West Branch 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 Potter 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 399 at the 2020 census. There are two Pennsylvania state parks in West Branch Township. Cherry Springs State Park is a popular destination for astronomical observation. Lyman Run State Park is in the northern part of the township and is partially in neighboring Ulysses Township.

History

The Cherry Springs Picnic Pavilion was added to 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 ...

in 1987.

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 62.7 square miles (162.4 km), of which 62.6 square miles (162.2 km) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.2 km) (0.11%) is water. West Branch Township is bordered by

Ulysses Ulysses is the Latin name for Odysseus, a legendary Greek hero recognized for his intelligence and cunning. He is famous for his long, adventurous journey home to Ithaca after the Trojan War, as narrated in Homer's Odyssey. Ulysses may also refer ...

and Pike Townships to the north, Tioga County to the east, Abbott and Wharton Townships to the south and Summit Township to the west.

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 392 people, 159 households, and 123 families residing in the township. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), 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 geog ...

was 6.3 people per square mile (2.4/km). There were 669 housing units at an average density of 10.7/sq mi (4.1/km). The racial makeup of the township was 97.19%

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 ...

, 1.28% Asian, and 1.53% from two or more races. There were 159 households, out of which 21.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.4% 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, 2.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.6% were non-families. 18.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.72. In the township the population was spread out, with 19.1% under the age of 18, 4.8% from 18 to 24, 22.4% from 25 to 44, 29.1% from 45 to 64, and 24.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.6 males. The median income for a household in the township was $39,688, and the median income for a family was $43,750. Males had a median income of $34,750 versus $20,536 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 $17,214. About 9.8% of families and 12.4% 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 12.7% of those under age 18 and 14.7% of those age 65 or over.

References

{{authority control Populated places established in 1835 Townships in Potter County, Pennsylvania Townships in Pennsylvania