Muhlenberg Township, Pennsylvania
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Muhlenberg Township (pronounced "MYOO-len-burg") is a township in
Berks County, Pennsylvania Berks County (Pennsylvania Dutch language, Pennsylvania Dutch: ''Barricks Kaundi'') is a County (United States), county in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the coun ...
, United States. The population was 21,915 at the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous township in Berks County after Spring Township and Exeter Township. The township was named for U.S. Congressman Henry Augustus Muhlenberg, grandson of
Henry Muhlenberg Henry Melchior Muhlenberg (born Heinrich Melchior Mühlenberg; September 6, 1711 – October 7, 1787), was a Holy Roman Empire, German-born Lutheran clergyman and missionary. Born in Einbeck, Muhlenberg immigrated to the Province of Pennsylv ...
, and who is featured on the township seal.


Geography

According to the
U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, 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 U.S. Census Bureau is part of the U ...
, the township has a total area of 12.2 square miles (31.6 km), of which 12.0 square miles (31.1 km) is land and 0.2 square mile (0.5 km) (1.48%) is water. It is drained by the
Schuylkill River The Schuylkill River ( , ) is a river in eastern Pennsylvania. It flows for U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map(). accessed April 1, 2011. from Pottsville, Pennsylvania, Pottsville ...
, which forms its natural western boundary. Most of the population resides in the western and central areas of the township, while the east is located in the South Mountains. Adjacent townships * Bern Township (west) * Ontelaunee Township (north) * Maidencreek Township (northeast) * Ruscombmanor Township (far northeast) * Alsace Township (east) Muhlenberg Township surrounds the borough of Laureldale and its southern border is shared entirely with
Reading Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of symbols, often specifically those of a written language, by means of Visual perception, sight or Somatosensory system, touch. For educators and researchers, reading is a multifacete ...
. Within the township are the unincorporated communities or neighborhoods of Bernharts, Cherokee Ranch, College Heights, Frush Valley, Hyde Park, Hyde Villa, Muhlenberg Park, Riverview Park, South Temple,
Temple A temple (from the Latin ) is a place of worship, a building used for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. By convention, the specially built places of worship of some religions are commonly called "temples" in Engli ...
, and Tuckerton. Muhlenberg contains the retail district of Reading's northern suburbs with a number of restaurants and national retailers along the 5th Street Highway, including the former Fairgrounds Square Mall, former Home of Reading Fairgrounds Speedway. The Greater Reading Expo Center was located in the township just north of the city in proximity to the PA Route 12 expressway. Muhlenberg has a hot-summer
humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers, and cold ...
(''Dfa'') and the
hardiness zone A hardiness zone is a geographic area defined as having a certain average annual minimum temperature, a factor relevant to the survival of many plants. In some systems other statistics are included in the calculations. The original and most widely ...
is 6b. The average monthly temperature in Muhlenberg Park ranges from 29.7 °F in January to 75.0 °F in July.


Demographics

As of the
census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2000, there were 16,305 people, 6,639 households, and 4,634 families residing in the township. The population density was . There were 6,897 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the township was 95.48%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 1.21%
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.04% Native American, 0.71% Asian, 1.66% from other races, and 0.90% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race were 3.91% of the population. There were 6,639 households, out of which 26.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.9% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.2% were non-families. 25.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.86. In the township, the population was spread out, with 20.3% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 23.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.6 males. The median income for a household in the township was $44,627, and the median income for a family was $51,764. Males had a median income of $38,375 versus $26,375 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the township was $21,624. About 2.6% of families and 4.2% 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 4.0% of those under age 18 and 6.1% of those age 65 or over.


Transportation

As of 2020, there were of public roads in Muhlenberg Township, of which were maintained by the
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) oversees transportation issues in the Pennsylvania, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The administrator of PennDOT is the Pennsylvania Secretary of Transportation, Michael B. Carroll. PennDOT ...
(PennDOT) and were maintained by the township. U.S. Route 222 is the most prominent highway passing through Muhlenberg Township. It follows a southwest-northeast alignment across the northwestern portion of the township. Other roads passing through the township include Pennsylvania Route 12 ( Warren Street Bypass),
Pennsylvania Route 61 Pennsylvania Route 61 (PA 61) is an state highway that is located in Pennsylvania in the United States. The route is signed north-south despite running in a northwest-southeast direction from U.S. Route 222 Business (Reading, Pennsylvania), U ...
(Pottsville Pike), and U.S. Route 222 Business (5th Street Highway). PA 61 and US 222 Business are north-to-south thoroughfares that intersect U.S. Route 222 (Outer Bypass) in Tuckerton and Maidencreek Township, north of Temple, respectively. PA 12 connects PA 61 and US 222 Business to US 222 south and U.S. Route 422 and, to the northeast, PA 12 becomes Pricetown Road. Other important local roads include Bellevue Avenue, Elizabeth Avenue, Hartman Road/Leisczs Bridge Road, Kutztown Road, River Road, Spring Valley Road, Stouts Ferry Bridge Road, and Tuckerton Road. Muhlenberg Township is served by multiple Berks Area Regional Transportation Authority (BARTA) bus routes including 1, 2, 3, 20, and 22, which serve residential and business areas in the township and connect the township to the BARTA Transportation Center in Reading and other points in Berks County.


References


External links


Official website
{{authority control Townships in Berks County, Pennsylvania Townships in Pennsylvania