Fairchance, Pennsylvania facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fairchance, Pennsylvania
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Borough
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Location of Fairchance in Fayette County, Pennsylvania.
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 Fairchance, Pennsylvania
Location in Pennsylvania
Fairchance, Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Fayette |
| Established | 1889 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.19 sq mi (3.07 km2) |
| • Land | 1.19 sq mi (3.07 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,890 |
| • Density | 1,592.25/sq mi (614.84/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-4 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
15436
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| Area codes | 724, 878 |
Fairchance is a small town, called a borough, located in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. In 2020, about 1,889 people lived there. This was a slight decrease from the 1,975 people counted in 2010. The students in Fairchance attend schools in the Albert Gallatin Area School District.
Contents
Geography of Fairchance
Fairchance is found in the southern part of Fayette County. It sits at the western base of Chestnut Ridge. This ridge is the westernmost major part of the Appalachian Mountains in this area.
Roads and Travel
Pennsylvania Route 43, also known as the Mon–Fayette Expressway, runs just west of Fairchance. You can get onto this toll highway from Exit 8 (Big 6 Road).
If you drive north on this highway, you'll reach Uniontown, the county seat, in about 7 miles. If you head southwest, you'll get to Morgantown, West Virginia, which is about 19 miles away.
Pennsylvania Route 857 goes right through the middle of Fairchance. It is known as Morgantown Street in town.
Size of the Borough
The United States Census Bureau says that Fairchance covers a total area of about 3.11 square kilometers (1.19 square miles). All of this area is land, with no water.
Population and People
Fairchance has seen its population change over the years. Here's a look at how many people have lived there during different census counts:
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 1,092 | — | |
| 1900 | 1,219 | 11.6% | |
| 1910 | 1,760 | 44.4% | |
| 1920 | 2,124 | 20.7% | |
| 1930 | 1,804 | −15.1% | |
| 1940 | 1,855 | 2.8% | |
| 1950 | 2,091 | 12.7% | |
| 1960 | 2,120 | 1.4% | |
| 1970 | 1,906 | −10.1% | |
| 1980 | 2,106 | 10.5% | |
| 1990 | 1,918 | −8.9% | |
| 2000 | 2,174 | 13.3% | |
| 2010 | 1,975 | −9.2% | |
| 2020 | 1,889 | −4.4% | |
| 2021 (est.) | 1,864 | −5.6% | |
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Fairchance in 2000
In the year 2000, there were 2,174 people living in Fairchance. These people made up 871 households, with 594 of them being families. The population density was about 1,797 people per square mile.
Most of the people living in Fairchance were White (95.81%). There were also African American residents (2.76%) and a small number of Native American and Asian residents. About 1.24% of the population identified as being from two or more races. A small percentage (0.51%) were Hispanic or Latino.
Households and Families
About 29.3% of the households in 2000 had children under 18 living with them. More than half (50.7%) were married couples living together. About 13.0% of households were led by a female with no husband present.
The average household had about 2.47 people. For families, the average size was 3.00 people.
Age Groups
The population of Fairchance in 2000 included people of all ages. About 23.8% were under 18 years old. People aged 25 to 44 made up 27.3% of the population. About 17.4% of the residents were 65 years old or older. The average age in Fairchance was 38 years.
Income Information
In 2000, the average income for a household in Fairchance was $26,840. For families, the average income was $33,611. The average income per person in the borough was $14,021. About 16.5% of the total population lived below the poverty line. This included 19.1% of those under 18.
Origin of the Name Fairchance
There are a couple of interesting stories about how Fairchance got its name.
Traveler's Tale
Many people in town say the name came from the early days of travel. Travelers coming from Morgantown, West Virginia, who reached the borough by 4:00 P.M., had a "fair chance" of making it to Uniontown before the sun went down.
Business Story
Another explanation comes from a book called Fairchance Through the Years. This book says that Fidelio H. Oliphant, who ran iron furnaces nearby, went to a bank in Uniontown to borrow money. He was told he had a "fair chance" of being able to pay the money back.
