Editing Penn Forest Township, Pennsylvania

{{short description|Township in Pennsylvania, US}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{other Pennsylvania townships|Penn Township, Pennsylvania (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox settlement
 | name                     = Penn Forest Township
 | official_name            = 
 | native_name              = 
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 | image_skyline            = Hawk Falls.jpg
 | imagesize                = 250px
 | image_alt                = 
 | image_caption            = Hawk Falls in [[Hickory Run State Park]]
 | image_flag               = 
 | image_seal               = Penn Forest Seal.jpg
 | etymology                = 
 | nickname                 = 
 | motto                    = 
 | anthem                   = 
 | image_map                = Map of Penn Forest Township, Carbon County, Pennsylvania Highlighted.png
 | mapsize                  = 250px
 | map_caption              = Location of Penn Forest Township in [[Carbon County, Pennsylvania]]
 | image_map1               = Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Carbon County.svg
 | mapsize1                 = 250px
 | map_caption1             = Location of Carbon County in [[Pennsylvania]]
 | coordinates              = {{coord|40|52|29|N|75|40|59|W|display=inline,title}}
 | coor_pinpoint            = 
 | coordinates_footnotes    = 
 | grid_name                = 
 | grid_position            = 
 | subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
 | subdivision_name         = [[United States]]
 | subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
 | subdivision_name1        = [[Pennsylvania]]
 | subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Pennsylvania|County]]
 | subdivision_name2        = [[Carbon County, Pennsylvania|Carbon]]
 | subdivision_type3        = 
 | subdivision_name3        = 
 | subdivision_type4        = 
 | subdivision_name4        = 
 | established_title        = Founded
 | established_date         = 
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 | extinct_title            = 
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 | founder                  = 
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 | seat                     = 
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 | governing_body           = 
 | leader_party             = 
 | leader_title             = Mayor
 | leader_name              = 
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 | total_type               = 
 | unit_pref                = Imperial
 | area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2016">{{cite web|title=2016 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2016_Gazetteer/2016_gaz_place_42.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=Aug 13, 2017}}</ref>
 | area_total_km2           = 193.87
 | area_total_sq_mi         = 74.85
 | area_land_km2            = 191.16
 | area_land_sq_mi          = 73.81
 | area_water_km2           = 2.71
 | area_water_sq_mi         = 1.05
 | area_water_percent       = 
 | area_metro_footnotes     = 
 | area_metro_km2           = 
 | area_metro_sq_mi         = 
 | area_rank                = 
 | elevation_footnotes      = 
 | elevation_m              = 
 | elevation_ft             = 1690
 | elevation_point          = 
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 | population_as_of         = [[2010 United States census|2010]]
 | population_footnotes     = 
 | population_total         = 9581
 | pop_est_as_of            = 2016
 | pop_est_footnotes        = <ref name="USCensusEst2016">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.2016.html|title=Population and Housing Unit Estimates|accessdate=June 9, 2017}}</ref>
 | population_est           = 9649
 | population_rank          = 
 | population_density_km2   = 50.48
 | population_density_sq_mi = 130.73
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 | timezone1                = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|EST]]
 | utc_offset1              = -5
 | timezone1_DST            = [[Eastern Daylight Time|EDT]]
 | utc_offset1_DST          = -4
 | timezone2                = 
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 | postal2_code             = 
 | area_code_type           = 
 | area_code                = [[Area code 570|570]]
 | geocode                  = 
 | iso_code                 = 
 | blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
 | blank_info               = 42-025-58968
 | blank1_name              = 
 | blank1_info              = 
 | blank2_name              = 
 | blank2_info              = 
 | blank_name_sec2          = 
 | blank_info_sec2          = 
 | blank1_name_sec2         = 
 | blank1_info_sec2         = 
 | blank2_name_sec2         = Wikimedia Commons
 | blank2_info_sec2         = 
 | website                  = {{URL|www.pennforesttownship.org}}
 | footnotes                = 
}}

'''Penn Forest Township''' is a township in [[Carbon County, Pennsylvania|Carbon County]], [[Pennsylvania]]. It is part of [[Northeastern Pennsylvania]]. The population was 9,581 at the [[2010 United States census|2010 census]],<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/0600000US4202558968| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001): Penn Forest township, Carbon County, Pennsylvania| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| accessdate=April 7, 2015| archive-url=https://archive.today/20150407124241/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/0600000US4202558968| archive-date=April 7, 2015| url-status=dead}}</ref> up from 5,439 at the 2000 census.

==Geography==
The township is the largest by area in Carbon County, occupying a sizable portion of the eastern side of the county. According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the township has a total area of {{convert|193.9|sqkm|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|191.2|sqkm|order=flip}} is land and {{convert|2.7|sqkm|order=flip}}, or 1.40%, is water.<ref name="Census 2010"/>

The township is drained by the [[Lehigh River]], which meanders along Penn Forest's western border through the [[Lehigh Gorge State Park|Lehigh Gorge]]. Mud Run, a tributary of the Lehigh, forms the northern border of the township. Its villages include Christmans, Christmansville, and Meckesville, and its [[census-designated place]]s are [[Albrightsville, Pennsylvania|Albrightsville]] (also in Kidder Township), [[Indian Mountain Lake, Pennsylvania|Indian Mountain Lake]] (also in [[Monroe County, Pennsylvania|Monroe County]]), and [[Towamensing Trails, Pennsylvania|Towamensing Trails]]. A large portion of [[Hickory Run State Park]] is located within the township.

===Neighboring municipalities===
*[[Kidder Township, Pennsylvania|Kidder Township]] (north)
*[[Lehigh Township, Carbon County, Pennsylvania|Lehigh Township]] (west)
*[[Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania|Jim Thorpe]] (southwest)
*[[Franklin Township, Carbon County, Pennsylvania|Franklin Township]] (south)
*[[Towamensing Township, Pennsylvania|Towamensing Township]] (south)
*[[Polk Township, Monroe County, Pennsylvania|Polk Township, Monroe County]] (east)
*[[Chestnuthill Township, Monroe County, Pennsylvania|Chestnuthill Township, Monroe County]] (tangent to the east)
*[[Tunkhannock Township, Monroe County, Pennsylvania|Tunkhannock Township, Monroe County]] (northeast)

===Climate===
Penn Forest has a warm-summer [[humid continental climate]] (''Dfb'') and the [[hardiness zone]]s are 5b and 6a. Average monthly temperatures in Meckesville range from 23.8&nbsp;°F in January to 68.7&nbsp;°F in July, and at Penn's Peak on Maury Road they range from 25.3&nbsp;°F in January to 69.7&nbsp;°F in July.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://prism.oregonstate.edu/explorer/ | title=PRISM Climate Group at Oregon State University }}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{stack|{{US Census population
|2000= 5439
|2010= 9581
|estyear=2016
|estimate=9649
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2016">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.2016.html|title=Population and Housing Unit Estimates|accessdate=June 9, 2017}}</ref>
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|accessdate=June 4, 2016}}</ref>
}}}}
In 2010, Penn Forest Township population was reported as 9,581 people.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jtborough.org/sites/jimthorpepa/files/uploads/mid_carbon_comp_2012.pdf |title=Middle Carbon County Comprehensive plan |author=Community Planning & Management, LLC |year=2012}}</ref> As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> of 2000, there were 5,439 people, 2,046 households, and 1,565 families residing in the township. The [[population density]] was {{convert|73.3|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people}}. There were 4,806 housing units at an average density of {{convert|64.8|/mi2|/km2}}. The racial makeup of the township was 92.48% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 3.36% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.22% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.53% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.09% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 1.25% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 2.06% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 5.39% of the population.

There were 2,046 households, out of which 34.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.1% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.5% were non-families. 18.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the township, the population was spread out, with 26.0% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 26.1% from 45 to 64, and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 101.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.5 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $36,601, and the median income for a family was $40,597. Males had a median income of $39,864 versus $21,774 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the township was $17,129. About 7.0% of families and 10.6% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 14.0% of those under age 18 and 10.9% of those age 65 or over.

The United States Census Bureau estimated in July 2024, the township's population increased by 6.83% to 10235.

==Transportation==
{{stack|[[File:2022-08-13 15 56 00 View north along Interstate 476 (Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension) from the overpass for Hatchery Road in Penn Forest Township, Carbon County, Pennsylvania.jpg|right|thumb|[[Interstate 476 in Pennsylvania|I-476]]/[[Pennsylvania Turnpike]] Northeast Extension northbound in Penn Forest Township]]}}
As of 2020, there were {{convert|56.26|mi}} of public roads in Penn Forest Township, of which {{convert|9.10|mi}} were maintained by the [[Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission]] (PTC), {{convert|16.81|mi}} were maintained by the [[Pennsylvania Department of Transportation]] (PennDOT) and {{convert|30.35|mi}} were maintained by the township.<ref name=PennDOTmap>{{cite web|url=https://gis.penndot.gov/BPR_pdf_files/Maps/Type5/13211.pdf|title=Penn Forest Township map|publisher=PennDOT|access-date=March 17, 2023}}</ref>

[[Interstate 476]] ([[Pennsylvania Turnpike]] Northeast Extension) crosses Penn Forest Township north-to-south intersects with PA 903, with access at interchange number 87. This [[Pennsylvania Route 903]] interchange has overhead directional signage listing Jim Thorpe and Lake Harmony as end points. However, PA 903 continues beyond the place name of Lake Harmony until its terminus at PA 115 in Tunkhannock Township, Monroe County. PA 903 crosses the township from northeast to southwest, while [[Pennsylvania Route 534]] crosses in the east and intersects PA 903 in Albrightsville. Other important roads include Hatchery Road, Meckesville Road, Maury Road, and Schock Mill Road. Stony Mountain Road, TR474, bisects the township, connecting PA 903 with PA 534.

==References==
<references />

==External links==
{{commons category}}
*[http://www.pennforesttownship.org Penn Forest Township official website]

{{Carbon County, Pennsylvania}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Populated places established in 1842]]
[[Category:Townships in Carbon County, Pennsylvania]]