Editing West Deer Township, Pennsylvania

{{Short description|Township in Pennsylvania, US}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Distinguish|East Deer Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = West Deer Township
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| settlement_type = Township
| image_skyline = Municipal Building, West Deer Township, Pennsylvania.jpg
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| image_caption = Municipal Building
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| image_map = Allegheny County Pennsylvania incorporated and unincorporated areas West Deer township highlighted.svg
| mapsize = 260px
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| map_caption = Location in [[Allegheny County, Pennsylvania|Allegheny County]] and state of [[Pennsylvania]]
| image_map1 = Pennsylvania in United States (US48).svg
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| map_caption1 = Location of Pennsylvania in the United States
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| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = United States
| subdivision_type1 = State
| subdivision_name1 = Pennsylvania
| subdivision_type2 = County
| subdivision_name2 = [[Allegheny County, Pennsylvania|Allegheny]]
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| established_title = Incorporated
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| leader_title = Mayor
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| unit_pref = Imperial
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| area_total_km2 = 74.78
| area_total_sq_mi = 28.87
| area_land_km2 = 74.77
| area_land_sq_mi = 28.87
| area_water_km2 = 0.01
| area_water_sq_mi = 0.01
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| population_as_of = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
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| population_total = 12262
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| population_density_km2 = 159.18
| population_density_sq_mi = 412.28
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| timezone1 = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|EST]]
| utc_offset1 = -5
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| utc_offset1_DST = -4
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}}

'''West Deer Township''' is a [[Township (Pennsylvania)|township]] in [[Allegheny County, Pennsylvania]], [[Pennsylvania]], United States. The population was 12,262 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |title=Race, Hispanic or Latino, Age, and Housing Occupancy: 2010 Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171) Summary File (QT-PL), West Deer township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=September 30, 2011}}</ref>

==History==
In 1788, the [[Pennsylvania Legislature]] created Allegheny County from some of [[Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania|Westmoreland]] and [[Washington County, Pennsylvania|Washington]] counties and most of the [[Depreciation Lands]] north of the [[Ohio River]] and west of the [[Allegheny River]]. The county was expanded a year later. Of the county's then seven townships, [[Pitt Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania|Pitt Township]] comprised most of the northern part of the county. It is this township that would be divided in 1796 to form [[Pine Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania|Pine]] and Deer townships.<ref name="history2"/> Deer Township was made up of what is today the eastern parts of Richland and West Deer, Frazer, most of East Deer, part of Hampton, and all of Fawn and Harrison.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.westdeertownship.com/West%20deer%20HTML/West_Deer%20plus.htm |title=West Deer Township |publisher=West Deer Township |author=Warner History (attributed) |year=1889 |access-date=July 4, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100429171213/http://www.westdeertownship.com/West%20deer%20HTML/West_Deer%20plus.htm |archive-date=April 29, 2010}}</ref> Deer gets its name from Chief Deer, a sub-chief of [[Iroquois]] leader [[Guyasuta]]. Half of Deer Township was used to create [[Indiana Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania|Indiana Township]] in 1805. In 1836, upon petition of its citizens, Deer was divided into [[East Deer Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania|East Deer]] and West Deer. In 1860, the western boundary of West Deer was moved eastward, the land being used to form [[Richland Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania|Richland Township]]. In 1861, part of the southwestern corner of West Deer was used to form [[Hampton Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania|Hampton Township]]. West Deer also annexed land along its southern border from Indiana Township in this exchange.<ref name="history2">{{cite web |url=http://www.westdeertownship.com/West%20deer%20HTML/West_Deer%20plus.htm |title=West Deer Township |publisher=West Deer Township |author=Ken Lewetag |access-date=July 4, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100429171213/http://www.westdeertownship.com/West%20deer%20HTML/West_Deer%20plus.htm |archive-date=April 29, 2010}}</ref> Historically, much of West Deer's economy has been based on [[farming]] and [[coal mining]]. Many [[coal towns]] such as Curtisville, Bairdford, and Russellton were dominant forces in the industry. In recent years, significant suburban growth has occurred in the southwestern and central portions of the township, while other portions have remained rural.

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the township has a total area of 29.0&nbsp;square miles (75.1&nbsp;km{{sup|2}}), all land.

===Streams===
[[Deer Creek (Allegheny River)|Deer Creek]] flows through the township.<ref>{{Cite gnis |id=1192337 |name=Deer Creek |access-date=December 20, 2010}}</ref>

The township contains the following communities: Allegheny Acres, [[Bairdford, Pennsylvania|Bairdford]], Benjamin, [[Blanchard, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania|Blanchard]], Culmerville, [[Curtisville, Pennsylvania|Curtisville]], Fawn Haven, Magill Heights, Red Hot, and [[Russellton, Pennsylvania|Russellton]].

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|align=left
|1850= 1716
|1860= 1865
|1870= 1299
|1880= 1438
|1890= 1301
|1900= 1225
|1910= 2206
|1920= 5290
|1930= 6461
|1940= 7815
|1950= 7484
|1960= 9038
|1970= 10074
|1980= 10897
|1990= 11371
|2000= 11563
|2010= 11771
|2020= 12262
|estref=<ref>{{cite web |title=U.S. Census website |url=https://www.census.gov |website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |publisher=US Census Bureau |access-date=December 1, 2019 |language=en}}</ref>
|footnote=Sources:<ref>{{cite web |title=Population of Civil Divisions Less than Counties |url=http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1870a-08.pdf |work=1870 United States Census |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=November 25, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Population of Civil Divisions Less than Counties |url=http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1880a_v1-12.pdf |work=1880 United States Census |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=November 24, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Population-Pennsylvania |url=http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/36894832v3ch4.pdf |work=U.S. Census 1910 |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=November 22, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Number and Distribution of Inhabitants:Pennsylvania-Tennessee |url=http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/03815512v1ch09.pdf |work=Fifteenth Census |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Number of Inhabitants: Pennsylvania |url=http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/17216604v1p40ch02.pdf |work=18th Census of the United States |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=November 22, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Pennsylvania: Population and Housing Unit Counts |url=https://www.census.gov/prod/cen1990/cph2/cph-2-40.pdf |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=November 22, 2013}}</ref><ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Incorporated Places and Minor Civil Divisions Datasets: Subcounty Population Estimates: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012 |url=https://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2012/SUB-EST2012.html |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=November 25, 2013}}</ref>
}}
As of the [[2000 United States census|2000 census]], there were 11,563 people, 4,378 households, and 3,349 families residing in the township. The population density was {{convert|399.0|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 4,584 housing units at an average density of {{convert|158.2|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The [[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|racial makeup]] of the township was 98.94% White, 0.29% African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.10% from other races, and 0.35% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.42% of the population.<ref name="GR2" />

There were 4,378 households, out of which 35.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.3% were married couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.5% were non-families. 20.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.04.<ref name="GR2" />

In the township the population was spread out, with 25.0% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 31.3% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.1 males.<ref name="GR2" />

The median income for a household in the township was $46,370, and the median income for a family was $52,295. Males had a median income of $40,824 versus $26,032 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the township was $20,358. About 4.5% of families and 6.3% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 7.6% of those under age 18 and 6.6% of those age 65 or over.<ref name="GR2" />
{{clear|left}}

==Government and politics==
{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; font-size:95%;"
|+ Presidential election results<ref>{{cite web |last1=EL |title=2012 Allegheny County election |url=http://triblive.com/politics/2907065-74/pittsburgh-ward-hills-west-borough-braddock-east-elizabeth-north-park |website=Pittsburgh Tribune-Review |access-date=October 15, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=EL |title=2016 Pennsylvania general election... |url=http://newsinteractive.post-gazette.com/electionresultsgen2016/ |website=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |access-date=October 15, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/PA/Allegheny/106267/web.264614/#/detail/0004 |title=Election Night Reporting}}</ref>
|- bgcolor=lightgrey
! Year
! [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
! [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
! [[Third party (U.S. politics)|Third parties]]
|-
| '''[[2020 United States presidential election in Pennsylvania|2020]]'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|''60%'' ''4,545''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|''38%'' ''2,915''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|''1%'' ''77''
|-
| '''[[2016 United States presidential election in Pennsylvania|2016]]'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|''62%'' ''3,712''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|''37%'' ''2,176''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|''1%'' ''57''
|-
| '''[[2012 United States presidential election in Pennsylvania|2012]]'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|''60%'' ''3,362''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|''39%'' ''2,194''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|''1%'' ''68''
|}
{{clear}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{commons category-inline}}
*[http://www.westdeertownship.com/ West Deer Township official website]

{{Allegheny County, Pennsylvania}}

{{authority control}}
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[[Category:Pittsburgh metropolitan area]]
[[Category:Townships in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Townships in Pennsylvania]]