Sharon Hill, Pennsylvania

Government

The Government of Sharon Hill operates under the Pennsylvania State Borough Code. The day to day operations of the borough are exercised through the Borough Manager who is currently Steve Travers. The Mayor of the Borough is Harry Dunfee. The borough currently has a total of 8 Councilmembers.

President - Michael J. Finnegan

Vice President - Terrance Oliver (Finance)

Council(person) - Sharon Booker (SHAC/Library)

Council(person) - Tonniane Martinez (Police & Fire)

Council(person) - Hakeem Green (Recreation)

Council(person) - James Lafferty (Highway & Code)

Council(person) - Brandin Duckett (Youth Affairs)

Council(person) - Helen Brown (Shade Tree Commission)

Chief of Police - Richard Herron Jr.

Geography

Sharon Hill is located in eastern Delaware County at 39°54′23″N 75°16′16″W (39.906340, -75.271008). It is bordered to the west by Folcroft, to the north by Collingdale and Darby, to the east by Colwyn, and to the south by Darby Township. U.S. Route 13 (Chester Pike) is the main road through the borough, leading northeast 8 miles (13 km) to Center City Philadelphia and southwest 6 miles (10 km) to Chester.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Sharon Hill has a total area of 0.77 square miles (2.0 km²), all of it land.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 5,697 people, 2,186 households, and 1,390 families residing in the borough. The population density was 7,379.5 people per square mile (2,777.9/km²). There were 2,265 housing units at an average density of 2,954.0 per square mile (1,141.0/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 32.6% White, 60.6% African American, 0.3% Native American, 2.1% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.0% from other races, and 3.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.2% of the population.

There were 2,091 households, out of which 34.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.7% were married couples living together, 17.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.5% were non-families. 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.24.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 27.9% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 31.3% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 89.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.3 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $42,436, and the median income for a family was $48,146. Males had a median income of $37,500 versus $29,049 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $18,503. About 10.6% of families and 11.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.8% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

Sharon Hill is connected to Upper Darby by the SEPTA 102 trolley at its Sharon Hill terminus. It also has a train station on the Wilmington/Newark Regional Rail line.

Chester Pike (US-13) runs through the borough providing easy access into and through Sharon Hill.

Education

Students are in the Southeast Delco School District.

Public school students attend the following: high school students attend Academy Park High School, and elementary and middle school students attend Sharon Hill School.

Until 2003, Catholic school students attended Holy Spirit School. This school has since closed due to lack of enrollment. Another Catholic school, Holy Child Academy, closed in 1973.

Delaware County Community College operates the Southeast Center in the Folcroft East Business Park.

Notable people

Cardinal John Patrick Foley grew up in Holy Spirit Parish in Sharon Hill and was ordained a priest in 1962. In June 2007, he was named Pro-Grand Master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem by Pope Benedict XVI. Prior to that appointment, Foley was President Emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications and Titular Archbishop of Neapolis in Proconsulari. He was elevated to the College of Cardinals on November 24, 2007, by Pope Benedict XVI.

Bert Cooper, professional boxer, is from Sharon Hill.

Blues singer Bessie Smith is buried at Mount Lawn Cemetery in Sharon Hill. Her grave remained unmarked until August 7, 1970, when a tombstone—paid for by singer Janis Joplin and Juanita Green, who as a child had done housework for Smith—was erected.