%
AA % - 5.9%
Asian/PI % - 0.5%
Hispanic % - 1.0%
Other % - 0.2%
EASTMORELAND COUNTY (New)
Areas included: Unity Township (Westmoreland), Derry Twp, Mt. Pleasant Twp (Westmoreland), Latrobe, East Huntingdon Twp, Salem Twp, Ligoneir Township, Mt. Pleasant, Scottdale, Derry, Fairfield Twp (Westmoreland), Donegal Twp (Westmoreland), Loyalhanna Twp, Cook Twp, Ligoneir, St. Clair Twp (Westmoreland), New Florence, New Alexandria, Seward, Bolivar, Smithton, Youngstown, Hunker, Laurel Mountain, Donegal, Bullskin Twp (Fayette), Saltlick Twp (Fayette), Upper/Lower Tyrone Twps (Fayette), Everson, Dawson
Total Population - 131,696
Square Miles - 781.0
Population Density - 168.6 ppsm
Median Income - $46,797.96
White % - 97.2%
AA % - 1.3%
Asian/PI % - 0.6%
Hispanic % - 0.7%
Other % - 0.2%
BUTLER COUNTY (New)
Areas included: Butler, Butler Twp, Center Twp (Butler), Slippery Rock Twp, Jefferson Twp (Butler), Penn Twp (Butler), Summit Twp (Butler), Connoquenessing Twp, Zelienople, Jackson Twp (Butler), Slippery ROck, Winfield Twp, Oakland Twp (Butler), Clay Twp, Clearfield Twp, Franklin Twp (Butler), Lancaster Twp (Butler), Forward Twp (Butler), Muddy Creek Twp, Fairview Twp, Donegal Twp (Butler), Evans City, Saxonburg, Concord Twp (Butler), Worth Twp, Brady Twp, Washington Twp (Butler), Marion Twp (Butler), Prospect, Cherry Twp, Mercer Twp (Butler), Chicora, Harrisville, Harmony, Venango Twp, East Butler, Allegheny Twp (Butler), Connoquenessing, Bruin, West Liberty, Eau Claire, Portersville, Petrolia, Karns City, Fairview, West Sunbury, Cherry Valley
Total Population - 123,020
Square Miles - 670.70
Population Density - 183.4 ppsm
Median Income - $50,450.82
White % - 96.1%
AA % - 2.0%
Asian/PI % - 0.8%
Hispanic % - 0.9%
Other % - 0.2%
FAYETTE COUNTY (New)
Areas included: North/South Union Twps, Uniontown, Connellsville, Dunbar Twp, Georges Twp, Wharton Twp, Springfield Twp, Springhill Twp, Franklin Twp, Connellsville Twp, Henry Clay Twp, Fairchance, South Connellsville, Nicholson Twp, Point Marion, Dunbar, Smithfield, Stewart Twp, Vanderbilt, Markleysburg, Ohiopyle
Total Population - 82,042
Square Miles - 520.70
Population Density - 157.6 ppsm Median Income - $39,584.80 (Without the Mon Valley, Ironically, dips to lowest in state)
White % - 93.1%
AA % - 5.5%
Asian/PI % - 0.5%
Hispanic % - 0.7%
Other % - 0.2%
KISKI COUNTY
Areas included: Kiskiminetas Twp, Parks Twp, South Buffalo Twp, Gilpin Twp, Plumcreek Twp, Kittanning Twp, Leechburg, Freeport, Apollo, North Apollo, Bethel Twp, South Bend Twp, Burrell Twp, Elderton, Allegheny Twp (Westmoreland), Washington Twp (Westmoreland), Vandergrift, Bell Twp, West Leechburg, Avonmore, Oklahoma, East Vandergrift, Hyde Park
Total Population - 55,051
Square Miles - 321.80
Population Density - 171.1 ppsm
Median Income - $48,665.15
White % - 96.6%
AA % - 2.3%
Asian/PI % - 0.3%
Hispanic % - 0.6%
Other % - 0.1%
KITTANNING COUNTY (New)
Areas included: Manor Twp, East Franklin Twp, Kittanning, North Buffalo Twp, Ford City, Cowanshannock Twp, Rayburn Twp, West Franklin Twp, Sugarcreek Twp, Mahoning Twp, Wayne Twp, West Kittanning, Redbank Twp, Boggs Twp, Washington Twp (Armstrong), Rural Valley, Parker, Madison Twp (Armstrong), Bradys Bend Twp, Valley Twp, Worthington, Dayton, South Bethlehem, Pine Twp (Armstrong), Manorville, Ford Cliff, Perry Twp (Armstrong), Cadogan Twp, Applewold, Atwood, Hovey Twp
Total Population - 41,317
Square Miles - 421.30
Population Density - 98.1 ppsm
Median Income - $44,504.04
White % - 97.7%
AA % - 1.4%
Asian/PI % - 0.3%
Hispanic % - 0.5%
Other % - 0.1%
SOUTH WASHINGTON COUNTY (New)
Areas included: Amwell Twp, South Franklin Twp, Somerset Twp, Bentleyville, Donegal Twp (Washington), Buffalo Twp, North Bethlehem Twp, West Pike Run Twp, Independence Twp (Washington), West Bethlehem Twp, East Finley Twp, Morris Twp, Ellsworth, Hopewell Twp (Washington), West Finely Twp, Claysville, Blaine Twp, Cokeburg, Mariana, Beallsville, West Middleton, Green Hills
Total Population - 31,731
Square Miles - 391.50
Population Density - 81.0 ppsm
Median Income - $52,964.66
White % - 96.8%
AA % - 2.1%
Asian/PI % - 0.3%
Hispanic % - 0.7%
Other % - 0.1%
Why does Pittsburgh County get a measly 139 sq miles (equivalent to the CITY of Detroit for comparison) while all the other counties triple, quadruple or quintuple that area?
More governmental fragmentation is not what the Commonwealth needs, but that's an interesting hypothetical all the same. Thanks for posting!
That reminds me, I had wanted to do some demographic regressions before my *sniff* premium student SocialExplorer membership expires.
I agree completely, but actually was trying to change the counties to be demographically? equal. Even I was suprised to see Fayette County was poorer without the Mon Valley and Northern Allegheny/Southern Butler is, on average, wealthier than Chester County and Montco.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Evergrey
Why does Pittsburgh County get a measly 139 sq miles (equivalent to the CITY of Detroit for comparison) while all the other counties triple, quadruple or quintuple that area?
^First line up there. I was trying to keep the densest parts of Allegheny County together as Pittsburgh county. (Getting rid of the fringes of Allegheny only reduces the population by less than half, but TRIPLES the population density). Also 139 sq miles is the size of Philadelphia County.
Figured I'd combine my new counties of Pittsburgh, North Allegheny, South Allegheny, West Allegheny, Westmoreland, and Monongahela.
EVERGREY COUNTY
Population - 1,801,871
Sq Miles - 1,987.23
Population Density - 906.72 ppsm
Median Income - $56,447
White % - 83.7%
AA% - 12.0%
Asian/PI % - 2.5%
Hispanic % - 1.4%
Other % - 0.4%
Philadelphia county was not originally 135 sq miles, montgomery county (487 sq miles)was originally part of philadelphia county which would put it around 622 sq mie, closer to the same size as today's allegheny county. in retrospect it wuold be more useful if the split had not occurred but as a result Philadelphia is an anomaly, being coterminus with the city border.
Quote:
Two counties would be formed out of Philadelphia County, Berks County which was formed in 1752 (from parts of Chester, Lancaster, and Philadelphia counties), and Montgomery County established in 1784. From these separations, as well as other border moves, come the present day boundaries of the county.
some of these separations were done for reasons that are no longer relevant like transportation(and probably haven't been since the advent of the railroad). chester county moved the county seat from chester to turk's head (as it was then known)..renamed west chester to appease western chester county residents who complain of the then long travel time to chester. eastern chester countians rebelled and seceded forming delaware county, later moving the seat to the small borough of media. it would probably be better today if they were still one and the seat still in chester.
the first county to secede was lancaster, from chester. that probably does make sense. fwiw there were originally three counties, chester, Philadelphia, and Bucks. all three started on the delaware river and extended to the susquehana as I understand it.
Would school districts remain the same or would you re-draw district borders?
I think you would have to redraw those as well. Most wouldn't be affected though; and the county wide districts would just realign with the new boundaries.
That reminds me, I had wanted to do some demographic regressions before my *sniff* premium student SocialExplorer membership expires.
Welp, now I know what I'm doing the rest of the day. How have I not heard of SocialExplorer before?
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