Swissvale, Pennsylvania | |
|---|---|
 Longfellow School (1902), National Register of Historic Places | |
 Location inAllegheny County and the U.S. state ofPennsylvania. | |
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  Swissvale  Swissvale | |
| Coordinates:40°25′20″N79°53′10″W / 40.42222°N 79.88611°W /40.42222; -79.88611 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Allegheny |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Deneen Swartzwelder (D) |
| Area | |
• Total | 1.24 sq mi (3.22 km2) |
| • Land | 1.20 sq mi (3.11 km2) |
| • Water | 0.04 sq mi (0.11 km2) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 8,624 |
• Estimate (2021)[2] | 8,490 |
| • Density | 7,193.84/sq mi (2,777.35/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes | 15218 |
| Area code | 412 |
| FIPS code | 42-75816 |
| Website | swissvaleborough |
Swissvale is a borough inAllegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, 9 miles (14 km) east of downtownPittsburgh. Named for a farmstead owned by James Swisshelm,[3] during theindustrial age it was the site of theUnion Switch and Signal Company ofGeorge Westinghouse. The population was 8,624 at the2020 census.[4]
Swissvale is named after the Swisshelm family. John Swisshelm (1752–1838), who owned a farm where the town is located. John Swisshelm served under GeneralGeorge Washington in theRevolutionary War, and camped atValley Forge. Swisshelm married Mary Elizabeth Miller, and they had many children. Their son, James Swisshelm, married Jane Grey Cannon, noted abolitionist and political activist, Jane Swisshelm named the town Swissvale as the town overlooked the Monongahela River Valley. The Pittsburgh neighborhood ofSwisshelm Park, adjacent to Swissvale, is named after John Swisshelm.
Since 1874, the Allegheny Car & Transportation Shops had provided well-paying jobs to local citizens and were later purchased byGeorge Westinghouse, the President ofWestinghouse Air Brake Company, who formed theUnion Switch & Signal company and maintained that facility in Swissvale.
Swissvale is located at40°25′20″N79°53′10″W / 40.42222°N 79.88611°W /40.42222; -79.88611 (40.422304, −79.886185).[5]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 1.3 square miles (3.4 km2), of which 1.2 square miles (3.1 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2), or 4.76%, is water.
Swissvale has six land borders, includingEdgewood to the north,Braddock Hills to the east,North Braddock to the southeast,Rankin to the south, and thePittsburgh neighborhoods ofRegent Square andSwisshelm Park to the west. (The area known as Regent Square also encompasses portions of Pittsburgh,Wilkinsburg, Edgewood, and Swissvale.) Directly across theMonongahela River to the southwest is the borough ofMunhall.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 1,716 | — | |
| 1910 | 7,381 | 330.1% | |
| 1920 | 10,908 | 47.8% | |
| 1930 | 16,029 | 46.9% | |
| 1940 | 15,919 | −0.7% | |
| 1950 | 16,488 | 3.6% | |
| 1960 | 15,089 | −8.5% | |
| 1970 | 13,819 | −8.4% | |
| 1980 | 11,345 | −17.9% | |
| 1990 | 10,637 | −6.2% | |
| 2000 | 9,653 | −9.3% | |
| 2010 | 8,983 | −6.9% | |
| 2020 | 8,624 | −4.0% | |
| Sources:[6][7][8][9][10] | |||
As of the2020 census,[6] there were 8,624 people, 4,456 households, and 2,390 families residing in the borough. The population density was 8,052.0 inhabitants per square mile (3,108.9/km2). There were 5,097 housing units at an average density of 4,251.6 per square mile (1,641.6/km2). Theracial makeup of the borough was 74.45% White, 22.14% African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.91% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.60% from other races, and 1.72% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.06% of the population.
There were 4,456 households, out of which 21.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.0% were married couples living together, 16.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 48.9% were non-families. 42.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.06 and the average family size was 2.85.
In the borough the population was spread out, with 20.0% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 31.7% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.0 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $31,523, and the median income for a family was $35,929. Males had a median income of $29,333 versus $25,184 for females. Theper capita income for the borough was $19,216. About 14.1% of families and 15.3% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 26.2% of those under age 18 and 10.4% of those age 65 or over.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2020 | 804 | 15.93% | 4,203 | 83.26% | 41 | 0.81% |
| 2016 | 760 | 16.32% | 3,817 | 81.98% | 79 | 1.70% |
| 2012 | 910 | 19.45% | 3,700 | 79.08% | 69 | 1.47% |
Swissvale has voted for theDemocratic party nominee overwhelmingly in the previous three general elections.
The borough has a mayoral local government. Deneen Swartzwelder (D) of the Democratic Party is the current mayor and has been since 2005; she is currently serving her fifth term.[14]
Borough of Swissvale Council is made up of seven elected members, with each member serving a four-year term. Council elections are held in November every other year with newly elected officials sworn in the following January.[15]
Michelle Naccarati-Chapkis represents Swissvale as a member of the Allegheny County Council from the 8th district.[14]
Source:[14]
Swissvale is served by theWoodland Hills School District.
Swissvale is served by theRoslyn andSwissvale stations on theMartin Luther King Jr. East Busway.
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| Preceded by | Bordering communities ofPittsburgh | Succeeded by |
