Hazleton

Hazleton is located in Northeastern Pennsylvania, 48.4 miles (77.9 km) north of Allentown and 126.7 miles (203.7 km) west of New York City. It was incorporated as a borough on January 5, 1857, and as a city on December 4, 1891. Hazleton is the second largest city in Luzerne County, with a population of 29,963 at the 2020 census. The city was named after Ariovistus "Ario" Pardee, who is known as the founding father of Hazleton because of his contributions to the area. The first church in Hazleton was built in 1818, where the first school is now located. The Hazleton Coal Company built the first Hazleton City market on the Lehigh Valley market in the 1840s and 1850s. In the 1860s, a second wave of German and Irish immigrants added to the city's population. The town is located on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1984. It is also on the Pennsylvania State Register of Registered Historic Places, which lists it as one of the oldest cities in the state. It has been the site of the Sugarloaf Massacre, in which 15 soldiers were killed by the Seneca tribe in 1780. The area was once known as "Hazel Swamp", a name which had been used previously by the Native Americans. In 1809, an entrepreneur named Jacob Drumheller decided that this intersection was the perfect location for the first building in what would later be known as Hazleton.

History

Hazleton is the primary city name, but also Hazle Township, Hazle Townshp are acceptable city names or spellings. The official name is Hazleton. During the height of the American Revolution, British sympathizers (known as Tories) began attacking the outposts of American revolutionaries located along the Susquehanna River in the Wyoming Valley. 15 men were killed on September 11, 1780, in what is now known as the Sugarloaf Massacre. In 1818, anthracite coal deposits were discovered in nearby Beaver Meadows by prospectors Nathaniel Beach and Tench Coxe. A young engineer from New York named Ariovistus "Ario" Pardee was hired to survey the topography of Beaver Meadows and report the practicality of extending a railroad from the Lehigh Canal in Jim Thorpe to Beaver Meadows. The first wave of immigrants to Hazleton attracted many German and Irish immigrants. The second wave, from the 1860s to the 1920s, consisted mostly of Polish, Italian, Russian, Lithuanian, Slovak, Montenegrin, and Montenegrin families. Many small towns, often referred to as "patch towns" or "patches", surrounded by coal companies and their families. The following list of towns is a list of companies and families that built and housing for the miners and their their families in Hazleton. The towns are listed in order of their population from the time they were founded to the present day. The list is based on the U.S. Census Bureau's most recent count of the population of towns and hamlets in Pennsylvania, which includes Hazleton, Wilkes-Barre, McKeansburg, and Conyngham.

Geography

Hazleton is located at 40°5732N 75°5828W (40.958834, 75.974546). According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.0 square miles (16 km²), all land. It straddles the divide between the Delaware and Susquehanna River watersheds. The city is located in Pennsylvania's ridge and valley section (on a plateau named Spring Mountain). Hazleton's highest elevation is 1,886 feet above sea level, making it one of the highest incorporated cities east of the Mississippi River. The population of Greater Hazleton was 77,187 at the 2010 census. It includes the City of Hazleton; the boroughs of Beaver Meadows, Conyngham, Freeland, Jeddo, McAdoo, Weatherly, West Hazleton, White Haven, and Zion Grove. It also includes the towns, villages, or CDPs of Audenried, Coxes Villages, Drifton, Drums, Ebervale, Eckley, Fern Glen, Haddock, Harleigh, Harwood Mines, Hazle Brook, Highland, Hollywood, Hometown, Hudsondale, Humboldt Village and Japan. It encompasses an area located within three counties: southern Luzerne County, northern Schuylkill County, and northern Carbon County. It is located 12 miles (19 km) north of Tamaqua and 30 miles (48 km) south of Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Hazleton has a warm-summer humid continental climate (Dfb) The average annual snowfall total is 47 inches. Hazleton averages 50 inches of rain annually. The hardiness zone is 6a. The average temperature in Hazleton is 7.5 degrees Fahrenheit. The city has a high school population of 1,000. The high school football team has a winning record of 9-0. The town has a low-lying elevation of 2,000 feet (600 meters) and a high-lying area of 3,500 feet (1,200 meters) The town's average annual rainfall is 50 inches. The temperature is 8.7 degrees Fahrenheit (4.4 degrees Celsius) The city's average yearly snowfall is 47 inches (1.7 inches) The high-altitude region has an average annual temperature of 8.8 degrees (2.0 °F). The town is located on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, which has an elevation of 4,000 ft (1 8 m) and an average daily rainfall of 50 inches (2 1/2 °C). The average yearly temperature is 9.2 degress (3 3/4°F) and the high-latitude region is 9 3°F (4 2/4 °S). The city is located near the Pennsylvania-Pennsylvania state line. It has a dry continental climate, with an average of 50 inches of rain per year.

Demographics

As of the 2010 census, the racial makeup of the city was 69.4% White (59.0% non-Hispanic/Latino white) Almost all of the population growth in Hazleton (from 2000 to 2010) consisted of Hispanics and Latinos. There were 23,340 people, 9,798 households, with 6,162 of these being family households. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.19. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.4 males. The median age was 35 years. The population density was 4,123.3 people per square mile (1583.75/km²). There were 9,409 housing units, at an average density of 1901.5 per squaremile (713.1/km 2) The city's population was spread out, with 25.3% under the age of 18, 10.3%. The city has a population of 23, 340 people, with 9,400 housing units. The city is located on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, which runs through the town of Hazleton. Hazleton is home to the Pennsylvania Medical Examiner's Office and the Pennsylvania Department of Health and Human Services. It is the only city in the state with a post office that is not located in a rural area. It was the site of the U.S. Civil War Battle of Pennsylvania, which took place in 1864. The town's name comes from the town's first post office, which was built in 1866.

Economy

6.7% of residents had an income below the poverty level as compared to a statewide average of 12.5% in 2010. Coca-Cola, American Eagle Outfitters, Hershey, Office Max, Simmons Bedding Company, Michaels, Network Solutions, AutoZone, General Mills, Steelcase, WEIR Minerals, EB Brands and Amazon.com are just some of the large companies with distribution, manufacturing, or logistic operations in Hazleton. All of Hazleton's major mining and garment industries have disappeared over the past 50 years. Through the efforts of CANDO and a practical highway infrastructure, Hazle Township's Humboldt Industrial Park has become home to many industries. The town's population has grown from 2,000 in 1950 to 4,500 in the last 20 years. The population is expected to grow to 5,000 by the end of the decade. The city's population is projected to reach 6,500 by 2020. The area's population will grow to 7,000. The community's population growth rate is expected by 2020 to 7.5%. The population's projected growth rate will be 6.5 per cent by 2023. The county's unemployment rate is currently at 2.7 per cent. The state's unemployment rates are currently at 1.9 per cent, the lowest in the state. The unemployment rate has been in the low to mid-teens for the past five years, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Arts and culture

Hazleton's modest skyline is remarkable for a city its size. Hazleton's annual street festival, Funfest, is celebrated usually during the second weekend of September. The last minor league club to play in Hazleton was the Hazleton Dodgers in 1950, a Brooklyn Dodgers farm-club which played in the Class D North Atlantic League. The Hazleton Mountaineers were the first affiliation agreement between the Philadelphia Phillies and the New YorkPenn League HazletonMountaineers in 1934. The city is home to the Pennsylvania Theatre of Performing Arts (PTPA) and Hazleton National Bank & Trust Company Building. The town is also home to Lehigh Gorge State Park and the Eagle Rock Resort Golf and Country Club, which is one of the state's most popular spots for golfing and other outdoor activities. It is also the home of the Lattimer Massacre, which began at State Route 924 near Harwood, Pennsylvania, in the early 1900s. The City of Hazleton is located on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, which runs from Lehigh County to West Chester, Pennsylvania. It was the site of the first U.S. Civil War-era Battle of the Bulge, which took place in 1864. The Pennsylvania Turnip River, which flows through Hazleton, runs through the center of the city, and was once a major waterway. The Lehigh River is a tributary of the Allegheny River, and runs into the Allegheny River. The Alleghenyshire River runs from the north to the south, and is the source of the town's name.

Education

The first school was built in the 1830s by the Hazleton Coal Company. The Hazleton Area School District (HASD) operates public schools serving the city limits. The district encompasses approximately 250 square miles (650 km²) As of 2015, there were 10,871 pupils in the HASD. There are three schools in Hazleton (operated by the HASd): Hazleton Elementary/Middle School, Arthur Street Elementary School, and Bishop Hafey High School. All district students are zoned to Hazleton area High School in Hazle Township. The educational attainment levels for the district population (25 years old and over) were 83.8% high school graduates and 15.2% college graduates. The Greater Hazleton Historical Society and Museum is located in the town's downtown area. There is also a public library in the city, which is open to the public. The city has a public cemetery, which was established in the 18th century. It is located on the site of Hazleton's first public school, built in 1875. The cemetery is now used as a tourist attraction, and is known as the "Hazleton Cemeteries" It is also home to the city's only Roman Catholic high school, which opened in 1971. It was closed in 2007 by the order of former Bishop Joseph F. Martino and is now a private school. The town also has its own public library and a public park, which are both open to public use.

Infrastructure

Public transportation is provided by the Hazleton Public Transit, which operates nine routes throughout the city and neighboring communities. Norfolk Southern Railway and Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad are used for commercial rail traffic. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport (in Pittston Township) and Hazleton Municipal Airport (two miles northwest of Hazleton) are used as hubs for air and rail travel. There are three nearby Interstates: I-80, I-81, and I-476 / Penna Turnpike NE Extension. The city is located on the Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Mid-Pennsylvania Railroad line, which runs from Pennsylvania to New Jersey and New York. It is also served by the Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad, which serves Pennsylvania and New York to the east and the West Rhode Island Rough and Storm Routes, and the Reading Blue Mountain Railway, which serves Penn Meadow and Reading Mile and the West Riverside Ripple Ripley's Ride, which connects to the east and west. The Hazleton area is home to the Pennsylvania National Guard, which is based in Hazleton. The Pennsylvania Army National Guard is based in Hazleton, Pennsylvania, and has a base at Hazleton Airport. The Army National Guardsmen are based at the Pennsylvania Army Navy Camp Hazleton, where they are based from September through December.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Hazleton, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania = 72.2. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 80. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 50. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Hazleton = 3.8 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 29,963 individuals with a median age of 42.1 age the population dropped by -7.11% in Hazleton, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 5,017.25 residents per square mile of area (1,937.17/km²). There are average 2.19 people per household in the 9,687 households with an average household income of $32,097 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 14.70% of the available work force and has dropped -4.78% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 15.74%. The number of physicians in Hazleton per 100,000 population = 227.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Hazleton = 46.5 inches and the annual snowfall = 56.3 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 123. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 179. 79 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 15.7 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 55, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Hazleton, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania which are owned by the occupant = 51.45%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 14.5 years with median home cost = $75,040 and home appreciation of -9.66%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $13.81 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $5,247 per student. There are 20.5 students for each teacher in the school, 2000 students for each Librarian and 769 students for each Counselor. 6.02% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 6.76% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 4.91% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).