Jenkintown, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Jenkintown is a borough
in Montgomery County
, Pennsylvania
, about 10 miles (16 km) north of downtown Philadelphia. "Jenkintown" is also used to describe a number of neighborhoods surrounding the borough, which also are known by names such as Rydal, Jenkintown Manor and Noble. While the post office will deliver "Jenkintown"-addressed mail to these areas, they are not part of the political entity of Jenkintown; they are within Abington Township
.
The Jenkintown-Wyncote train station
is one of SEPTA
's major stops; the Warminster Line
, West Trenton Line
, Airport Line, and Lansdale/Doylestown Line
regional rail services all stop there.
corridor between Abington
and Cheltenham
Townships. The Borough was settled in about 1697 and incorporated on December 8, 1874 when approximately 248 acres (1 km²) was taken from Abington Township. Today, the Borough is approximately .58 of a square mile and is home to 4,500 residents.
The Borough is a mostly residential community
that is separated into East and West by the Business District that runs along and surrounds Old York Road
(Route 611) corridor. On the east side of Old York Road, residential development is predominantly characterized by larger detached single-family homes on lots larger than the Borough average. On the southeast side of York Road, there is a small mixed concentration of row homes, duplexes
, and single-family residences. The majority of the residential development, however, is located to the west of York Road. This area consists of a traditional small town mix of detached single-family homes, duplexes, and row homes. Located throughout this area are several multi-family apartment buildings that are residential rental properties. At the center of this residential area are the Jenkintown Elementary School and the Jenkintown High School.
The Jenkintown Fire Department consists of two fire companies founded more than 125 years ago. The Jenkintown Fire Department is a totally volunteer department
consisting of the Pioneer Fire Company #1 and the Independent Fire Company #2. The Pioneer Company was organized in 1884 and the Independent Company was organized in 1889. The Fire Department has a total membership of approximately 150 with 50 members comprising the active firefighting crew.
to 12th. The mascot of Jenkintown High School is the Drake. The sports teams are known as the Drakes, or the Lady Drakes in the case of all-female teams. The mascot name comes from a pond which was filled in to make way for the football stadium.
, the borough has a total area of 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²), all land. Pennsylvania Route 611
passes through the center of the borough.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 4,478 people, 2,035 households, and 1,088 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 7,844.0 people per square mile (3,033.3/km²). There were 2,085 housing units at an average density of 3,652.2 per square mile (1,412.3/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 93.61% White, 4.00% African American, 0.04% Native American, 0.94% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.49% from other races
, and 0.89% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.30% of the population.
There were 2,035 households out of which 24.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.2% were married couples
living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.5% were non-families. 40.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the borough the population is spread out with 22.9% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 23.5% from 45 to 64, and 21.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 78.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 73.2 males.
The median income
for a household in the borough was $47,743, and the median income for a family was $72,902. Males had a median income of $41,970 versus $35,625 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $29,834. About 1.9% of families and 5.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.6% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over.
form of government with a mayor
and a twelve-member borough council. The current mayor is Ed Foley.
The borough is part of the Thirteenth Congressional District (represented by Rep. Allyson Schwartz
), Pennsylvania's 154th Representative District
(represented by Rep. Lawrence Curry
) and Pennsylvania's 4th Senatorial District
(represented by Sen. LeAnna Washington
).
Borough (Pennsylvania)
In the U.S. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, a borough is a self-governing municipal entity that is usually smaller than a city. There are 958 boroughs in Pennsylvania. All municipalities in Pennsylvania are classified as either cities, boroughs, or townships...
in Montgomery County
Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Montgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of 2010, the population was 799,874, making it the third most populous county in Pennsylvania . The county seat is Norristown.The county was created on September 10, 1784, out of land originally part...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, about 10 miles (16 km) north of downtown Philadelphia. "Jenkintown" is also used to describe a number of neighborhoods surrounding the borough, which also are known by names such as Rydal, Jenkintown Manor and Noble. While the post office will deliver "Jenkintown"-addressed mail to these areas, they are not part of the political entity of Jenkintown; they are within Abington Township
Abington Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Abington Township is a township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 55,310 in as of the 2010 census.Abington Township is one of Montgomery County's oldest communities dating back to before 1700 and being incorporated in 1704. It is home to some of the county's...
.
The Jenkintown-Wyncote train station
Jenkintown-Wyncote (SEPTA station)
Jenkintown–Wyncote is a SEPTA Regional Rail station along the SEPTA Main Line. It is located at the intersection of Greenwood Avenue and West Avenue in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania.-Station:...
is one of SEPTA
Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority is a metropolitan transportation authority that operates various forms of public transit—bus, subway and elevated rail, commuter rail, light rail, and electric trolley bus—that serve 3.9 million people in and around Philadelphia,...
's major stops; the Warminster Line
Warminster Line
The Warminster Line is a route of the SEPTA Regional Rail commuter rail. It serves stations between its namesake town, Warminster, and Center City, Philadelphia...
, West Trenton Line
West Trenton Line (SEPTA)
The West Trenton Line is a SEPTA Regional Rail line connecting Center City Philadelphia to West Trenton, New Jersey.-Route:The West Trenton Line connects Center City, Philadelphia with the West Trenton section of Ewing, New Jersey...
, Airport Line, and Lansdale/Doylestown Line
Lansdale/Doylestown Line
The Lansdale/Doylestown Line is a SEPTA Regional Rail line connecting Center City Philadelphia to Doylestown in Bucks County.-Route:The Lansdale-Doylestown segment of the R5 line utilizes what is known as the "SEPTA Main Line", a four-track line that has been owned by SEPTA since 1983...
regional rail services all stop there.
History
The community was named for William Jenkins, settler. The Borough of Jenkintown is located just outside of Philadelphia along the Route 611Pennsylvania Route 611
Pennsylvania Route 611 is a major state highway in Pennsylvania, United States, running from Interstate 95 south of downtown Philadelphia north to Interstate 380 in Coolbaugh Township, Pennsylvania in The Poconos....
corridor between Abington
Abington Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Abington Township is a township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 55,310 in as of the 2010 census.Abington Township is one of Montgomery County's oldest communities dating back to before 1700 and being incorporated in 1704. It is home to some of the county's...
and Cheltenham
Cheltenham Township, Pennsylvania
Cheltenham Township is a home rule municipality in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. Although it retains the word "Township" in its official name, it has been governed by a home rule charter since 1977 and is therefore not subject to the Pennsylvania Township Code. The population was...
Townships. The Borough was settled in about 1697 and incorporated on December 8, 1874 when approximately 248 acres (1 km²) was taken from Abington Township. Today, the Borough is approximately .58 of a square mile and is home to 4,500 residents.
The Borough is a mostly residential community
Residential community
A residential community is a community, usually a small town or city, that is composed mostly of residents, as opposed to commercial businesses and/or industrial facilities, all three of which are considered to be the three main types of occupants of the typical community.Residential communities...
that is separated into East and West by the Business District that runs along and surrounds Old York Road
Old York Road
Old York Road or King's Highway is a roadway that was built in the 18th century to connect Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with New York City, New York. Through New Jersey it was built along the Raritan "Naraticong Trail"...
(Route 611) corridor. On the east side of Old York Road, residential development is predominantly characterized by larger detached single-family homes on lots larger than the Borough average. On the southeast side of York Road, there is a small mixed concentration of row homes, duplexes
Duplex (building)
The term duplex can be used to describe several different dwelling unit configurations:A duplex house is defined as a dwelling having apartments with separate entrances for two families. This includes two-story houses having a complete apartment on each floor and also side-by-side apartments on a...
, and single-family residences. The majority of the residential development, however, is located to the west of York Road. This area consists of a traditional small town mix of detached single-family homes, duplexes, and row homes. Located throughout this area are several multi-family apartment buildings that are residential rental properties. At the center of this residential area are the Jenkintown Elementary School and the Jenkintown High School.
The Jenkintown Fire Department consists of two fire companies founded more than 125 years ago. The Jenkintown Fire Department is a totally volunteer department
Volunteer fire department
See also the Firefighter article and its respective sections regarding VFDs in other countries.A volunteer fire department is a fire department composed of volunteers who perform fire suppression and other related emergency services for a local jurisdiction.The first organized force of...
consisting of the Pioneer Fire Company #1 and the Independent Fire Company #2. The Pioneer Company was organized in 1884 and the Independent Company was organized in 1889. The Fire Department has a total membership of approximately 150 with 50 members comprising the active firefighting crew.
Public Schools
Jenkintown has its own school district with grades from kindergartenKindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
to 12th. The mascot of Jenkintown High School is the Drake. The sports teams are known as the Drakes, or the Lady Drakes in the case of all-female teams. The mascot name comes from a pond which was filled in to make way for the football stadium.
Private Schools
Unless noted, these institutions are located in Abington Township, but have a Jenkintown zip code:- Immaculate Conception School (K-8, in Jenkintown Borough)
- Saint Basil AcademySaint Basil Academy (Jenkintown, Pennsylvania)Saint Basil Academy is a private, Ukrainian Catholic, all-girls high school in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania. It is located in the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia.Saint Basil Academy was established in 1931 by the Sisters of Saint Basil....
(all-girls') - Abington Friends SchoolAbington Friends SchoolAbington Friends School, founded in 1697, is a K-12 private Quaker secondary school in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania . It is the oldest primary and secondary educational institution in the United States to operate continuously at the same location under the same management...
- Manor CollegeManor CollegeLocated in suburban Philadelphia, "Manor College" is a two-year institution offering transfer and career-oriented programs to traditional age and adult students...
Geography
Jenkintown borough is located at 40°5′46"N 75°7′46"W (40.096060, -75.129415). According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the borough has a total area of 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²), all land. Pennsylvania Route 611
Pennsylvania Route 611
Pennsylvania Route 611 is a major state highway in Pennsylvania, United States, running from Interstate 95 south of downtown Philadelphia north to Interstate 380 in Coolbaugh Township, Pennsylvania in The Poconos....
passes through the center of the borough.
Demographics
As of the 2010 census, the borough was 90.2% White, 5.7% Black or African American, 2.0% Asian, and 1.8% were two or more races. 3.0% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/census/profile/PA#locality-tab.As of the census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 4,478 people, 2,035 households, and 1,088 families residing in the borough. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 7,844.0 people per square mile (3,033.3/km²). There were 2,085 housing units at an average density of 3,652.2 per square mile (1,412.3/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 93.61% White, 4.00% African American, 0.04% Native American, 0.94% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.49% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.89% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.30% of the population.
There were 2,035 households out of which 24.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.2% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.5% were non-families. 40.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the borough the population is spread out with 22.9% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 23.5% from 45 to 64, and 21.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 78.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 73.2 males.
The median income
Median household income
The median household income is commonly used to generate data about geographic areas and divides households into two equal segments with the first half of households earning less than the median household income and the other half earning more...
for a household in the borough was $47,743, and the median income for a family was $72,902. Males had a median income of $41,970 versus $35,625 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the borough was $29,834. About 1.9% of families and 5.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.6% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over.
Politics and government
Jenkintown has a city managerCity manager
A city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a city, in a council-manager form of city government. Local officials serving in this position are sometimes referred to as the chief executive officer or chief administrative officer in some municipalities...
form of government with a mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
and a twelve-member borough council. The current mayor is Ed Foley.
The borough is part of the Thirteenth Congressional District (represented by Rep. Allyson Schwartz
Allyson Schwartz
Allyson Young Schwartz is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. She is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes parts of Montgomery County and Northeast Philadelphia...
), Pennsylvania's 154th Representative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives, District 154
The 154th Pennsylvania House of Representatives District is made up of parts of Montgomery County and Philadelphia County. The district includes the following areas:* Montgomery County** Cheltenham Township** Jenkintown** Springfield* Philadelphia County...
(represented by Rep. Lawrence Curry
Lawrence Curry
Lawrence Curry is a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.-External links:* official PA House website* official Party website...
) and Pennsylvania's 4th Senatorial District
Pennsylvania Senate, District 4
The Pennsylvania 4th Senatorial District is a senatorial district in the Pennsylvania State Senate. The district is home to about 650,000 people. The district includes Abington Township, Cheltenham Township, Jenkintown, Springfield, Rockledge, and part of Philadelphia. The Pennsylvania 4th...
(represented by Sen. LeAnna Washington
LeAnna Washington
LeAnna M. Washington is a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania State Senate who was first elected to represent the 4th District in a special election in May 2005.-Career:...
).
Notable people
- Allyson SchwartzAllyson SchwartzAllyson Young Schwartz is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. She is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes parts of Montgomery County and Northeast Philadelphia...
, American politician - Bradley CooperBradley CooperBradley Cooper is an American film, theater, and television actor. He is known for his roles in the films The Hangover, The A-Team, and Limitless. In 2011, People magazine named Cooper "Sexiest Man Alive".-Early life:...
, Actor - Jabril Trawick, College basketball player