Beaver County, Pennsylvania


Beaver County is a county in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 170,539. Its county seat is Beaver. The county was created on March 12, 1800, from parts of Allegheny and Washington Counties. It took its name from the Beaver River.
Beaver County is part of the Pittsburgh, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

The original townships at the date of the erection of Beaver County were North Beaver, east and west of the Big Beaver Creek; South Beaver, west of the Big Beaver; and Sewickley, east of the Big Beaver—all north of the Ohio River; and Hanover, First Moon, and Second Moon, south of the Ohio.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which is land and is water. It has a humid continental climate and average monthly temperatures in the Beaver/Rochester vicinity range from 29.4 °F in January to 73.2 °F in July.

Bodies of water

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As of the census of 2000, there were 181,412 people, 72,576 households, and 50,512 families residing in the county. The population density was 418 people per square mile. There were 77,765 housing units at an average density of 179 per square mile. The racial makeup of the county was 92.55% White, 5.96% Black or African American, 0.10% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.20% from other races, and 0.92% from two or more races. 0.72% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 23.0% were of German, 17.4% Italian, 9.9% Irish, 6.5% English, 6.4% Polish and 5.8% American ancestry.
There were 72,576 households out of which 28.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.50% were married couples living together, 11.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.40% were non-families. Of all households 26.90% were made up of individuals and 13.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the county, the age distribution of the population shows 22.60% under the age of 18, 7.40% from 18 to 24, 27.30% from 25 to 44, 24.20% from 45 to 64, and 18.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.20 males.
; Birth rate:
Beaver County's live birth rate was 2,437 births in 1990. Beaver County's live birth rate in 2000 was 1,891 births, while in 2011 it had declined to 1,690 babies. Over the past 50 years, rural Pennsylvania saw a steady decline in both the number and proportion of residents under 18 years old. In 1960, 1.06 million rural residents, or 35 percent of the rural population, were children.
; Teen pregnancy rate
Beaver County reported 1,069 babies born to teens in 2011. In 2015, the number of teen births in Beaver County was 1,025.
; County poverty demographics
According to research by The Center for Rural Pennsylvania, which is a legislative Agency of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, the poverty rate for Beaver County was 11.7% in 2014. The statewide poverty rate was 13.6% in 2014. The 2012 childhood poverty rate by school district was: Ambridge Area School District: 40.6% living at 185% or below than the Federal Poverty Level; Aliquippa School District: 82.7%; Beaver Area School District: 17.4%; Big Beaver Falls Area School District: 71.3%; Blackhawk School District: 27.9%; Central Valley School District: 30.8%; Freedom Area School District: 40.8%, Hopewell Area School District: 24.9%; Midland Borough School District: 64.9%; New Brighton Area School District: 54.4%; Riverside Beaver County School District: 31.9%; Rochester Area High School: 66.3%; South Side Area School District: 31.5%; and Western Beaver County School District: 36.5%. The child poverty rate is collected by the school districts as part of the federal free school lunch program.

Government and politics

Voter registration

In November 2008, there were 118,269 registered voters in Beaver County.
By April 2016, there were 109,091 registered voters, a decrease of 7.7% since 2008.
The county is divided into 129 precincts.
As of November 7, 2017 there were 108,931 registered voters in the county. Democrats had a majority of the voters. There were 55,600 registered Democrats, 40,101 registered Republicans, 12,581 voters registered to other parties, 568 to the Libertarian Party and 81 voters registered to the Green Party.

Political history

Beaver County used to be a Democratic stronghold, and still has a large Democratic edge in registration. In 2015, however, the GOP took majority status in the Commissioners' Office for the first time since 1955. Multiple Democratic seats in both houses of the Pennsylvania Legislature have been lost to Republicans over the past few years. In statewide and federal elections it has been moving rightward as well. In 2004 Democrat John Kerry won Beaver County over Republican George Bush 51% to 48%. In 2008 Republican John McCain defeated Democrat Barack Obama 50% to 47%, becoming the first Republican to win there since 1972 and only the third since 1928. Each of the three state row office winners carried Beaver. In 2010 Republican Governor Tom Corbett and Republican Senator Pat Toomey both carried Beaver in their successful statewide bids. However, Beaver County voted for Bob Casey Jr. in his reelection bid in 2012 50% to 47%.

County commissioners

Beaver County offers many shops and places to eat. Beaver County is home to the Beaver Valley Mall in Center Township which is home to hundreds of shops and restaurants.
Near Koppel there is Buttermilk Falls, a naturally occurring waterfall.

Transportation

Major roads and highways

Airports

Public transit is provided by the Beaver County Transit Authority.

Education

Colleges and universities

Public school districts

The 498 school districts of Pennsylvania that have high schools were ranked for student academic achievement as demonstrated by three years of math and reading PSSA results by the Pittsburgh Business Times in 2008.

High schools

As reported by the Pennsylvania Department of Education – EdNA, as of April 2010.
As reported by the Pennsylvania Department of Education – EdNA, as of April 2010.
In 2009, Center Area School District and Monaca School District merged to form Central Valley School District.

Communities

Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: cities, boroughs, townships, and, in at most two cases, towns. The following cities, boroughs and townships are in Beaver County:

Cities

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Beaver County.
† county seat
RankCity/town/etc.Population Municipal typeIncorporated
1Aliquippa9,438City1928 1987
2Beaver Falls8,987City1868 1928
3Economy8,970Borough1957
4Ellwood City '7,921Borough
5Ambridge7,050Borough1905
6New Brighton6,025Borough1838
7Monaca5,737Borough1840
8† Beaver4,531Borough1802
9Baden4,135Borough1868
10Rochester3,657Borough1849
11Ohioville3,533Borough1860
12Harmony Township3,197CDP and township1851
13Patterson Township3,029CDP and township1845
14Midland2,635Borough1906
15Conway2,176Borough1902
16Big Beaver1,970Borough1858
17Industry1,835Borough1960
18Freedom1,569Borough1838
19West Mayfield1,239Borough1923
20Koppel762Borough1910
21Bridgewater704Borough1835
22Patterson Heights636Borough1899
23East Rochester567Borough1908
24South Heights475Borough1910
25New Galilee379Borough1854
26Fallston266Borough1829
27Darlington254Borough1820
28Eastvale225Borough1892
29Shippingport214Borough1910
30Georgetown174Borough1850
31Hookstown147Borough1843
32Frankfort Springs130Borough1844
33Homewood109Borough1910
34Glasgow'''60Borough1854

Notable people