lancaster, pennsylvania

Lancaster is a city located in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,348. It is the county seat of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

General information

Zip codes: 17601 through 17608 (17602 is center city)
Area code: 717

History

Land was part of the 1681 Penn's Woods Charter of William Penn
In 1700 the Swiss Mennonites, led by Hans Herr created the first permanent colony in Lancaster
The city was founded in 1718
Named after Lancashire, England by native John Wright. Its symbol, the red rose, is from the house of Lancashire. The Lancaster County Prison, built in the mid-19th century, is supposed to look like the castle in Lancashire.
The oldest church in the city is the Trinity Lutheran Church founded in 1729
Lancaster was the United States capital for one day in 1777 when the Continental Congress met while passing from Philadelphia to York to escape the British army
In the late 18th century through the early 19th century, Lancaster was the largest inland town in the United States. It is the oldest inland town.
The Fulton Opera House, finished in October 1852, is the oldest theater give continuous performances in the United States
President James Buchanan made his home in Lancaster at http://www.wheatland.org/, his mansion
Milton S. Hershey started the Lancaster Caramel Company and Frank W. Woolworth started Woolworth's in the city

Geography

Lancaster is located at 40°2'23" North, 76°18'16" West (40.039860, -76.304366). The land is mostly flat characteristic of the area. The city is located about 70 miles west of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 34 miles southeast of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and 87 miles north of Washington D.C.. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 19.2 km² (7.4 mi²). 19.2 km² (7.4 mi²) of it is land and 0.14% is water.

Law and government

Lancaster is the county seat of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. It is a borough and a township.

Demographics

The city has a higher percentage of non-whites than the rest of the county. It is a popular home for many Puerto Ricans. There is a concentration of Amish farms east of the city and in that area horse and buggys are commonly seen. As of the census of 2000, there are 56,348 people, 20,933 households, and 12,162 families residing in the city. The population density is 2,940.0/km² (7,616.5/mi²). There are 23,024 housing units at an average density of 1,201.3/km² (3,112.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 61.55% White, 14.09% African American, 0.44% Native American, 2.46% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 17.44% from other races, and 3.94% from two or more races. 30.76% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. There are 20,933 households out of which 31.6% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 33.4% are married couples living together, 19.0% have a female householder with no husband present, and 41.9% are non-families. 33.1% of all households are made up of individuals and 9.9% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.52 and the average family size is 3.23. In the city the population is spread out with 27.5% under the age of 18, 13.9% from 18 to 24, 30.5% from 25 to 44, 17.7% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 30 years. For every 100 females there are 95.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 91.4 males. The median income for a household in the city is $29,770, and the median income for a family is $34,623. Males have a median income of $27,833 versus $21,862 for females. The per capita income for the city is $13,955. 21.2% of the population and 17.9% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 29.2% of those under the age of 18 and 12.9% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.