West Mifflin, Pennsylvania | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Location inAllegheny County and the U.S. state ofPennsylvania. | |
| Coordinates:40°22′5″N79°53′51″W / 40.36806°N 79.89750°W /40.36806; -79.89750 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Pennsylvania |
| County | Allegheny |
| Incorporated | 1788 (Mifflin Township) |
| Dec. 11, 1942[1] (Borough) | |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Chris Kelly |
| • Council | John Inglis Karen Santoro Michael Moses Robert Kostelnik Joyce Kushner Steve Marone Scott Stephenson |
| • Borough Manager | Brian Kamauf |
| Area | |
• Total | 14.50 sq mi (37.56 km2) |
| • Land | 14.21 sq mi (36.79 km2) |
| • Water | 0.29 sq mi (0.76 km2) 1.8% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 19,589 |
• Estimate (2019)[3] | 19,699 |
| • Density | 1,386.67/sq mi (535.38/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code | 15122[4] |
| Area code | 878 |
| FIPS code | 42-83512 |
| Website | westmifflinborough |
West Mifflin is aborough inAllegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, located southeast of downtownPittsburgh. The population was 19,589 at the2020 census.[5] It is named afterThomas Mifflin, 1stGovernor of Pennsylvania, signer of theUnited States Constitution, and 1stQuartermaster General of the United States Army.[6]
Although the borough is heavily residential, it is home to one of America's oldest traditional amusement parks,Kennywood Park. Other employers include advanced naval nuclear propulsion technology research and development facility,Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory; monorail manufacturerBombardier;US Steel'sMon Valley Works–Irvin Plant;Community College of Allegheny County's South Campus; and theAllegheny County Airport.[citation needed]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 14.4 square miles (37 km2), of which 14.2 square miles (37 km2) is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2), or 1.80%, is water. The landscape is largely hilly and wooded, and the borough's eastern boundary is contiguous with theMonongahela River three separate times. Much of the original landscape has been altered as a result of the historic dumping ofsteel mill byproducts such asslag andfly ash.
West Mifflin has ten land borders, including thePittsburgh neighborhoods ofLincoln Place andHays as well asMunhall andWhitaker, to the north,Duquesne to the east,Dravosburg to the southeast,Jefferson Hills andPleasant Hills to the south,Baldwin to the west and also a short border with Clairton to the south.
Three segments of West Mifflin run along the Monongahela River. Adjacent to these areas across the river areBraddock,North Braddock,McKeesport andGlassport.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | 8,694 | — | |
| 1950 | 17,985 | 106.9% | |
| 1960 | 27,289 | 51.7% | |
| 1970 | 28,070 | 2.9% | |
| 1980 | 26,322 | −6.2% | |
| 1990 | 23,644 | −10.2% | |
| 2000 | 22,464 | −5.0% | |
| 2010 | 20,313 | −9.6% | |
| 2020 | 19,589 | −3.6% | |
| 2019 (est.) | 19,699 | [3] | −3.0% |
| Sources:[7][8][9][10] | |||
As of thecensus[11] 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 inhabitants per square mile (612.4/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% fromother races, and 0.84% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino 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% weremarried 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. Theper capita income for the borough was $18,140. About 8.8% of families and 10.2% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 16.6% of those under age 18 and 9.1% of those age 65 or over. The unemployment rate is just over 6%.[12]
Coal mining in the area has 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 usageToxic waste dump areas[13][14] are monitored with water quality improvement withbioremediation successfully implemented. West Mifflin operates its ownsewage treatment facility. The Environmental Protection agency regulates 78 facilities for environmental compliance.[15] Asbestos waste and radioactive waste and controls were addressed in 1991.[16]
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third Parties |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 48%5,397 | 50%5,703 | 1%126 |
| 2016 | 49%4,896 | 50%4,930 | 1%117 |
| 2012 | 42%4,171 | 56%5,568 | 2%120 |
Seven schools exist in West Mifflin: four public schools and three private schools. West Mifflin public schools belong to one district-West Mifflin Area School District. School students in the neighboring boroughs ofWhitaker andDuquesne also attend school in the West Mifflin School District.
There are two West Mifflin elementary schools, one West Mifflin middle school, one West Mifflin High School, and 13 West Mifflin preschools.
| Name | Grade level | Address | Enrollment | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calvary Baptist Preschool & Kindergarten | Day Care through K | 120 Anborn Drive | 7 | Private |
| Clara Barton Elementary School | K-3 | 764 Beverly Drive | 222 | Public |
| Cornerstone Christian Preparatory Academy | Pre-K–12 | 1900 Clairton Road | 251 | Private |
| Homeville Elementary School | K-3 | 4315 Eliza Street | 395 | Public |
| Walnut Grove Christian School | Pre-K-6 | 44 Adams Avenue | 251 | Private |
| West Mifflin Middle School | 4–8 | 91 Commonwealth Avenue | 641 | Public |
| West Mifflin Area High School | 9–12 | 91 Commonwealth Avenue | 1162 | Public[20][21] |
New England Elementary has been closed since June 2012. Saint Agnes School has been closed since June 2019. New Emerson has been closed since 2020. Prior to July 2016,Wilson Christian Academy existed at 1900 Clairton Road. It was merged into Cornerstone Christian Preparatory Academy, which is currently at that location.
West Mifflin school administrators' use of school credit cards for meals has been called into question.[22] The West Mifflin School District charges tuition for nearby Duquesne students to attend.[23]
Community College of Allegheny County also has its South Campus in the borough, at 1750 Clairton Road.
West Mifflin is accessible primarily by road, though noInterstate highways pass through the area. The main road passing through most of the area isPennsylvania Route 885, which intersects withPennsylvania Route 51 nearby in the borough ofWhitehall.
West Mifflin is the location ofAllegheny County Airport, ageneral aviation airport; as a result, most of West Mifflin is inClass D airspace. The nearest airports with commercial service arePittsburgh International Airport andArnold Palmer Regional Airport.
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| Preceded by | Bordering communities ofPittsburgh | Succeeded by |
