Monessen, Pennsylvania
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Monessen is a city located in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 8,669. In 1940, 20,257 people lived there. Steel-making was a prominent industry in Monessen, which was a Rust Belt borough in the "Mon valley" of southwestern Pennsylvania that became a third-class city in 1921. It is not a far piece from Charleroi and Donora, two similar places with similar histories.
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Geography
Monessen is located at 40°9'15" North, 79°52'58" West (40.154271, -79.882779)Template:GR.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.9 km² (3.1 mi²). 7.5 km² (2.9 mi²) of it is land and 0.4 km² (0.2 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 4.90% water.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 8,669 people, 3,916 households, and 2,451 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,154.2/km² (2,986.8/mi²). There were 4,468 housing units at an average density of 594.9/km² (1,539.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 83.71% White, 13.99% African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.23% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.33% from other races, and 1.63% from two or more races. 0.82% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 3,916 households out of which 21.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.9% were married couples living together, 15.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.4% were non-families. 34.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 22.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.80.
In the city the population was spread out with 19.6% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 23.3% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 29.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females there were 84.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,686, and the median income for a family was $37,269. Males had a median income of $34,773 versus $21,508 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,627. 15.7% of the population and 11.5% of families were below the poverty line. 27.7% of those under the age of 18 and 8.2% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
History
Monessen experienced rapid growth in the first two decades of the twentieth century, the population increasing from 2,197 in 1900 to 11,775 in 1910 and then to 18, 179 in 1920. It became a third class city in 1921.