Somerset Township is a

township A township is a form of human settlement or administrative subdivision. Its exact definition varies among countries. Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, this tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, Canad ...

in Somerset County,

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

, United States. The population was 12,165 at the 2020 census. It is part of the

Johnstown, Pennsylvania Johnstown is the largest city in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 18,411 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located east of Pittsburgh, it is the principal city of the Metropolitan statistical area ...

, Metropolitan Statistical Area and encompasses the

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counte ...

(CDP) of Friedens.

History

Somerset Township was formed from the northern portion of Milford Township and a southern portion of Quemahoning Township in 1796. Jefferson Township was separated from Somerset Township in 1847. Other townships and boroughs were also separated, reducing the township to its current boundaries. The Walter's Mill Bridge and Daniel B. Zimmerman Mansion are listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the township has a total area of 64.3 square miles (166.6 km²), of which 63.9 square miles (165.5 km²) is land and 0.4 square miles (1.1 km²) (0.67%) is water. Somerset Township is bordered by Quemahoning Township to the northeast, Stonycreek Township to the east, Brothersvalley Township to the southeast, Black Township to the south, Milford Township to the southwest, Jefferson Township to the west, and Lincoln Township to the northwest.

Demographics

At the 2000 census there were 9,319 people, 3,484 households, and 2,574 families in the township. The population density was . There were 3,699 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the township was 97.20% White, 1.48% African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.54% Asian, 0.34% from other races, and 0.38% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.49%. Of the 3,484 households 32.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.3% were married couples living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.1% were non-families. 22.5% of households were one person and 10.5% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 2.95. The age distribution was 23.1% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 24.4% from 45 to 64, and 16.3% 65 or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 104.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.0 males. The median household income was $33,391 and the median family income was $37,006. Males had a median income of $28,007 versus $21,707 for females. The per capita income for the township was $16,510. About 7.5% of families and 9.2% 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 ...

, including 11.6% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.

Government and infrastructure

Almost all of

State Correctional Institution – Somerset State Correctional Institution – Somerset is a medium-security, all-male correctional facility located outside Somerset, Pennsylvania, about southeast of Pittsburgh, and about off the Somerset Interchange of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. In March ...

is in the township.

Education

The township is in

Somerset Area School District The Somerset Area School District is a public school district in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. The district boundaries are within Somerset Borough and the townships of Jefferson, Lincoln and Somerset. A small portion of Brothersvalley Town ...

Notable person

Marshall I. Ludington Marshall Independence Ludington (July 4, 1839 – July 26, 1919) was a career officer in the United States Army. A veteran of the American Civil War, he attained the rank of brigadier general as Quartermaster General of the United States Army ...

, Quartermaster General of the United States Army

References

External links

* https://web.archive.org/web/20091218055521/http://www.somersettownshippa.com/somersettwp/aboutus/ {{Coord, 40, 02, 00, N, 79, 07, 59, W, type:city_region:US-PA_source:GNIS-enwiki, display=title Townships in Somerset County, Pennsylvania