Lower Southampton Township, Pennsylvania

Lower Southampton Township is a township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 20,599 at the 2020 census.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the township has a total area of Template:Convert, all land.

Past and present place names include Feasterville-Trevose, Chinquapin, Churchville, Feasterville, Playwicki, Readingville, Siles, Oakford, Trevose, and Langhorne.<ref name="MacReynolds">MacReynolds, George, Place Names in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Doylestown, Bucks County Historical Society, Doylestown, PA, 1942, P1.</ref>

Natural features include Edge Hill, Neshaminy Creek, Neshaminy Falls, and Poquessing Creek.<ref name=MacReynolds/>

Demographics

As of the 2010 census, the township was 91.9% Non-Hispanic White, 1.8% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 2.5% Asian, and 1.1% were two or more races. 2.8% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

As of the census<ref name="GR2">Template:Cite web</ref> of 2000, there were 19,276 people, 7,152 households, and 5,428 families residing in the township. The population density was Template:Pop density. There were 7,333 housing units at an average density of Template:Pop density. The racial makeup of the township was 96.34% White, 1.07% African American, 0.06% Native American, 1.37% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.42% from other races, and 0.73% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.41% of the population.

There were 7,152 households, out of which 32.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.5% were married couples living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.1% were non-families. 19.9% of all households consisted of individuals, and 7.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67, and the average family size was 3.10.

In the township the population was spread out, with 22.9% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 26.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.2 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $57,011, and the median income for a family was $62,209. Males had a median income of $41,902 versus $32,073 for females. The per capita income for the township was $24,367. About 2.7% of families and 3.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.6% of those under age 18 and 5.2% of those age 65 or over. Template:US Census population

Education

Lower Southampton Township lies within the Neshaminy School District. Public school students within township boundaries may attend Joseph Ferderbar Elementary School or Tawanka Elementary School for grades K-4, depending on where they live. Poquessing Middle School serves students in grades 5–8, and Neshaminy High School serves students in grades 9–12.

St. Katharine Drexel Regional Catholic School in Holland is the local Catholic grade school. In 2012, Assumption B.V.M. Catholic School in Feasterville merged with St. Bede the Venerable School in Holland to form St. Katharine Drexel.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Lower Southampton Twp has a Hot-summer, Humid continental climate (Dfa). Dfa climates are characterized by at least one month having an average mean temperature ≤ Template:Convert, at least four months with an average mean temperature ≥ Template:Convert, at least one month with an average mean temperature ≥ Template:Convert and no significant precipitation difference between seasons. Although most summer days are slightly humid in Lower Southampton Twp, episodes of heat and high humidity can occur with heat index values > Template:Convert. Since 1981, the highest air temperature was Template:Convert on July 22, 2011, and the highest daily average mean dew point was Template:Convert on August 13, 1999. The average wettest month is July which corresponds with the annual peak in thunderstorm activity. Since 1981, the wettest calendar day was Template:Convert on August 27, 2011. During the winter months, the average annual extreme minimum air temperature is Template:Convert.<ref name="USDA">Template:Cite web</ref> Since 1981, the coldest air temperature was Template:Convert on January 22, 1984. Episodes of extreme cold and wind can occur with wind chill values < Template:Convert. The average annual snowfall (Nov-Apr) is between Template:Convert and Template:Convert. Ice storms and large snowstorms depositing ≥ Template:Convert of snow occur once every few years, particularly during nor’easters from December through February.

Transportation

Template:Stack As of 2018 there were Template:Convert of public roads in Lower Southampton Township, of which Template:Convert were maintained by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC), Template:Convert were maintained by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and Template:Convert were maintained by the township.<ref name=PennDOTmap>Template:Cite web</ref>

The Pennsylvania Turnpike (Interstate 276) passes east–west through Lower Southampton Township, but the nearest interchange is to the east in neighboring Bensalem Township. Numbered routes serving the township include Pennsylvania Route 132, which runs northwest–southeast through the township along Street Road; Pennsylvania Route 532, which runs north–south through the township along Bustleton Pike and Buck Road; and Pennsylvania Route 213, which begins at PA 532 in the township and heads northeast along Bridgetown Pike. Other important roads include County Line Road, which begins at PA 532 and heads northwest along the border separating Lower Southampton Township from Philadelphia and Montgomery County; Bustleton Pike, which follows PA 532 in the southern part of the township before splitting to the northwest; Philmont Avenue, which begins at PA 132 and heads southwest through the southern part of the township; Brownsville Road, which begins near PA 132 and heads northeast through the eastern part of the township; and Bristol Road, which runs northwest–southeast through the northern portion of the township, with a gap between PA 532 and PA 213.<ref name=PennDOTBucks>Template:Cite map</ref>

SEPTA provides public transportation in Lower Southampton Township. SEPTA Regional Rail's West Trenton Line passes east–west through the southern portion of the township; the nearest stations are Somerton station in the Somerton neighborhood of Northeast Philadelphia and Trevose station and Neshaminy Falls station in Bensalem Township. SEPTA City Bus Route 58 serves the township along its route between the Neshaminy Mall and the Frankford Transportation Center in Northeast Philadelphia.<ref name=septamap>Template:Cite map</ref> Norfolk Southern Railway's Morrisville Line freight railroad line passes east–west through the northern part of Lower Southampton Township.<ref name=PennDOTBucks/><ref name=NStimetable>Norfolk Southern Harrisburg Region Timetable 1, August 4, 2008</ref>

Ecology

According to the A. W. Kuchler U.S. potential natural vegetation types, Lower Southampton Twp would have a dominant vegetation type of Appalachian Oak (104) with a dominant vegetation form of Eastern Hardwood Forest (25).<ref name="Conservation Biology Institute">Template:Cite web</ref> The plant hardiness zone is 7a with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of Template:Convert.<ref name="USDA" /> The spring bloom typically begins by April 8 and fall color usually peaks by November 3.

External links

• Lower Southampton Township Home Page