Penn Hills is a
township
A township is a kind of human settlement or administrative subdivision, with its meaning varying in different countries.
Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, that tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, Ca ...
with home rule status in
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Allegheny County () is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is located in Southwestern Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,250,578, making it the state's second-most populous county, following Philadelphia Co ...
, United States. The population was 41,059 as of the 2020 census.
Penn Hills is the second-largest municipality in Allegheny County, after
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
.
History
In 1788, when
Allegheny County was formed, the area now known as Penn Hills was part of
Pitt Township. On January 16, 1850, Robert Logan, Thomas Davison and Daniel Bieber were appointed by the court to review the boundaries of a new township to be formed from the northern part of
Wilkins. This new township was formed and named Adams, until August 1850 when the action of the court was reconsidered to change the name to McNair Township. The name was again changed to Penn Township by Act of Assembly and approved on February 10, 1851. In 1958 Penn Township became Penn Hills Township, and in 1976 Penn Hills became a home rule municipality. The earliest population was given in 1860, when there were 1,821 people living in Penn Township. The population grew to 2,685 in 1870 and 3,291 in 1880.
Geography
Penn Hills is located at (40.476218, -79.833302).
According to the
U.S. Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the township has a total area of , of which is land and , or 1.40%, is water. Penn Hills uses the
ZIP codes of 15235 and 15147; and the community is within
area codes 412 and
878
__NOTOC__
Year 878 ( DCCCLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar.
Events
By place Britain
* January 6 – King Alfred the Great is surprised by a Viking attack ...
.
Communities
Neighborhoods within Penn Hills include
Blackridge, Churchill Valley, Crescent Hills, Eastmont, Eastvue, Laketon Heights, Lincoln Park, Milltown, Nadine, Newfield, North Bessemer, Penn Ridge, Point Breeze, Rosedale, Sandy Creek, Shannon Heights, Universal, Valemont Heights, Gascola, Shadow Shuttle, Frankstown West, Frankstown Estates, Eastwood, and Verona Hilltop.
Streams
Penn Hills is bordered to the north by the
Allegheny River
The Allegheny River ( ) is a long headwater stream of the Ohio River in western Pennsylvania and New York (state), New York. The Allegheny River runs from its headwaters just below the middle of Pennsylvania's northern border northwesterly into ...
. In addition, the waterways listed below flow through the Municipality:
*
Plum Creek flows through the Municipality, creating the border with
Plum Borough. The stream passes by North Bessemer Field, Milltown Community Park and Penn Hills Community Park before briefly entering into
Oakmont and emptying into the
Allegheny River
The Allegheny River ( ) is a long headwater stream of the Ohio River in western Pennsylvania and New York (state), New York. The Allegheny River runs from its headwaters just below the middle of Pennsylvania's northern border northwesterly into ...
.
* Sandy Creek starts near the intersection of Verona Road and Graham Boulevard Extension and parallels Verona Road to its intersection with Sandy Creek Road where the stream turns and follows the road until it empties into the
Allegheny River
The Allegheny River ( ) is a long headwater stream of the Ohio River in western Pennsylvania and New York (state), New York. The Allegheny River runs from its headwaters just below the middle of Pennsylvania's northern border northwesterly into ...
.
* Thompson Run begins near Linton Middle School and runs along Stotler Road, Frey Road and Thompson Run Road where it forms the Municipality's border with
Monroeville. It eventually flows into the
Monongahela River
The Monongahela River ( , )—often referred to locally as the Mon ()—is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed August 15, 2011 river on the Allegheny Plateau in North Cen ...
.
* Quigley Run forms near the Green Oaks Country Club and passes under
Allegheny River Boulevard (PA 130) before directly emptying into the
Allegheny River
The Allegheny River ( ) is a long headwater stream of the Ohio River in western Pennsylvania and New York (state), New York. The Allegheny River runs from its headwaters just below the middle of Pennsylvania's northern border northwesterly into ...
.
* Shades Run, in the Lincoln Park neighborhood, begins off of Tyler Road and flows under Lincoln Road, forming the Municipality's border with the City of
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
. It crosses under
Allegheny River Boulevard (PA 130) before directly emptying into the
Allegheny River
The Allegheny River ( ) is a long headwater stream of the Ohio River in western Pennsylvania and New York (state), New York. The Allegheny River runs from its headwaters just below the middle of Pennsylvania's northern border northwesterly into ...
.
* Duffs Run begins along Long Road in the Churchill Valley neighborhood before winding through the former Churchill Valley Country Club and running into
Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 187424 January 1965) was a British statesman, soldier, and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1940 to 1945 during the Second World War, and again from 1 ...
and
Wilkins Township
Wilkins Township is a township in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 6,357 at the 2010 census. It is served by Pennsylvania's 18th congressional district, the 43rd District of the Pennsylvania State Senate, and the ...
before joining Thompson Run.
Surrounding communities
Penn Hills has ten land borders, including
Verona
Verona ( , ; vec, Verona or ) is a city on the Adige River in Veneto, Northern Italy, Italy, with 258,031 inhabitants. It is one of the seven provincial capitals of the region. It is the largest city Comune, municipality in the region and the ...
and
Oakmont to the north,
Plum Borough to the east and northeast,
Monroeville to the southeast,
Wilkins Township
Wilkins Township is a township in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 6,357 at the 2010 census. It is served by Pennsylvania's 18th congressional district, the 43rd District of the Pennsylvania State Senate, and the ...
,
Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 187424 January 1965) was a British statesman, soldier, and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1940 to 1945 during the Second World War, and again from 1 ...
and
Wilkinsburg
Wilkinsburg is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. The borough has a population of 15,930 as of the 2010 census. Wilkinsburg is part of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. The borough was named for John Wilkins Jr., a United States Army ...
to the south and the Pittsburgh neighborhoods of
East Hills to the south,
Homewood North to the southwest and
Lincoln–Lemington–Belmar to the west.
The
Allegheny River
The Allegheny River ( ) is a long headwater stream of the Ohio River in western Pennsylvania and New York (state), New York. The Allegheny River runs from its headwaters just below the middle of Pennsylvania's northern border northwesterly into ...
borders Penn Hills to the northwest with two neighborhoods running adjacent across the way:
O'Hara Township and the borough of
Blawnox.
Demographics
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2010, there were 42,329 people living in the township. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was 2,268.2 people per square mile (949.7/km
2). There were 20,355 housing units at an average density of 1,069.8 per square mile (413.0/km
2). The racial makeup of the township was 60.03% (25,398)
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 37.03% (15,668)
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.98% (409)
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.01% (4)
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...
, 0.55% from (232)
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 1.41% (598) of the population. There is a sizable
Italian American
Italian Americans ( it, italoamericani or ''italo-americani'', ) are Americans who have full or partial Italian ancestry. The largest concentrations of Italian Americans are in the urban Northeast and industrial Midwestern metropolitan areas, ...
population in the township.
There were 19,490 households, out of which 26.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.1% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 13.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.9% were non-families. 28.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the township the population was spread out, with 21.7% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 19.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 88.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.0 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $39,960, and the median income for a family was $46,971. Males had a median income of $36,143 versus $27,331 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the township was $20,161. About 5.6% of families and 7.5% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 10.8% of those under age 18 and 6.2% of those age 65 or over.
Government and politics
The Penn Hills Government Center is located at 102 Duff Road. This is the home to all municipal offices, including the Penn Hills Police Department and Penn Hills EMS. All public safety divisions are dispatched by Allegheny County 911.
Location of municipal building via Google Maps
/ref>
Penn Hills Volunteer Fire Department
Station 1 - 7520 Mt. Carmel Rd
Station 2 - 5806 Verona Rd
Station 3 - 1701 Leechburg Rd
Station 4 - 1002 Center Ave
Station 5 - 2797 Robinson Blvd
Station 6 - 2240 Main St - CLOSED - DE-CERTIFIED (2016)
Station 7 - 125 Universal Rd
Fire Marshal - 102 Duff Rd
Fire Academy - 102 Duff Rd
Government/elected officials
* Mayor - Pauline Calabrese
* Deputy Mayor - Catherine Sapp
* Council Member - John Petrucci
* Council Member - Frank Pecora
* Council Member - James Getsy
* Controller - Nicholas J. Futules
* Municipal Manager - Scott Andrejchak
* Deputy Clerk - Diane Gionta Fitzhenry
* District Justice - Anthony DeLuca Jr.
* US Congress - 14th District - Michael F. Doyle
Michael F. Doyle Jr. (born August 5, 1953) is an American politician who is the United States House of Representatives, U.S. representative for , serving since 1995. He is a member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party. The ...
* US Congress - 18th District - Conor Lamb
Conor James Lamb (born June 27, 1984) is an American attorney and politician who has served as the U.S. representative for Pennsylvania's 17th congressional district since 2019. The district includes most of the northwestern suburbs of Pittsburgh ...
* State Senate - 43rd District - Jay Costa
Jay Costa (born November 17, 1957) is an American politician, currently serving as a member of the Pennsylvania State Senate who has represented the 43rd District since 1996. On November 17, 2010, Senate Democrats elected Costa as their new f ...
* US Senate - Toomey, Patrick J.
* US Senate - Bob Casey Jr.
Robert Patrick Casey Jr. (born April 13, 1960) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the senior United States senator from Pennsylvania, a seat he has held since 2007. A member of the Democratic Party, Casey previously served as Penn ...
* State Legislature - 32nd District - Anthony M. DeLuca
Education
Penn Hills is served by the Penn Hills School District, which includes: Penn Hills Elementary School, Linton Middle School, and Penn Hills High School
Penn Hills High School is a public secondary school located in Penn Hills, east of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. It is the sole high school operated by the Penn Hills School District. In the 2018–19 school year, enrollment was report ...
.
Transportation
Interstate 376
Interstate 376 (I-376) is a major auxiliary route of the Interstate Highway System in the US state of Pennsylvania, located within the Allegheny Plateau. It runs from I-80 near Sharon south and east to a junction with the Pennsylvania Tur ...
runs through the southernmost part of Penn Hills, linking it and other eastern suburbs to downtown Pittsburgh.
Pennsylvania Route 791
Pennsylvania Route 791 (PA 791) is a state highway located in Penn Hills in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. It runs from U.S. Route 22 Business (US 22 Bus.) in Churchill to PA 380 in Penn Hills. The entire route is part of the Yellow Belt of th ...
, more commonly referred to as Rodi Road, connects heavily traveled Frankstown Road (at PA-791's northern terminus) with I-376 at its southern terminus. Numerous restaurants, fast food locations, stores, gas stations, and hotels can be found on Rodi, as many truckers and travelers using I-376 use the Penn Hills exit to refuel or stay overnight.
For air travel, Pittsburgh International Airport
Pittsburgh International Airport , formerly Greater Pittsburgh International Airport, is a civil–military international airport in Findlay Township and Moon Township, Pennsylvania. Located about 10 miles (15 km) west of downtown Pittsbur ...
, located in the western portion of the county, is most commonly used. However, the Allegheny County Airport
Allegheny County Airport is in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, 7 miles (11 km) southeast of Pittsburgh. It is the fifth-busiest airport in Pennsylvania following Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, and Harrisburg. The airport is owned by t ...
in West Mifflin
West Mifflin is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, located southeast of downtown Pittsburgh. The population was 20,313 at the 2010 census. It is named after Thomas Mifflin, 1st Governor of Pennsylvania, signer of the Un ...
is also still in use.
Several bus lines of the Port Authority of Allegheny County
Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT, formerly Port Authority of Allegheny County) is the second-largest public transit agency in Pennsylvania and the 20th-largest in the United States. The state-funded agency is based in Pittsburgh and is overseen ...
offer service to Downtown Pittsburgh, and the Port Authority also has several routes and "flyers" located in Penn Hills.
Major roads
* / Penn Lincoln Parkway (Penn Hills is exit 81)
* Rodi Road
* Frankstown, Saltsburg Roads
* Coal Hollow, Sandy Creek, Beulah Roads
* The Yellow Belt runs through Penn Hills via Hulton, Frankstown, and Rodi Roads
* The Green Belt is signed as Robinson Blvd, Verona Road, and Sandy Creek Road within Penn Hills
Notable people
* Dion Bentley
Dion Bentley (born August 26, 1971) is an American long jumper.
Bentley attended Penn Hills High School, where he had a stellar track career, including setting the still current United States Junior records in athletics, American Junior record i ...
* Barry Church
Barry Michael Church (born February 11, 1988) is a former American football strong safety. He played college football at the University of Toledo and signed with the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2010. Church has also played for ...
* Aaron Donald
Aaron Charles Donald (born May 23, 1991) is an American football defensive tackle for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Pittsburgh, where he received unanimous All-American honors, and ...
* Scott Edgar (born 1955), college basketball coach
* Bill Fralic
William P. Fralic Jr. ( ) (October 31, 1962 – December 13, 2018) was an American professional football player who was a guard for the Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL) from 1985 to 1993. He played colle ...
* Kevin Peter Hall
Kevin Peter Hall (May 9, 1955 – April 10, 1991) was an American actor. Hall stood tall, and frequently played monster characters during his career. He was the original title character in the science fiction ''Predator'' franchise, appearing ...
* George Karl
George Matthew Karl (born May 12, 1951) is an American former professional basketball coach and player. After spending five years as a player for the San Antonio Spurs, Karl became an assistant with the team before getting the chance to become a ...
* Abby Lee Miller
Abigale Lee Miller (born September 21, 1965) is an American television personality who founded the Abby Lee Dance Company, which appeared on the reality television series ''Dance Moms'' for eight seasons.
On June 27, 2016, Miller pleaded guilty ...
* Guy Primus
Guy Primus (born July 1969), is an American entrepreneur and inventor. He is chief executive officer of Valence Enterprises, and is a member of the Board of Trustees of Southern California Public Radio. He is also the chairman emeritus of the Sch ...
* Nisha Rajagopal
* Salima Rockwell
* Tom Tumulty
See also
* Blackridge, Pennsylvania
* Penn Hills School District
References
External links
Township website
This Is Penn Hills : Community News & Events
{{Authority control
Home Rule Municipalities in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Townships in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Townships in Pennsylvania