Forest Hills, Pennsylvania facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Forest Hills, Pennsylvania
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Borough
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Ardmore Blvd
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| Nickname(s):
Tree City, USA
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Location in Allegheny County and the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.
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| Country | United States | |
| State | Pennsylvania | |
| County | Allegheny | |
| School district | Woodland Hills | |
| Founded | July 29, 1919 | |
| Named for | Forest Hills, Queens | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Mayor-Council | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 1.56 sq mi (4.05 km2) | |
| • Land | 1.56 sq mi (4.05 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 6,429 | |
| • Density | 4,107.99/sq mi (1,586.47/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) | |
| Zip Code |
15221
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| Area codes | 412, 878 | |
| FIPS code | 42-26592 | |
Forest Hills is a small town, also called a borough, in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. In 2020, about 6,429 people lived there. It's a suburb, meaning it's a residential area near a larger city, in this case, the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. The borough got its name from a place called Forest Hills, Queens in New York.
Contents
Geography of Forest Hills
Forest Hills is located at 40°25′19″N 79°51′7″W / 40.42194°N 79.85194°W. It covers an area of about 1.6 square miles (4.05 square kilometers), and all of it is land.
Neighboring Towns
Forest Hills shares its borders with five other towns. To the north, you'll find Wilkinsburg and Churchill. Wilkins Township is to the east, and Chalfant is to the southeast. To the south-southeast is North Braddock, and Braddock Hills is from the south to the northwest.
These towns, along with East Pittsburgh, Edgewood, Rankin, Swissvale, and Turtle Creek, are all part of the Woodland Hills School District. This means students from these areas go to the same schools.
People of Forest Hills
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 4,549 | — | |
| 1940 | 5,248 | 15.4% | |
| 1950 | 6,301 | 20.1% | |
| 1960 | 8,796 | 39.6% | |
| 1970 | 9,561 | 8.7% | |
| 1980 | 8,198 | −14.3% | |
| 1990 | 7,335 | −10.5% | |
| 2000 | 6,831 | −6.9% | |
| 2010 | 6,518 | −4.6% | |
| 2020 | 6,429 | −1.4% | |
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In 2010, there were 6,518 people living in Forest Hills. These people lived in 3,099 households, and 1,807 of those were families. The town had about 4,073 people per square mile. There were also 3,304 housing units, like houses and apartments.
Most of the people living in Forest Hills were White (about 87.68%). About 9.14% were African American, and smaller percentages were Asian, Native American, or from other backgrounds. About 1.32% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
About 21.1% of households had children under 18 living with them. Many households (45.4%) were married couples. About 35.8% of all households were individuals living alone, and many of those (31.0%) were people aged 65 or older. The average household had about 2.10 people.
The median age of people in Forest Hills was 47.5 years old. This means half the people were younger than 47.5 and half were older. About 18.7% of the population was under 20 years old.
In 2000, the average income for a household in Forest Hills was $44,922. For families, it was $56,199. A small number of families (4.7%) and people (5.6%) lived below the poverty line.
Arts and Culture in Forest Hills
Forest Hills is located along Route 30, which is part of the historic Lincoln Highway. This road, along with Greensburg Pike, is a main street in the borough.
The Westinghouse Atom Smasher
Until 2015, there was a very important machine near the eastern edge of Forest Hills, close to Chalfant. It was called the Westinghouse Atom Smasher. This machine was a huge Van de Graaff generator and particle accelerator that could create five million volts of electricity!
The Atom Smasher was used from 1937 to 1958. Many important scientific discoveries were made using this device. Because of its historical importance, it was named an official historic landmark in 2010. However, the land where it stood was being prepared for new buildings, so the Atom Smasher was taken down in 2015. It was a big part of the Westinghouse Research Laboratories, which operated there from 1916 to 1956.
