Chester County, Pennsylvania Totally Explained

Everything about Chester County Pennsylvania totally explained

As of the census of 2000, there were 433,501 people, 157,905 households, and 113,375 families residing in the county. The population density was 573 people per square mile (221/km²). There were 163,773 housing units at an average density of 217 per square mile (84/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 89.21% White, 6.24% Black or African American, 0.15% Native American, 1.95% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.35% from other races, and 1.06% from two or more races. 3.72% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 18.0% were of Irish, 17.3% German, 13.1% Italian, 10.1% English and 5.6% American ancestry according to Census 2000. 91.4% spoke English and 3.7% Spanish as their first language.
   There were 157,905 households out of which 35.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.50% were married couples living together, 8.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.20% were non-families. 22.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.15.
   In the county, the population was spread out with 26.20% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 30.40% from 25 to 44, 23.80% from 45 to 64, and 11.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 96.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.10 males.
   The median income for a household in the county was $65,295, and the median income for a family was $76,916. Males had a median income of $51,223 versus $34,854 for females. The per capita income for the county was $31,627. About 3.10% of families and 5.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.10% of those under age 18 and 5.50% of those age 65 or over.
   The region was originally occupied by the Lenni Lenape people who greeted European settlers in the seventeenth century with amity and kindness. British settlers were mostly English, Scotch-Irish and Welsh in ethnicity. As time passed, the region has had large influxes of Germans, Africans, Eastern Europeans, Italians, Puerto Ricans, and Mexicans.

Politics

Presidential elections results>

Year	GOP	Dems
2004	52.0% 120,306	47.5% 109,708
2000	53.4% 100,080	43.7% 82,047
1996	48.7% 77,029	41.0% 64,783
1992	43.7% 74,002	35.2% 59,643
1988	67.0% 93,522	32.1% 44,853
1984	70.1% 92,221	29.6% 38,870
1980	60.9% 73,046	28.6% 34,307
1976	60.4% 67,686	38.1% 42,712
1972	68.4% 72,726	29.3% 31,118
1968	57.2% 56,073	33.3% 32,606
1964	45.5% 40,280	54.1% 47,940
1960	63.6% 53,059	36.2% 30,167

As of November 2007, there are 292,265 registered voters in Chester County.

Democratic: 92,317 (31.61%)

Republican: 150,277 (51.42%)

Other Parties: 49,671 (17.00%) In the past Chester County has been reliably Republican. In recent elections however it has been trending Democratic. In 2000 Gore lost it by almost 10 percent but in 2004 George Bush defeated John Kerry by a much smaller margin of only 4 percent.

Government

Chester County is administered by a three-person Board of Commissioners, who are elected for four-year terms, which take place in the year preceding US Presidential elections. The Commissioners have selective policy-making authority to provide certain local services and facilities on a county-wide basis. Accordingly, the commissioners are responsible for the management of the fiscal and administrative functions of the county.

Commissioners

Carol Aichele

Patrick O’Donnell

Donald A. Mancici

Other elected officials

Teena Peters, Clerk of Courts

Valentino R. DiGiorgio, III, Controller

Robert O. Satriale, Coroner

Joe Carroll, District Attorney

Martha E. Smith, Jury Commissioner

Mimi Sack, Jury Commissioner

Bryan Walters, Prothonotary

Terence Farrell, Recorder of Deeds

Paula Gowen, Register of Wills

Carolyn Bunny Welsh, Sheriff

Alan Randzin, Treasurer

United States House of Representatives

District	Representative	Party
6	Jim Gerlach	Republican
7	Joe Sestak	Democratic
16	Joseph R. Pitts	Republican

United States Senate

Senator	Party
Arlen Specter	Republican
Bob Casey	Democrat

Pennsylvania House of Representatives

District	Representative	Party
16	Sean Ramaley	Democratic
26	Tim F. Hennessey	Republican
155	Curt Schroder	Republican
156	Barbara McIlvaine Smith	Democratic
157	Carole Rubley	Republican
158	Chris Ross	Republican
160	Stephen Barrar	Republican
167	Duane Milne	Republican
168	Tom H. Killian	Republican

Pennsylvania State Senate

District	Representative	Party
9	Dominic Pileggi	Republican
19	Andrew Dinniman	Democratic
26	Edwin B. Erickson	Republican
36	Michael Brubaker	Republican
44	John C. Rafferty, Jr.	Republican
48	Mike Folmer	Republican

Municipalities

Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: cities, boroughs,, and, in at most two cases, towns. The post office uses community names and boundaries that usually don't correspond to the townships, and usually only have the same names as the municipalities for the cities and boroughs. The names used by the post office are generally used by residents to describe where they live. The following cities, boroughs and townships are located in Chester County: