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| Abington Township, Pennsylvania | ||
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| Township | ||
Stanley, Fox Chase Farm
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 Location of Abington Township in Montgomery County |
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| Country | United States | |
| Commonwealth | Pennsylvania | |
| County | Montgomery | |
| Incorporated | 1704 | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 15.5 sq mi (40 km2) | |
| • Land | 15.5 sq mi (40 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0 km2) | |
| Elevation | 282 ft (86 m) | |
| Population (2010) | ||
| • Total | 55,310 | |
| • Estimate (2008) | 55,234 | |
| • Density | 3,630.3/sq mi (1,401.7/km2) | |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) | |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) | |
| ZIP codes | 19001, 19006, 19027, 19038, 19046, 19090 | |
| Area code(s) | 215 and 267 | |
| Website | www.abington.org | |
Abington Township is a township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States, adjacent to Philadelphia's northern fringe. The population was 55,310 as of the 2010 census, making it the second most populous township in Montgomery County (following Lower Merion Township). The population density is 3603.3 per square mile, making it the second most densely populated township in Montgomery County (following Cheltenham Township).
Abington Township is one of Montgomery County's oldest communities, dating back to before 1700 and being incorporated in 1704. It is home to some of the county's oldest transportation routes, industries and churches. Many of these older business and transportation centers were the forerunners of modern Abington. Abington contains the Willow Grove Park Mall, several small businesses, and a few of Montgomery County's largest employers.
The land that comprises Abington today was purchased from the native Lenape by William Penn during the 1680s. By the next decade, a handful of European settlers built and lived in Hill Township, at the crossroads of Susquehanna Street Road and Old York Road. After brief times under other names, the township incorporated as Abington in 1704. The name's origin is not known. A local 1734 census counted 42 resident landowners. During the American Revolutionary War, there was a small battle that took place at Edge Hill. (See: Battle of White Marsh).
Some institutions have been in Abington for most of its existence. The cornerstone of the original Abington Friends School, in operation since before Abington's incorporation, is used in today's school building. The Abington Presbyterian Church opened in the early years of the township, and while the original building is gone, its graveyard is still used today.
The railroad reached the township in 1855, with the first station building erected in 1873 on the site of today's Noble Station.
Abington Senior High School and Fox Chase Farm are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 15.5 square miles (40 km2), of which, 15.4 square miles (40 km2) of it is land.
Abington Township comprises fifteen "communities" as follow alphabetically:
Communities:
The communities are unofficial, unincorporated subdivisions of the township, corresponding roughly to voting districts and elementary school placement. Their primary importance, aside from community identity, is the postal system (e.g., to send a letter to someone living in the Glenside community, you would address the letter to Glenside, Pennsylvania rather than Abington Township, Pennsylvania). Additionally, some portions of some of these subdivisions, including Glenside, Huntingdon Valley, North Hills, Willow Grove, and Elkins Park, are actually in neighboring townships.
Local civic associations include Crestmont Civic Association, Glenside Gardens Civic Association, Hollywood Civic Association, Lower Huntingdon Valley Civic Association, McKinley Civic Association, Rydal-Meadowbrook Civic Association and Tall Trees Association. The civic associations work together on Traffic Summits in even years (2012, 2014, 2016, etc.) and Economic Summits in odd years (2013, 2015, 2017, etc.). These Summits focus on eliminating traffic congestion that interferes with the growth of businesses in the Township. Pennsylvania Department of Transportation's Traffic Calming Handbook recommends the formation of a Local Traffic Advisory Committee to work with officials to identify ways to improve safety of the community.
| Climate data for Abington Township, Pennsylvania | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °F (°C) | 37 (2.8) |
42 (5.6) |
50 (10) |
62 (16.7) |
72 (22.2) |
81 (27.2) |
85 (29.4) |
84 (28.9) |
77 (25) |
65 (18.3) |
54 (12.2) |
43 (6.1) |
62.7 (17.04) |
| Average low °F (°C) | 21 (-6.1) |
42 (5.6) |
32 (0) |
41 (5) |
51 (10.6) |
63 (17.2) |
67 (19.4) |
65 (18.3) |
56 (13.3) |
43 (6.1) |
34 (1.1) |
26 (-3.3) |
45.1 (7.27) |
| Precipitation inches (mm) | 3.44 (87.4) |
3.01 (76.5) |
4.32 (109.7) |
4.12 (104.6) |
4.37 (111) |
4.60 (116.8) |
5.05 (128.3) |
3.98 (101.1) |
4.53 (115.1) |
3.82 (97) |
3.94 (100.1) |
4.23 (107.4) |
49.41 (1,255) |
| Source: The Weather Channel | |||||||||||||
| Historical population | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1890 | 2,703 | — |
| 1900 | 3,803 | +40.7% |
| 1910 | 5,896 | +55.0% |
| 1920 | 8,684 | +47.3% |
| 1930 | 18,648 | +114.7% |
| 1940 | 20,857 | +11.8% |
| 1950 | 28,988 | +39.0% |
| 1960 | 55,831 | +92.6% |
| 1970 | 63,625 | +14.0% |
| 1980 | 58,836 | −7.5% |
| 1990 | 56,322 | −4.3% |
| 2000 | 56,103 | −0.4% |
| 2010 | 55,310 | −1.4% |
| Source: | ||
As of the 2010 census, the township was 79.7% White, 12.4% Black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 4.9% Asian, and 2.1% were two or more races. 3.2% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry.
As of 2008, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated there were 55,234 people, 21,252 occupied households, and 14,819 families residing in the township. The population density was 3,563 people per square mile (1,377/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 80% White, 12% Black, 3% Asian, a fraction of a percent Pacific Islander, 1% from other races, and 3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3% of the population.
There were 21,252 households, out of which 32% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 11% had a female householder with no husband present, 56% were married couples living together, and 30% were non-families. 26% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.11.
In the township the population was spread out, with 22% under the age of 18, 9% from 18 to 24, 25% from 25 to 44, 29% from 45 to 64, and 16% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. The population was 47% male, and 53% female.
The median income for a household in the township was $77,363, and the median income for a family was $94,473. The per capita income for the township was $38,737. About 2% of families and 3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1% of those under age 18 and 5% of those age 65 or over.
