Dickson City, Pennsylvania

Borough of Dickson City
Settlement
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
County	Lackawanna
Elevation	827 ft (252.1 m)
Coordinates
Area	4.8 sq mi (12.4 km2)
- land	4.8 sq mi (12 km2)
- water	0.0 sq mi (0 km2), 0%
Population	6,070 (2010)
Density	1,264.6 / sq mi (488.3 / km2)
Mayor	Anthony Zaleski
Timezone	EST (UTC-5)
- summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
Zip Code	18508, 18519
Area code	570
Location of Dickson City in Pennsylvania
Location of Pennsylvania in the United States
Website: http://dicksoncityborough.org/

Dickson City is a borough in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, 4 miles (6 km) north of Scranton. Coal mining had been an important industry in the past. Coal miners are much scarcer in Pennsylvania today than they had been, so populations have fallen in many places such as Dickson City; The population was 6,070 at the 2010 census.

History

Dickson City was once known as Priceburg. It was the newest village in the valley and one of the most progressive. German immigrants then founded the village of Priceville in 1863, in honor of Eli Price. This section of the town developed rapidly after 1880, when John Jermyn sank the shaft which is now known as the Johnson shaft. Here the population had grown from 329 to 841.

In June 1875, Dickson City was incorporated as a borough, including at the time all of the present borough of Throop. Dickson City received its name from Thomas Dickson.

Once dominated by coal mines, this borough has in recent times become the center of a thriving retail corridor focused along Business Route 6 and around the Viewmont Mall. Many of the nation's big-box stores and chain restaurants are represented here.

Most of the newer retail complexes are located along Viewmont Drive and Commerce Boulevard, both built by developers to access the borough's vast dormant coal lands. Some of the centers that were built in the 1990s and early 2000s include Dickson City Crossings, Dickson City Commons, Park Center and Commerce Plaza. A Target center, Adventure Games (the largest gaming shop in northeastern Pennsylvania), a Great Escape IMAX Movie Theatre, and stores such as Dick's Sporting Goods and the only Books a Million book store in the area are located at these shopping centers. The borough also boasts northeastern Pennsylvania's first Starbucks location.

Recently, the borough unexpectedly entered the pop culture scene. In a 2006 episode of NBC's sitcom, The Office, entitled "Take Your Daughter to Work Day", Michael (Steve Carell) asks Ryan (B.J. Novak) to get a particular video from his mom's house "in Dickson City." The show uses Scranton as its setting.

After Route 6 (also named the Scranton/Carbondale Highway), Main Street serves as the borough's other major thoroughfare. It features a slightly older stock of stores, bars, professional offices and homes.

One recent point of major contention in the borough has been a 240-acre (0.97 km²) swath of reclaimed coal-mining land south of Commerce Boulevard that was deeded to the borough for public use after the state government cleaned it up. Plans to build a bond-financed municipal golf course on the land launched during the early 2000s were scuttled after some borough council members campaigned against that form of borrowing and won the majority of seats. The land was seized by a local bank after interim loans went unpaid, but because the state stipulated that it has to remain in the hands of a municipality, neighboring borough Dunmore snapped it up.

Geography

Dickson City is located at (41.465984, -75.625401). According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 4.8 square miles (12 km²), all of its land.

Interstate 81 has two commercially-important exits in Dickson City---one with Main Avenue and one with the old 6 (the Scranton-Carbondale Highway.) The Viewmont Mall is in both Dickson City and Scranton. The geographic location of the center of business dictates the revenue, according to Pennsylvania tax law.

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1870	391		—
1880	838		114.3%
1890	3,110		271.1%
1900	4,948		59.1%
1910	9,331		88.6%
1920	11,049		18.4%
1930	12,395		12.2%
1940	11,548		−6.8%
1950	8,948		−22.5%
1960	7,738		−13.5%
1970	7,698		−0.5%
1980	6,699		−13.0%
1990	6,276		−6.3%
2000	6,205		−1.1%
2010	6,070		−2.2%
Est. 2014	6,006		−1.1%
Sources:

2010

As of the census of 2010, there were 6,070 people, 2,703 households, and 1,636 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,264.6 people per square mile (488.3/km²). There were 2,921 housing units at an average density of 608.5 per square mile (237.7/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 95.9% White, 1% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 1.1% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.8% of the population.

There were 2,703 households, out of which 22.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.4% were married couples living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.5% were non-families. 33.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.86.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 18.9% under the age of 18, 62% from 18 to 64, and 19.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.3 years.

The median income for a household in the borough was $31,422, and the median income for a family was $41,394. Males had a median income of $32,174 versus $23,766 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $17,370. About 3.5% of families and 6.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.6% of those under age 18 and 8.7% of those age 65 or over.

2000

As of the census of 2000, there were 6,205 people, 2,692 households, and 1,722 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,317.4 people per square mile (508.7/km²). There were 2,913 housing units at an average density of 618.5 per square mile (238.8/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.82% White, 0.24% African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 0.21% from other races, and 0.40% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.84% of the population.

There were 2,692 households, out of which 25.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.6% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.0% were non-families. 31.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.91.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 19.9% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 21.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 88.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.6 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $31,422, and the median income for a family was $41,394. Males had a median income of $32,174 versus $23,766 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $17,370. About 3.5% of families and 6.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.6% of those under age 18 and 8.7% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Dickson City is part of the Mid Valley School District. Johnson Technical Institute is located just over the border in nearby Scranton.

Commonwealth Connections Academy an Online K-12 Free Public Cyber Charter School will be opening a new location in Dickson City.