Chester County

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Chester County, a significant part of the Brandywine Valley, carefully guards the heritage of its open space, old houses, cherished landmarks and giant sycamores. Travelers who have been to many different parts of the United States say they’ll put this countryside against anything they have seen. One thing that strikes visitors about this small river valley is the abundance of quaint villages and hamlets dating back to the 1700’s that are still intact. Another is how narrow asphalt roads remain the rule for motorists searching for timeless treasures. Many comment how they get the feeling that this is a special valley, nurtured with great caring of a rural landscape. Chester County is a great place in which to get lost. Mile after mile of rolling hills, etched by stream-filled valleys and woodlands; horse farms, covered bridges, and beautiful wildflowers. This is a very special valley. Here we are still able to see with the eye of an artist, listen with the ear of the poet –grasping the special magic which has drawn so many to this place where art, history and culture flourish. Chester County is an area rich in opportunity from many perspectives. Centrally located to New York City, Philadelphia, Wilimington, Baltimore, Washington D.C. and even a short plane trip to Boston, Chester County offers many opportunities for employment, culture and history. Search Chester County real estate by area, city, community, price range or map. We are confident you will be charmed by the place we call home!

General Information about Chester County:

Chester County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2000, the population was 433,501. The county seat is West Chester. It is the highest-income county measured per capita and by median household income in Pennsylvania. Chester County is one of the three original counties of Pennsylvania created by William Penn in 1682. It is named for Cheshire, England. It is part of the Delaware Valley area, and is the only Delaware Valley county in Pennsylvania that does not border Philadelphia, though it is close. Chester County Government is headquartered in West Chester, Pennsylvania (approximately thirty miles west of Philadelphia) and is administered by a three-person Board of Commissioners, who are elected for four-year terms. The Board manages a large and diverse organization whose mission is to provide quality services in an efficient, cost effective manner. The Commissioners have selective policy-making authority to provide certain local services and facilities on a county-wide basis. Accordingly, the commissioners are responsible for the management of the fiscal and administrative functions of the county.

Chester County History:

Chester, Philadelphia, and Bucks were the three original Pennsylvania counties created by William Penn in 1682. At that time, Chester County’s borders were Philadelphia County to the north, the western edge of the colony (approximately the Susquehanna River) to the west, the Delaware River to the east, and Delaware and Maryland to the south. Much of eastern Chester County was in the Welsh Tract, and Welsh place names continue to predominate there. The fourth county in the state, Lancaster County, was formed from Chester County on May 10, 1729. On March 11, 1752 Berks County was formed from the northern section of Chester County, as well as parts of Lancaster and Philadelphia Counties. The original Chester County seat was the naval shipbuilding city of Chester. However, it became part of Delaware County when that county was formed from the eastern portion of the Chester County on September 26, 1789. This took the county seat out of Chester County, so West Chester became the new county seat that year, and has remained so to the present. Much of the history of Chester County arises from its location between Philadelphia and the Susquehanna River. The first road to “the West” (meaning Lancaster County) passed through the central part of Chester County; with some re-alignments, it became the Lincoln Highway and later U.S. Route 30. For much of its distance, the road is still known as Lancaster Avenue. The first railroad (which became the Pennsylvania Railroad) followed much the same route, and the Reading Railroad progressed up the Schuylkill River to Reading. Industry tended to concentrate along the rail lines. In time, easy transportation allowed workers to commute to urban jobs, and the rise of the suburbs followed. To this day, the built-up areas form “fingers” extending along lines of transportation. The Battle of Brandywine was fought at what is now the southeastern fringe of the county, and the Valley Forge encampment was at the northeastern edge. The former Valley Forge Army Hospital, constructed during World War II, was one of the largest military hospitals in the United States.

Demographics:

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 433,501 people, 157,905 households, and 113,375 families residing in the county. The population density was 573 people per square mile (221/km²). There were 163,773 housing units at an average density of 217 per square mile (84/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 89.21% White, 6.24% Black or African American, 0.15% Native American, 1.95% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.35% from other races, and 1.06% from two or more races. 3.72% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 18.0% were of Irish, 17.3% German, 13.1% Italian, 10.1% English and 5.6% American ancestry according to Census 2000. 91.4% spoke English and 3.7% Spanish as their first language. There were 157,905 households out of which 35.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.50% were married couples living together, 8.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.20% were non-families. 22.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.60% 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 3.15. In the county, the population was spread out with 26.20% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 30.40% from 25 to 44, 23.80% from 45 to 64, and 11.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 96.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.10 males. The median income for a household in the county was $65,295, and the median income for a family was $76,916. Males had a median income of $51,223 versus $34,854 for females. The per capita income for the county was $31,627. About 3.10% of families and 5.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.10% of those under age 18 and 5.50% of those age 65 or over. The region was originally occupied by the Lenni Lenape people who greeted European settlers in the seventeenth century with amity and kindness. British settlers were mostly English, Scotch-Irish and Welsh in ethnicity. As time passed, the region has had large influxes of Germans, Africans, Eastern Europeans, Italians, Puerto Ricans, and Mexicans.

Maps of Chester County

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Municipalities

Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: cities, boroughs, townships, and, in at most two cases, towns. The post office uses community names and boundaries that usually do not correspond to the townships, and usually only have the same names as the municipalities for the cities and boroughs. The names used by the post office are generally used by residents to describe where they live. The following cities, boroughs and townships are located in Chester County:

Cities

Boroughs

Townships

Census-designated place

Census-designated places are geographical areas designated by the U.S. Census Bureau for the purposes of compiling demographic data. They are not actual jurisdictions under Pennsylvania law.

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