Lower Paxton Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
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Lower Paxton Township 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 ...
of the second class in
Dauphin County Dauphin County (; Pennsylvania Dutch: Daffin Kaundi) is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 286,401. The county seat and the largest city is Harrisburg, Pennsylvania's state capital and ninth ...
,
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
, United States. The population was 53,501 at the 2020 census. It is the most populous municipality in Dauphin County, exceeding that of
Harrisburg Harrisburg is the capital city of the Pennsylvania, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, Dauphin County. With a population of 50,135 as of the 2021 census, Harrisburg is the List of c ...
(population 50,099), the state capital, and the 13th most populated municipality in the state. Lower Paxton Township is located miles southwest of
Allentown Allentown may refer to several places in the United States and topics related to them: * Allentown, California, now called Toadtown, California * Allentown, Georgia, a town in Wilkinson County * Allentown, Illinois, an unincorporated community in T ...
, northeast of
Harrisburg Harrisburg is the capital city of the Pennsylvania, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, Dauphin County. With a population of 50,135 as of the 2021 census, Harrisburg is the List of c ...
, and northwest of
Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
. The township was incorporated in 1767 from Paxton Township.


History

In 1729, the Paxtang Township was established within Lancaster County. The spelling "Paxtang" is from the original American Indian name ''Peshtank'', which meant "standing water". Today the word "Paxton" is used instead of Paxtang. On March 4, 1785, the boundaries of Paxtang Township also became the borders of Dauphin County, split from Lancaster County. "Dauphin" refers to the
Dauphin of France Dauphin of France (, also ; french: Dauphin de France ), originally Dauphin of Viennois (''Dauphin de Viennois''), was the title given to the heir apparent to the throne of France from 1350 to 1791, and from 1824 to 1830. The word ''dauphin'' ...
, heir apparent to the French throne, whose country the area government wanted to honor for its assistance in the Revolutionary War. About two years later in August 1787 the legislature began to splinter Paxtang Township, first into Upper Paxtang, Middle Paxtang and Lower Paxtang. In the years after Dauphin County was established, the township was slowly divided. Hanover Township was cut off to the east in 1736, and Upper Paxton Township was cut off to the north in 1767. What remained in 1767 was then renamed Lower Paxton Township. The divisions continued. Harrisburg Borough, now the city of
Harrisburg Harrisburg is the capital city of the Pennsylvania, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, Dauphin County. With a population of 50,135 as of the 2021 census, Harrisburg is the List of c ...
, was formed in 1791, and Swatara Township was created in 1799. In 1878, more land was cut off the north and became Middle Paxton Township. Lower Paxtang Township embraced the areas now occupied by Lower Swatara, Swatara, Lower Paxton,
Derry Derry, officially Londonderry (), is the second-largest city in Northern Ireland and the fifth-largest city on the island of Ireland. The name ''Derry'' is an anglicisation of the Old Irish name (modern Irish: ) meaning 'oak grove'. The ...
and Susquehanna townships. Lower Paxton has remained the same area since Susquehanna Township was formed from it on May 1, 1815.


Geography

Lower Paxton Township is located in south-central Dauphin County, bordered by Susquehanna Township to the west, Middle Paxton Township to the north,
West Hanover West Hanover Township is a township (Pennsylvania), township in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 10,693 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, an increase over the figure of 9,3 ...
and South Hanover townships to the east, and Swatara Township to the south. The eastern border of Lower Paxton Township is formed by Beaver Creek, a south-flowing tributary of
Swatara Creek Swatara Creek (nicknamed the Swatty) is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed August 8, 2011 tributary of the Susquehanna River in east-central Pennsylvania in the United Sta ...
, which flows to the
Susquehanna River The Susquehanna River (; Lenape: Siskëwahane) is a major river located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, overlapping between the lower Northeast and the Upland South. At long, it is the longest river on the East Coast of the ...
. The northern border of the township follows or is close to the crest of Blue Mountain, the southernmost ridge of the
Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians The Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians, also called the Ridge and Valley Province or the Valley and Ridge Appalachians, are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian division and are also a belt within the Appalachian Mountains extending ...
in this region. According to the
United States 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 28.1 square miles (72.8 km), all of it land. There are four
unincorporated communities An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...
, all of which are
census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a 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 counterparts of incorporated places, such ...
s, in Lower Paxton Township. Linglestown (population 6,334) is in the northeast part of the township, Paxtonia (population 5,412) is in the center, Colonial Park (population 13,229) is in the west and southwest, and a small portion of
Progress Progress is the movement towards a refined, improved, or otherwise desired state. In the context of progressivism, it refers to the proposition that advancements in technology, science, and social organization have resulted, and by extension wi ...
is in the far west, though it is mainly in Susquehanna Township.
Interstate 83 Interstate 83 (I-83) is an Interstate Highway in the Eastern United States. Its southern terminus is at a signalized intersection with Fayette Street in Baltimore, Maryland; its northern terminus is at I-81 near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Mo ...
runs through the western part of the township, terminating at
Interstate 81 Interstate 81 (I-81) is a north–south (physically northeast–southwest) Interstate Highway in the eastern part of the United States. Its southern terminus is at I-40 in Dandridge, Tennessee; its northern terminus is on Wellesley Island ...
, which crosses the center of the township from west to east. I-83 access in the township is from Exit 50 (
U.S. Route 22 U.S. Route 22 (US 22) is a west–east route and is one of the original United States highways of 1926, running from Cincinnati, Ohio, at US 27, US 42, US 127, and US 52 to Newark, New Jersey, at U.S. Route 1/9 in the Newark Airport Intercha ...
/Jonestown Road) and Exit 48 (Union Deposit Road), while I-81 access is from Exit 72, between Linglestown and Paxtonia.


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 2000, there were 44,424 people, 18,584 households, and 12,153 families residing 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 1,580.9 people per square mile (610.4/km). There were 19,606 housing units at an average density of 697.7/sq mi (269.4/km). The racial makeup of the township was 86.51%
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 ...
, 8.28%
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 ...
, 0.10% Native American, 2.69%
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 ...
, 0.02%
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 ...
, 1.04% from
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 ...
, and 1.35% from two or more races.
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 2.37% of the population. There were 18,584 households, out of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.2% 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, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.6% were non-families. 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.92. In the township the population was spread out, with 22.5% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 30.9% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.8 males. The median income for a household in the township was $49,566, and the median income for a family was $61,017. Males had a median income of $41,147 versus $30,837 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 $26,116. About 3.2% of families and 4.1% 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 5.0% of those under age 18 and 2.5% of those age 65 or over.


Education

Children in the township attend the
Central Dauphin School District The Central Dauphin School District is a large, suburban, public school district located in suburban Harrisburg, Pennsylvania serving students in central and eastern Dauphin County. It is the largest school district in the county, the largest i ...
.


References


External links


Lower Paxton Township official websiteLinglestown Gazette
online news service {{coord, 40, 20, 00, N, 76, 47, 59, W, type:city_region:US-PA_source:GNIS-enwiki, display=title Harrisburg–Carlisle metropolitan statistical area 1767 establishments in Pennsylvania Townships in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania Townships in Pennsylvania