Middletown, Delaware
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Town of Middletown | |
|---|---|
| Town | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Delaware |
| County | New Castle |
| Area | 6.4 sq mi (16.6 km²) |
| - land | 6.4 sq mi (16.6 km²) |
| - water | 0.0 sq mi (0 km²), 0% |
| Center | |
| - coordinates | Coordinates: |
| - elevation | 69 ft (21 m) |
| Population | 6,161 (2000) |
| Density | 962.4 /sq mi (372 /km²) |
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) |
| - summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| Area code | 302 |
  Location of Middletown in Delaware
|
|
 Location of Delaware in the United States
|
|
| Website : www.middletownde.org | |
Middletown is a town in New Castle County, Delaware, United States. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the town is 9,121.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Geography
Middletown is located at (39.454352, -75.713816)[2] with an elevation of 69 feet (21.0 m)[3].
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 6.4 square miles (16.6 km²), of which, 6.4 square miles (16.6 km²) of it is land and 0.16% is water.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 6,161 people, 2,298 households, and 1,631 families residing in the town. The population density was 962.4 people per square mile (371.7/km²). There were 2,514 housing units at an average density of 392.7/sq mi (151.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 94.42% White, 1.30% African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.78% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.93% from other races, and 1.44% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.29% of the population.
There were 2,298 households out of which 41.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.5% were married couples living together, 18.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.0% were non-families. 22.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.14.
In the town the population was spread out with 30.9% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 33.5% from 25 to 44, 18.3% from 45 to 64, and 7.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 90.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $41,663, and the median income for a family was $47,270. Males had a median income of $35,688 versus $30,044 for females. The per capita income for the town was $18,517. About 8.8% of families and 10.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.7% of those under age 18 and 13.6% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Growth
Recent annexations of land have stimulated Middletown's growth: it is known as possibly the fastest growing area in Delaware.[citation needed] Many affluent housing developments surround the town's center. Current town growth town is a result of these such developments, which primarily attract high-income families relocating from Wilmington, Philadelphia, New Jersey, and New York City.[citation needed]
Middletown's commerce has grown accordingly. National retail and food chain stores have opened locations in the area, with significant growth along the U.S. 301 corridor. This growth is more characteristic of suburban sprawl, a stark difference from Middletown's historic growth patterns.
The recent population increase has caused constant congestion throughout the town's infrastructure and headaches for many of the town's residents. Overcrowding at Middletown High School, which was over-capacity by 400 students during the 2005-2006 school year, resulted in the construction of a second high school, Appoquinimink High School, which will open in Fall 2008.[citation needed]
[edit] Education
Education in Middletown is provided by the Appoquinimink School District. It is also the location of the prestigious St. Andrew's School, a boarding school for grades nine through twelve. Middletown is currently building a new high school, Appoquinimink High School, to accommodate the population growth of the area and overcrowding at Middletown High School. It is scheduled to open in Fall of 2008. Several private schools and a charter school also are within the town's limits.
[edit] Events
Middletown is home to the Olde Tyme Peach Festival, an annual tradition that attracts thousands of visitors each August.
Middletown hosts the M.O.T. Big Ball Marathon, an annual Labor Day event that benefits local charities.
It also hosts an annual Hummers parade. The parade's name is a spoof of the nearby Philadelphia Mummers parade. As opposed to the Mummers, which townsfolk believe has gotten much too serious and full of itself, the Hummers parade encourages folks to dress up and act silly.
[edit] Media
The Middletown Transcript, celebrating its 140th year, is the main publication for the Middletown, Odessa and Townsend area. The first edition was printed on Jan. 4, 1868. This community newspaper is published every Thursday and is located at 24 West Main Street.
Middletown Life [1] (Est. 2007) is a seasonal publication dedicated to the Middletown, Odessa and Townsend area.
[edit] Film appearances
The 1989 film Dead Poets Society starring Robin Williams was filmed almost entirely on the school grounds at St. Andrew's School. The theatre scene was filmed at The Everett Theatre on Main Street.
The episode of The West Wing entitled "Two Cathedrals" (#44) was partly filmed at St. Andrew's School.
"Watermelon Crawl" was filmed in June 2007 in Middletown and Townsend. It is in post-production.
[edit] Notable natives and residents
- Ashlee Greenwell, Miss Delaware USA 2006
- Rebecca Bledsoe, Miss Delaware 2005, a 2000 graduate of Middletown High School
- Reggie Leach, former Philadelphia Flyers forward
- Dwayne Henry, former Major League Baseball pitcher
- Francis Kosich, 1979 Philadelphia Phillies mascot, the Philly Phanatic
- Silas Simmons, longest-lived professional baseball player in history
- Tom Verlaine, guitarist and singer for 1970s art punk group Television, attended St. Andrew's School
- Loudon Wainwright III, folk singer, attended St. Andrew's School
[edit] References
- ^ Annual Estimates of the Population for All Incorporated Places in Delaware (CSV). 2005 Population Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division (June 21, 2006). Retrieved on November 21, 2006.
- ^ US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990. United States Census Bureau (2005-05-03). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ Middletown, Delaware. Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved on 2007-08-02.
- ^ American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
[edit] External links
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
