| CHESTER COUNTY |
2/2/2010 |
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| Date
Formed: |
1785 |
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| Land Area (square miles): |
581 |
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| County Seat: |
Chester |
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| Other Cities and Towns: |
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| Fort Lawn, Great Falls, Lowrys, Richburg |
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| Form of Government: |
Council-Supervisor |
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| Council Members: |
7 |
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| Method of Election |
Single Member |
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| Term Length |
4 years |
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| Council of Government: |
Catawba |
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| County History |
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| Chester County and its county seat were named for Chester
County, Pennsylvania. The county was formed in 1785 as part of the larger
Camden District but was later transferred to Pinckney District (1791-1800);
it became a separate district in 1800. Scotch-Irish settlers from
Pennsylvania and Virginia moved into this upstate region beginning about
1755. During the Revolutionary War, American forces under General Thomas
Sumter were defeated here at the battle of Fishing Creek in August 1780; the
Americans were victorious at Fishdam Ford in November of the same year. The
Landsford Canal was built in 1823 to allow boats and barges to bypass rapids
on the Catawba River; this canal is now open as a state park. In later years
the availability of hydroelectric power encouraged the establishment of
textile mills in the area. Governor, U.S. Senator, and judge Donald S.
Russell (1906-1997) lived in Chester as a boy. |
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| Population Trends |
Value |
Rank |
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Value |
Rank |
| Population
1980: |
30,148 |
33 |
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Numeric Change
1980-2000: |
3,920 |
31 |
| Population
1990: |
32,170 |
30 |
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Numeric Change 2000-2008: |
-1,450 |
43 |
| Population
2000: |
34,068 |
30 |
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Avg. Ann.
Growth Rate 1980-2000: |
0.65% |
34 |
| Population Estimate 2007: |
32,574 |
31 |
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Avg. Ann.
Growth Rate 2000-2008: |
-0.53% |
41 |
| Population Estimate 2008: |
32,618 |
31 |
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Percent Change 2006-2008: |
0.13% |
31 |
| Persons Per Square Mile 2008: |
56.1 |
29 |
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| Economic Data |
Value |
Rank |
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Value |
Rank |
| Jobs
1980: |
12,770 |
27 |
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Personal Income (PI) 2007: |
$862,834 |
28 |
| Jobs
1990: |
12,834 |
27 |
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Avg. Ann. Growth Rate (PI) 1969-2007: |
6.7% |
38 |
| Jobs
2000: |
13,785 |
27 |
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Per Capita Personal Income 2007: |
$26,488 |
25 |
| Jobs 2006: |
12,117 |
27 |
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% of U.S. PCPI 2007: |
69% |
22 |
| Jobs 2007: |
10,895 |
29 |
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Average Wage Per Job 2007: |
$33,747 |
17 |
| Numeric Change Jobs
2006-2007: |
-1,222 |
46 |
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% of U.S. Avg.
Wage Per Job 2007: |
77% |
17 |
| Avg Ann Growth Rate Jobs
1980-2000: |
0.40% |
39 |
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Unemployment Rate 2007: |
12.3% |
4 |
| Avg Ann Growth Rate Jobs
2000-2007: |
-2.99% |
42 |
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Avg. Unemployment
1998-2007: |
9.7% |
5 |
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| Tax Data |
Value |
Rank |
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Value |
Rank |
| Assessed Property 2007: |
$106,799,090 |
30 |
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Per Capita Assessed Property 2007: |
$3,135 |
27 |
| County Base Millage Rate
2009: |
0.2804 |
1 |
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Additional
Sales Tax (if applicable) |
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| Value of One Mil 2009: |
$80,540 |
32 |
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Local Option Sales Tax: |
1.0% |
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| Millage Cap FY10: |
4.0% |
31 |
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Capital Projects Sales Tax: |
Ended 5-00 |
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| Net Taxable Sales FY07: |
$142,665,375 |
33 |
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School District Sales Tax: |
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| Admissions Tax Collected
FY07: |
$12,715 |
36 |
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Transportation Sales Tax: |
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| Accommodations Tax Collected FY07: |
$64,167 |
28 |
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| Financial &
Employment Data |
Value |
Rank |
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Value |
Rank |
| Total Revenues FY08: |
$23,732,256 |
30 |
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Per Capita Revenues FY08: |
$697 |
23 |
| Total Expenditures FY08: |
$15,530,674 |
37 |
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Per Capita Expenditures FY08: |
$456 |
39 |
| General Fund Budget FY10: |
$17,205,156 |
28 |
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Per Capita General Fund Budget FY10: |
$505 |
18 |
| Total Debt Outstanding
FY08: |
$3,200,000 |
37 |
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Per Capita Debt Outstanding FY08: |
$156 |
20 |
| Payroll FY 2008: |
$8,470,086 |
27 |
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Credit Rating(s) FY08 |
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| Full-Time Employees FY10: |
247 |
29 |
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Moody's: |
A3 |
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| Part-Time Employees FY10: |
52 |
28 |
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Standard & Poor: |
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| Full Time Emp/1,000 Cnty
Residents: |
7.25 |
16 |
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Fitch: |
AA- |
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updated |
2/2/2010 |
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