Boswell, Pennsylvania
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Boswell is a borough located in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. As of the 2000 census, the borough had a total population of 1,364.
Geography
Boswell is located at 40°9'37" North, 79°1'40" West (40.160329, -79.027712)Template:GR.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 1.9 km² (0.7 mi²). 1.9 km² (0.7 mi²) of it is land and none of the area is covered with water.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 1,364 people, 608 households, and 370 families residing in the borough. The population density is 711.7/km² (1,852.2/mi²). There are 681 housing units at an average density of 355.3/km² (924.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the borough is 99.27% White, 0.15% African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.07% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.00% from other races, and 0.29% from two or more races. 0.07% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 608 households out of which 28.1% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.9% are married couples living together, 13.8% have a female householder with no husband present, and 39.1% are non-families. 35.2% of all households are made up of individuals and 17.9% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.24 and the average family size is 2.92.
In the borough the population is spread out with 23.8% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 20.0% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 39 years. For every 100 females there are 89.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 86.9 males.
The median income for a household in the borough is $20,875, and the median income for a family is $26,667. Males have a median income of $26,023 versus $18,958 for females. The per capita income for the borough is $12,036. 29.1% of the population and 26.4% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 38.1% of those under the age of 18 and 14.6% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Boswell was built in 1903 by the Merchants Coal Company, to house miners for its new deep coal mine just to the south. Merchants attempted to build Boswell to be a notch above surrounding coal company towns in that plans included a central business district, a high school, and homes constructed from brick, as opposed to the wood used elsewhere. At its economic peak shortly after World War II, Boswell boasted two movie theatres, three department stores, a bank, several jewelry stores, a druggist, two funeral homes, three grocery stores, nearly a dozen restaurants and taverns, a brewery, a lumber yard, and a weekly newspaper. After the mines closed, a slow economic decline set in, although many businesses survived well into the 1960s and early 1970s. Boswell now is primarily a bedroom community. The high school remains opens and serves two surrounding townships (Jenner and Quemahoning) and three boroughs (Jennerstown, Stoystown and Hooversville) in addition to Boswell residents.