Allegheny County Gains Population for First Time in Six Decades, Census Finds | News | Pittsburgh

After decades of population loss, Allegheny County has reversed its decades-long trend and gained in population, according to recently released 2020 census figures. The county added 27,230 residents from 2010, and the population of Pennsylvania’s second-largest county now stands at 1,250,578.

This is the first time that Allegheny County has added population to the decennial census since 1960. The county’s growth rate was around 2.2%, which is still relatively low compared to other major counties in the United States.

The city of Pittsburgh has again lost population. Compared to the 2010 census, Pittsburgh lost 2,733 residents. However, many experts expected Pittsburgh to fall below 300,000 residents, but the 2020 census showed the city remained safe above that level at 302,971 residents. Pittsburgh’s recent decline is also very small compared to the population loss between 2000 and 2010. This decade the city shrank 8.5%, but between 2010 and 2020 the city only shrank by less than 1%.

The largest growth rate among municipalities in Allegheny County was Ohio Township, which grew by more than 50%. The highest rate of loss among municipalities in Allegheny County was West Elizabeth, which declined by more than 22%. Township of South Fayette recorded impressive gross gain of nearly 4,000 residents, Pittsburgh data analyst says Ben forstate.

The entire Seven County Pittsburgh metropolitan area – which includes Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland counties – has grown to 2,370,930. However, the relative growth rate to 2010 was very low, an increase of 0.6%.

Other counties in the Pittsburgh area that experienced population growth were Butler and Washington counties, with Butler County leading the way with a growth rate of 5.3%. Butler County added 9,901 residents and now has 193,763 residents, according to the 2020 census. Washington County has grown much slower, but still added 1,529 residents and is now home to 209,349.

All other counties in the Pittsburgh area have lost population, led by Westmoreland County, which has lost more than 10,000 residents since 2010. Fayette, Beaver and Armstrong also suffered substantial losses.

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