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Politics & Government

Census Data Shows Decrease in Local Populations

Statistics released by the U.S. Census Bureau reveal that the boroughs of Edgewood, Forest Hills and Swissvale had fewer residents and more vacant properties in 2010 than in 2000.

The U.S. Census Bureau's 2010 redistricting data states the boroughs of Edgewood, Forest Hills and Swissvale saw a decline in population since the previous census in 2000, a trend echoed across Allegheny County.

While state totals put Pennsylvania’s population at roughly 12.7 million, an increase of about 3.4 percent from 2000, Allegheny County lost approximately 58,000 residents, or 4.5 percent of its population.

In Edgewood, population fell 5.8 percent since 2000, from 3,311 to 3,118, and Forest Hills dropped 4.5 percent, from 6,831 to 6,518. Swissvale experienced the sharpest decline of the three boroughs at 6.9 percent, with the population falling from 9,653 to 8,983.

Along with the drop in population came an increase in vacant housing. In Forest Hills, there were 205 vacancies in 2010 compared to 153 in 2000. Swissvale’s vacancies spiked from 418 in 2000 to 633 in 2010. Edgewood proved to be an exception to the trend, as it held the line at 90 vacancies, one fewer than it had in 2000.

In racial demographics, the number residents in all three boroughs who identified themselves as white decreased significantly.

Roughly 85 percent of Edgewood residents identified themselves as white, 9.3 percent as black and 2.5 percent as Asian, with the remaining percentage composed of people who identified themselves as American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander or multiple races. Those figures compare to 89 percent white, 7.9 percent black and 1.5 percent Asian in 2000.

Forest Hills followed a similar spread, with respondents identifying themselves as 87 percent white, 9.1 percent black and 1.1 percent Asian in 2010,  compared to 94 percent white, 3 percent black and 1.3 percent Asian in 2000.

Swissvale saw the most drastic change in racial makeup. In 2010, respondents who identified themselves as white comprised 59 percent of the population, compared to 74 percent in 2000. The number of people identifying themselves as black increased to 35 percent, up from 22 percent in 2000, and respondents identifying themselves as Asian rose from .9 to 1.6 percent.

The U.S. Census Bureau has not yet released 2010 age demographics for Edgewood, Forest Hills or Swissvale. In 2000, 82.6 percent of Edgewood residents were 18 or older, with 16.1 percent at age 62 or older; Forest Hills had 80.3 percent of its population 18 or older, with 23.7 percent at age 62 or older; and 80 percent of Swissvale’s residents were 18 or older, with 19.7 percent 62 or older.

Editor’s Note: Forest Hills-Regent Square Patch compared the 2010 data currently available from the U.S. Census Bureau to figures from 2000. Percentages were calculated by Patch based on the census figures, except for racial demographics from 2000, which are taken from U.S. Census Bureau documents available at http://www.census.gov.

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