Kingston Township, Pennsylvania

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Pagename
settlement_type = Township
nickname =
motto =


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mapsize = 250x200px
map_caption = Map of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania Highlighting Kingston Township

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mapsize1 = 250x200px
map_caption1 = Map of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Pennsylvania
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Luzerne
government_footnotes =
government_type =
leader_title =
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established_title = Settled
established_date =
established_title1 = Incorporated
established_date1 =
unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 =
area_land_km2 =
area_water_km2 =
area_total_sq_mi = 13.9
area_land_sq_mi = 13.6
area_water_sq_mi = 0.3
population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
population_total = 7145
population_density_km2 =
population_density_sq_mi = 526.2
timezone = Eastern (EST)
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
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website =
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Kingston Township is a township in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 7,145 at the 2000 census. The villages of Trucksville and Shavertown and a portion of the borough of Wyoming are located here. The township is described as "the gateway" to "The Back Mountain", which is a census-designated place consisting of Kingston Township, Dallas, Harveys Lake, West Wyoming, a part of Wyoming, and Lehman.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 13.9 square miles (35.9 km²), of which, 13.6 square miles (35.2 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square miles (0.8 km²) of it (2.16%) is water.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 7,145 people, 2,745 households, and 2,083 families residing in the township. The population density was 526.2 people per square mile (203.1/km²). There were 2,923 housing units at an average density of 215.3/sq mi (83.1/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 98.95% White, 0.24% African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.28% Asian, 0.08% from other races, and 0.39% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.38% of the population.

There were 2,745 households out of which 35.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.7% were married couples living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.1% were non-families. 20.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the township the population was spread out with 24.9% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 27.1% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 96.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.2 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $52,997, and the median income for a family was $62,435. Males had a median income of $40,872 versus $30,075 for females. The per capita income for the township was $23,885. About 4.2% of families and 4.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.2% of those under age 18 and 3.6% of those age 65 or over.

2003 Selenski incident

In 2003, convicted criminal Hugo Selenski escaped from the Luzerne County Jail in Downtown Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, a city nine miles east of the township. Days later, Selenski turned himself in at his home on Mount Olivet Road in the Wyoming section of Kingston Township. The story made national headlines and all major news sources reported that Selenski's home was in "Kingston Township, a place five miles from Wilkes-Barre."

References