Birmingham Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania


Birmingham Township is a township in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 4,208 at the 2010 census.

History

Birmingham Township was the site of the Battle of Brandywine, September 11, 1777, during the American Revolutionary War. Over 18,000 men were engaged. It was, until that time, the largest land battle on the North American continent. Birmingham Friends Meeting, founded in 1690, is the location of a common grave of both American and British casualties. Much of the original battlefield around the meeting is preserved to this day. Birmingham is the oldest township in Chester County. The township was recently rated by Philadelphia magazine as one of the top five Best Places to Live in the suburbs of Philadelphia and as the "Place with the Biggest Paychecks".
The Lenape Bridge, Birmingham Friends Meetinghouse and School, Brinton's Mill, Edward Brinton House, George Brinton House, Daniel Davis House and Barn, Dilworthtown Historic District, Edgewood, Orthodox Meetinghouse, and Sharpless Homestead are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of, of which is land and, or 1.23%, is water. It is mainly composed of farmland and rolling hills, but several small communities also exist. A small non-contiguous piece of land within the great bend of Brandywine Creek is included in the township. It includes several roads, a railroad, and borders Chadds Ford Township, Delaware County The township has a hot-summer humid continental climate bordering on a humid subtropical climate and the hardiness zone is 7a.
Adjacent townships
At the 2010 census, the township was 90.6% non-Hispanic White, 1.4% Black or African American, 5.2% Asian, and 0.8% were two or more races. 2.1% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry.
At the 2000 census there were 4,221 people in 1,391 households, including 1,265 families, in the township. The population density was 659.3 people per square mile. There were 1,413 housing units at an average density of 220.7/sq mi. The racial makeup of the township was 94.39% White, 0.57% African American, 0.05% Native American, 4.07% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.31% from other races, and 0.57% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.18%.
There were 1,391 households, 45.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 86.4% were married couples living together, 3.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 9.0% were non-families. 7.4% of households were made up of individuals, and 1.1% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 3.03 and the average family size was 3.19.
The age distribution was 30.1% under the age of 18, 4.1% from 18 to 24, 24.3% from 25 to 44, 34.5% from 45 to 64, and 6.9% 65 or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.9 males.
The median household income was $130,096 and the median family income was $132,620. A 2006 study estimates the median household income at $152,516. Males had a median income of $99,678 versus $52,346 for females. The per capita income for the township was $51,756. About 0.4% of families and 0.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under the age of eighteen or sixty-five or over.

Schooling

Students in the area attend either Chadds Ford Elementary School or Pocopson Elementary School, followed by Charles F. Patton Middle School and Unionville High School, all of which are a part of the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District. Private schools are also available nearby.