Mercer, Pennsylvania facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mercer, Pennsylvania
|
|
|---|---|
|
Borough
|
|
Mercer County Courthouse (1909)
|
|
| Etymology: Hugh Mercer | |
| Motto(s):
"Meet Me In Mercer"
|
|
Location of Mercer in Mercer County, Pennsylvania.
|
|
 Mercer, Pennsylvania
Location in Pennsylvania
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Mercer |
| Established | 1803 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.16 sq mi (3.00 km2) |
| • Land | 1.16 sq mi (3.00 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation
(Mercer County Courthouse)
|
1,280 ft (390 m) |
| Highest elevation
(Mercer County Courthouse)
|
1,280 ft (390 m) |
| Lowest elevation
(Neshannock Creek)
|
1,075 ft (328 m) |
| Population
(2020)
|
|
| • Total | 1,982 |
| • Density | 1,713.05/sq mi (661.37/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-4 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (EDT) |
| Zip code |
16137
|
| Area code(s) | 724 |
Mercer is a small town, called a borough, in Pennsylvania, USA. It's the main town, or county seat, of Mercer County. In 2020, about 1,982 people lived there. Mercer is part of the larger Hermitage area.
The town got its name from Hugh Mercer, who was a brave general. Two important buildings in Mercer, the Mercer County Court House and the Christiana Lindsey House, are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are special places in history.
Contents
Mercer's Location
Mercer is located in western Pennsylvania. It sits at specific coordinates: 41.226347 degrees North and 80.237436 degrees West. The United States Census Bureau says the borough covers about 1.2 square miles (3.0 square kilometers). All of this area is land, with no large bodies of water inside the town limits.
People of Mercer
The number of people living in Mercer has changed over the years. Here's a quick look at how the population has grown and shrunk:
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1840 | 781 | — | |
| 1850 | 1,004 | 28.6% | |
| 1860 | 1,249 | 24.4% | |
| 1870 | 1,235 | −1.1% | |
| 1880 | 2,344 | 89.8% | |
| 1890 | 2,138 | −8.8% | |
| 1900 | 1,804 | −15.6% | |
| 1910 | 2,026 | 12.3% | |
| 1920 | 1,932 | −4.6% | |
| 1930 | 2,125 | 10.0% | |
| 1940 | 2,272 | 6.9% | |
| 1950 | 2,397 | 5.5% | |
| 1960 | 2,800 | 16.8% | |
| 1970 | 2,773 | −1.0% | |
| 1980 | 2,532 | −8.7% | |
| 1990 | 2,444 | −3.5% | |
| 2000 | 2,391 | −2.2% | |
| 2010 | 2,002 | −16.3% | |
| 2020 | 1,982 | −1.0% | |
| 2021 (est.) | 1,964 | −1.9% | |
| Sources: | |||
In 2000, there were 2,391 people living in Mercer. These people made up 1,020 households. About 609 of these households were families. The town had about 1,930 people per square mile.
Most people in Mercer were White (96.45%). A smaller number were African American (2.17%). Other groups included Native American, Asian, and people of two or more races. About 0.84% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
Households and Families
About 26.8% of households in Mercer had children under 18 living with them. Many households (43.7%) were married couples. Some households (13.1%) had a female head with no husband. About 40.2% of households were not families.
Many people lived alone (34.2% of households). About 13.3% of households had someone aged 65 or older living by themselves. On average, there were 2.24 people in each household. Families had about 2.89 people on average.
Age and Income
The population of Mercer was spread out by age. About 22.2% were under 18 years old. About 9.2% were between 18 and 24. The largest group, 29.2%, was between 25 and 44. About 22.6% were 45 to 64, and 16.8% were 65 or older. The average age in Mercer was 37 years.
The average income for a household in Mercer was $29,795. For families, the average income was higher, at $46,979. Men generally earned more than women. About 9.0% of all people in Mercer lived below the poverty line. This included 8.8% of children and 8.5% of seniors.
Arts and Culture
The United States post office in Mercer has a special painting inside. It's a mural called Clearing the Land. Lorin Thompson painted it in 1940. This mural was part of a program in the United States. From 1934 to 1943, the government paid artists to create murals for public buildings. This program was run by the Treasury Department.
Education in Mercer
Children in Mercer attend public schools. These schools are part of the Mercer Area School District. The schools that serve the borough are:
- Mercer Area Elementary School – for students in kindergarten through 6th grade.
- Mercer Area Middle-High School – for students in 7th through 12th grade.
Famous People from Mercer
Many interesting people have connections to Mercer. Here are a few:
- John Bingham: He helped write the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. He also served as the longest-serving U.S. Ambassador to Japan.
- Leech Maskrey: A professional baseball player. He played as an outfielder for teams like the Louisville Colonels.
- Gary Peters: Another professional baseball player. He was a pitcher for the Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox.
- Trent Reznor: A well-known musician. He is the lead singer for the industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails.
- David Vogan: A talented mathematician.
- Samuel Waugh: A famous painter.
- J. C. Williamson: An actor and a person who organized shows.
See also
In Spanish: Mercer (Pensilvania) para niños
