Editing Fairchance, Pennsylvania

{{short description|Borough in Pennsylvania, US}}
{{use mdy dates|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                            = Fairchance, Pennsylvania
| settlement_type                 = [[Borough (Pennsylvania)|Borough]]
| image_skyline                   = WelcomeToFairchance.gif
| image_alt                       = 
| image_caption                   = 
| image_flag                      = 
| flag_alt                        = 
| image_seal                      = 
| seal_alt                        = 
| image_shield                    = 
| shield_alt                      = 
| etymology                       = 
| nickname                        = 
| motto                           = 
| image_map                       = File:Fayette County Pennsylvania Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Fairchance Highlighted.svg
| mapsize                         = 
| map_alt                         = 
| map_caption                     = Location of Fairchance in Fayette County, Pennsylvania.
| pushpin_map                     = Pennsylvania#USA
| pushpin_label                   = Fairchance
| pushpin_label_position          = 
| pushpin_map_alt                 = 
| pushpin_map_caption             = Location in Pennsylvania
| coordinates                     = {{coord|39|49|26|N|79|45|17|W|display=inline,title}}
| coor_pinpoint                   = 
| coordinates_footnotes           = 
| subdivision_type                = Country
| subdivision_name                = United States
| subdivision_type1               = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1               = [[Pennsylvania]]
| subdivision_type2               = County
| subdivision_name2               = [[Fayette County, Pennsylvania|Fayette]]
| established_title               = Established
| established_date                = 1889
| established_title1              = 
| established_date1               = 
| founder                         = 
| seat_type                       = 
| seat                            = 
| leader_party                    = 
| leader_title                    = Mayor
| leader_name                     = Tom Tanner
| unit_pref                       = Imperial
| area_footnotes                  = <ref>{{cite web|title=ArcGIS REST Services Directory|url=https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/5/query?where=STATE='42'&outFields=NAME,STATE,PLACE,AREALAND,AREAWATER,LSADC,CENTLAT,CENTLON&orderByFields=PLACE&returnGeometry=false&returnTrueCurves=false&f=json|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=October 12, 2022}}</ref>
| area_total_sq_mi                = 1.19
| area_land_sq_mi                 = 1.19
| area_water_sq_mi                = 0.00
| area_urban_sq_mi                = 
| area_rural_sq_mi                = 
| area_metro_sq_mi                = 
| area_water_percent              = 
| area_note                       = 
| elevation_footnotes             = 
| elevation_ft                    = 
| population_footnotes            = <ref name="USCensusDecennial2020CenPopScriptOnly"/>
| population_total                = 1890
| population_as_of                = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_density_sq_mi        = 1592.25
| population_demonym              = 
| population_note                 = 
| timezone1                       = [[Eastern Time Zone|EST]]
| utc_offset1                     = -4
| timezone1_DST                   = [[Eastern Daylight Time|EDT]]
| utc_offset1_DST                 = -5
|postal_code_type                = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 15436<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.zipdatamaps.com/15436|title=Fairchance PA ZIP Code|publisher=zipdatamaps.com|year=2023|access-date=May 13, 2023}}</ref>
| area_code_type                  = 
| area_codes                       = [[Area code 724|724]], [[Area code 878|878]]
| blank_name_sec1                 = 
| blank_info_sec1                 = 
| website                         = 
| pop_est_as_of                   = 
| pop_est_footnotes               = 
| population_est                  = 
| blank_name                      = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
| blank_info                      = 42-24536
| area_total_km2                  = 3.07
| area_land_km2                   = 3.07
| area_water_km2                  = 0.00
| population_density_km2          = 614.84
| official_name                   = 
}}

'''Fairchance''' is a [[Borough (Pennsylvania)|borough]] in [[Fayette County, Pennsylvania]], United States. The population was 1,889 at the 2020 census,<ref name="USCensusEst2020-2021">{{cite web |title=City and Town Population Totals: 2020—2021 |url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-total-cities-and-towns.html |website=Census.gov |publisher=US Census Bureau |access-date=July 24, 2022}}</ref> a decline from the figure of 1,975 tabulated in 2010.<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US4224536| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001), Fairchance borough, Pennsylvania| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| work=American FactFinder| access-date=July 7, 2016| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213042247/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US4224536| archive-date=February 13, 2020| url-status=dead}}</ref> It is served by the [[Albert Gallatin Area School District]].

==Geography==
Fairchance is located in south-central Fayette County at {{coord|39|49|26|N|79|45|17|W|type:city}} (39.823970, −79.754800).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref> It sits at the western base of [[Chestnut Ridge (Laurel Highlands)|Chestnut Ridge]], the westernmost major ridge of the [[Appalachian Mountains]] in this area.

[[Pennsylvania Route 43]], the [[Mon–Fayette Expressway]], passes just west of the borough limits, with access from Exit 8 (Big 6 Road). The toll highway leads north {{convert|7|mi|0}} to [[Uniontown, Pennsylvania|Uniontown]], the [[county seat]], and southwest {{convert|19|mi}} to [[Morgantown, West Virginia]]. [[Pennsylvania Route 857]] passes through the center of Fairchance as Morgantown Street.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the borough has a total area of {{convert|3.11|km2|order=flip}}, all land.<ref name="Census 2010"/>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|align=left
|1890= 1092
|1900= 1219
|1910= 1760
|1920= 2124
|1930= 1804
|1940= 1855
|1950= 2091
|1960= 2120
|1970= 1906
|1980= 2106
|1990= 1918
|2000= 2174
|2010= 1975
|2020= 1889
|estyear=2021
|estimate=1864
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2020-2021"/>
|footnote=Sources:<ref>{{cite web|title=Census of Population and Housing|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=December 11, 2013}}</ref><ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Incorporated Places and Minor Civil Divisions Datasets: Subcounty Resident Population Estimates: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012|url=https://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2012/SUB-EST2012.html|work=Population Estimates|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=December 11, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130611010502/http://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2012/SUB-EST2012.html|archive-date=June 11, 2013}}</ref><ref name="USCensusDecennial2020CenPopScriptOnly">{{cite web|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/pl?get=P1_001N,NAME&for=place:*&in=state:42&key=5ccd0821c15d9f4520e2dcc0f8d92b2ec9336108|title=Census Population API|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=October 12, 2022}}</ref>
}}
As of the [[2000 United States census|2000 census]],<ref name="GR2" /> there were 2,174 people, 871 households, and 594 families residing in the borough. The population density was {{convert|1,797.1|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 932 housing units at an average density of {{convert|770.4|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The [[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|racial makeup]] of the borough was 95.81% White, 2.76% African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.09% Asian, and 1.24% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.51% of the population.

There were 871 households, out of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.7% were married couples living together, 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.7% were non-families. 27.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.4% 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 3.00.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 23.8% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.1 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $26,840, and the median income for a family was $33,611. Males had a median income of $27,625 versus $20,750 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the borough was $14,021. About 12.0% of families and 16.5% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 19.1% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

[[File:Looking west on to Church Street.jpg|thumb|Looking west onto Church St. from Main St.]]

== Name ==
Many townspeople state that Fairchance got its name in the early days of transportation. The story goes that travelers from [[Morgantown, West Virginia]], who made it to the borough by 4:00 P.M. had a "fair chance" of making it to [[Uniontown, Pennsylvania|Uniontown]] before sundown. Another explanation cited in the book ''Fairchance Through the Years'', compiled by the Fairchance Centennial History Committee, is that Fidelio H. Oliphant, who operated iron furnaces in the area, went to a bank in Uniontown to borrow money with the assurance that he had a "fair chance" of paying it back.

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Fayette County, Pennsylvania}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Populated places established in 1889]]
[[Category:Pittsburgh metropolitan area]]
[[Category:Boroughs in Fayette County, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:1889 establishments in Pennsylvania]]