Updated June 30, 1999
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Published Wednesday, June 30, 1999
| Change in population Census estimates for local communities' population changes between 1990 and 1998 (townships were not tallied): | |||
| Town | 98 est | 90 actual | change in population |
| Clark | 642 | 610 | +32, a 5.2 % increase |
| Farrell | 6,462 | 6,835 | -373, a 5.5 % decrease |
| Greenville | 6,349 | 6,734 | -385, a 5.7 % decrease |
| Grove City | 8,056 | 8,240 | -184, a 2.2 % decrease |
| Hermitage | 16,274 | 15,260 | +1,014, a 6.6 % increase |
| Jamestown | 728 | 761 | -33, a 4.3 % decrease |
| Mercer | 2,363 | 2,444 | -81, a 3.3 % decrease |
| New Lebanon | 215 | 209 | +6, a 2.9 % increase |
| New Wilmington | 2,519 | 2,706 | -187, a 6.9 % decrease |
| Sandy Lake | 709 | 722 | -13, a 1.8 % decrease |
| Sharon | 16,373 | 17,533 | -1,160, a 6.6 % decrease |
| Sharpsville | 4,445 | 4,729 | -284, a 6 % decrease |
| Sheakleyville | 140 | 145 | -5, a 3.4 % decrease |
| Stoneboro | 1,067 | 1,091 | -24, a 2.2 % decrease |
| West Middlesex | 948 | 982 | -34, a 3.5 % decrease |
| Wheatland | 721 | 766 | -45, a 5.9 % decrease |
In fact, most of those places -- like the boroughs of Seven Fields, Alburtis, and Cross Roads -- have about as many residents as a crowded strip of high-rise apartment buildings in Philadelphia.
But they do follow recent U.S. population trends -- into the small cities and towns, and, in general, out of urban centers.
The report released today is based on a 1990-98 population comparison compiled from estimates by the U.S. Census Bureau.
Locally, the estimate shows only three Mercer County cities or boroughs had more residents in 1998 than in 1990. Hermitage, Clark and New Lebanon showed population gains while other local cities and boroughs lost residents. The report did not include townships.
The estimates also show that Sharon is still the most populous local city -- but just barely. Hermitage has grown to within 99 residents of Sharon, according to the Census report.
Even some state officials are surprised about where the growth is occurring, even if the increases are coming in boroughs like Cross Roads, in York County. The report showed that Cross Roads' population increased by 46.3 percent between 1990 and 1998.
The same 1990-98 census estimates also show that Cross Roads only had 471 residents last year -- 149 more than it did in 1990.
"Cross Roads is in one of the more rural areas in the county. It's a very nice, picturesque community," said county assistant planning director Felicia Dell said. "But I'd be very surprised if it's grown that much."
Still, the increase is in line with national figures showing that smaller communities are the fastest-growing municipalities in the country, officials said.
A look at the five fastest-growing Pennsylvania communities reveals names of boroughs rarely known by people outside the immediate area -- Seven Fields, Butler County (128.6 percent increase); Goldsboro, York County (75.3); Elverson, Chester County (74.9); Alburtis, Lehigh County (49.7), and Cross Roads.
Hermitage ranked 80th among the state's fastest growing communities. Clark was 99th and New Lebanon was 157th.
The biggest declines were primarily in western Pennsylvania, which has been affected for years by cutbacks in the steel and coal industries. Two of the biggest decreases came in Erie County boroughs: 12.1 percent in Edinboro, and 11.5 percent in McKean.
Among the state's biggest cities, Pittsburgh lost 29,359 people since 1990, a 7.9-percent decline; Harrisburg lost 2,874, a 5.5-percent drop; while McKeesport lost the most residents among state municipalities classified as cities -- it lost 2,927 people, or 11.3 percent of its population.
Philadelphia had the fifth-largest city population in the nation in 1998 with 1.4 million, but it was one of only two cities in the top 10 to have lost residents, suffering a 9.4-percent decline since 1990 (Detroit, the 10th-largest city, lost 5.6 percent).