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West Mifflin, Pennsylvania

Coordinates: 40°22′5″N 79°53′51″W / 40.36806°N 79.89750°W / 40.36806; -79.89750
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West Mifflin, Pennsylvania
Borough
Kennywood
Kennywood
Map
Interactive map of West Mifflin, Pennsylvania
West Mifflin is located in Pennsylvania
West Mifflin
West Mifflin
West Mifflin is located in the United States
West Mifflin
West Mifflin
Coordinates: 40°22′5″N 79°53′51″W / 40.36806°N 79.89750°W / 40.36806; -79.89750
Country United States
State Pennsylvania
CountyAllegheny
Incorporated1788 (Mifflin Township)
 December 11, 1942[1] (Borough)
Government
 • MayorChris Kelly[2]
Area
[4]
 • Total
14.50 sq mi (37.56 km2)
 • Land14.20 sq mi (36.79 km2)
 • Water0.29 sq mi (0.76 km2)  1.8%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
19,589
 • Density1,386.6/sq mi (535.38/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
15122[3]
Area code878
FIPS code42-83512
Websitewww.westmifflin.gov

West Mifflin is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, located southeast of Pittsburgh. The population was 19,589 at the 2020 census.[5] It is named after Thomas Mifflin, the first governor of Pennsylvania and a U.S. Founding Father.[6]

Although the borough is heavily residential, it is home to one of America's oldest traditional amusement parks, Kennywood Park. Other employers include advanced naval nuclear propulsion technology research and development facility, Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory; monorail manufacturer Bombardier; US Steel's Mon Valley Works–Irvin Plant; Community College of Allegheny County's South Campus; and the Allegheny County Airport.[citation needed]

Geography

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According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 14.4 square miles (37 km2), of which 14.2 square miles (37 km2) is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2), or 1.80%, is water. The landscape is largely hilly and wooded, and the borough's eastern boundary is contiguous with the Monongahela River three separate times. Much of the original landscape has been altered as a result of the historic dumping of steel mill byproducts such as slag and fly ash.

West Mifflin has ten land borders, including the Pittsburgh neighborhoods of Lincoln Place and Hays as well as Munhall and Whitaker, to the north, Duquesne to the east, Dravosburg to the southeast, Jefferson Hills and Pleasant Hills to the south, Baldwin to the west and also a short border with Clairton to the south.

Three segments of West Mifflin run along the Monongahela River. Adjacent to these areas across the river are Braddock, North Braddock, McKeesport and Glassport.

Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
19408,694—
195017,985106.9%
196027,28951.7%
197028,0702.9%
198026,322−6.2%
199023,644−10.2%
200022,464−5.0%
201020,313−9.6%
202019,589−3.6%
Sources:[7][8][9][10]

As of the census[11] of 2000, there were 22,464 people, 9,509 households, and 6,475 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,586.2 inhabitants per square mile (612.4/km2). There were 9,966 housing units at an average density of 703.7 per square mile (271.7/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 89.64% White, 8.85% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.25% from other races, and 0.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.57% of the population.

There were 9,509 households, out of which 26.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.6% were married couples living together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.9% were non-families. 29.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.89.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 21.5% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 21.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.3 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $36,130, and the median income for a family was $46,192. Males had a median income of $36,984 versus $26,529 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $18,140. About 8.8% of families and 10.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.6% of those under age 18 and 9.1% of those age 65 or over. The unemployment rate is just over 6%.[12]

Environment

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Coal mining in the area has affected the flow and water quality of small streams. Land developers have produced more level ground by clean-filling ravines and other small parcels of land to improve the land usage. Toxic waste dump areas[13][14] are monitored for water quality improvement with bioremediation successfully implemented. West Mifflin operates its own sewage treatment facility. The Environmental Protection agency regulates 78 facilities for environmental compliance.[15] Asbestos waste and radioactive waste and controls were addressed in 1991.[16]

Government and politics

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West Mifflin Municipal Building

As of 2026, the mayor of West Mifflin is Chris Kelly.[2]

Presidential Elections Results[17][18][19]
Year Republican Democratic Third Parties
2020 48% 5,397 50% 5,703 1% 126
2016 49% 4,896 50% 4,930 1% 117
2012 42% 4,171 56% 5,568 2% 120

Education

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Seven schools exist in West Mifflin: four public schools and three private schools. West Mifflin public schools belong to one district, West Mifflin Area School District. School students in the neighboring boroughs of Whitaker and Duquesne also attend school in the West Mifflin School District. The West Mifflin School District charges tuition for nearby Duquesne students to attend.[20]

There are two elementary schools, one middle school, West Mifflin Area High School, and 13 preschools.[21][22] |}

Community College of Allegheny County also has its South Campus in the borough. Wilson Christian Academy was located in the borough, which merged into Cornerstone Christian Preparatory Academy in 2016.

Transportation

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West Mifflin is accessible primarily by road, though no Interstate highways pass through the area. The main road passing through most of the area is PA 885, which intersects with PA 51 nearby in the borough of Whitehall.

West Mifflin is the location of Allegheny County Airport, a general aviation airport; as a result, most of West Mifflin is in Class D airspace. The nearest airports with commercial service are Pittsburgh International Airport and Arnold Palmer Regional Airport.

References

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  1. ^ "Allegheny County - 2nd class" (PDF). Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Retrieved May 24, 2007.
  2. ^ a b "Elected Officials". West Mifflin Borough, PA. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  3. ^ "West Mifflin PA ZIP Code". zipdatamaps.com. 2023. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  4. ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  5. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov.
  6. ^ Ackerman, Jan (May 10, 1984). "Town names carry bit of history". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 6. Retrieved October 31, 2015.
  7. ^ "Number of Inhabitants: Pennsylvania" (PDF). 18th Census of the United States. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  8. ^ "Pennsylvania: Population and Housing Unit Counts" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  9. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  10. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  11. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  12. ^ "4413 Everlawn St, West Mifflin, PA, 15122". Real Estate Trac. Archived from the original on June 15, 2015. Retrieved June 13, 2015.
  13. ^ "2013 Environmental Monitoring Report: Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory" (PDF). Bechtel Marine Propulsion Corporation. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 15, 2015. Retrieved June 13, 2015.
  14. ^ "Documentation of Environmental Indicator Determination: Safety-Kleen Systems, Inc" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on June 16, 2015. Retrieved June 13, 2015.
  15. ^ "West Mifflin, Pennsylvania EPA Regulated Facilities". Find The Data. Retrieved June 13, 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  16. ^ "RCED-91-157 Nuclear Health and Safety: Environmental, Health, and Safety Practices at Naval Reactors Facilities" (PDF). gao.gov. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
  17. ^ EL. "2012 Allegheny County election". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
  18. ^ EL. "2016 Pennsylvania general election results". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
  19. ^ "Election Night Reporting". results.enr.clarityelections.com.
  20. ^ "West Mifflin school board authorizes legal action against state, former administrator". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved June 13, 2015.
  21. ^ "West Mifflin Schools". Education.com. Retrieved June 13, 2015.
  22. ^ "West Mifflin Area High School in WEST MIFFLIN, PA". US News. Retrieved June 13, 2015.

Further reading

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  • D. R. Connors, Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory, West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, letter to R. L Pearson, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, "Update of Idaho Naval Reactor Facilities Miscellaneous Waste Inventory for the 1992 Integrated Data Base Report," dated May 5, 1992.
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