Hershey is a
census-designated placeA census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
(CDP) in
Derry Township, Dauphin CountyDerry Township is a township in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 21,273 at the 2000 census. Hershey, Pennsylvania, the site of the well-known Hershey's chocolate factory and its affiliated amusement park, are also located within the township...
in the Commonwealth of
PennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. The community is located 14 miles east of
HarrisburgHarrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
and is part of the Harrisburg–
CarlisleCarlisle is a borough in and the county seat of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The name is traditionally pronounced with emphasis on the second syllable. Carlisle is located within the Cumberland Valley, a highly productive agricultural region. As of the 2010 census, the borough...
Metropolitan Statistical AreaThe Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area , as defined the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of three counties in Pennsylvania's Susquehanna Valley, anchored by the cities of Harrisburg and Carlisle...
. Hershey has no legal status as an incorporated municipality and all municipal services are provided by Derry Township. The population was 13,026 at the 2010 census.
It is popularly called "Chocolatetown, USA." Hershey is also referred to as "The Sweetest Place on Earth."
Demographics
As of the
censusA census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2010, there were 13,026 people, 5,451 households, and 3,297 families residing in the CDP. The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 886.5 people per square mile (342.2/km²). There were 5,887 housing units at an average density of 408.7/sq mi (157.7/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 91.07% white, 2.12% African American, 0.06% Native American, 4.87% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.49% from
other racesRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.38% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.55% of the population.
There were 5,451 households out of which 24.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.9% were
married couplesMarriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.5% were non-families. 33.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.86.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 20.3% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 23.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 86.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.1 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $48,496, and the median income for a family was $63,385. Males had a median income CDP was $28,487. About 3.8% of families and 6.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.9% of those under age 18 and 4.7% of those age 65 or over.
Transportation
Hershey is accessible via
Harrisburg International Airport-Statistics:-Air cargo:Harrisburg International Airport is well positioned with freight-forwarding capabilities. The airport is located adjacent to I-76 , I-83, and I-81, allowing for fast air-to-ground transfer of goods and commodities...
, approximately 8 miles away.
AmtrakThe National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
's
Keystone ServiceAmtrak's Keystone Service provides frequent passenger train service along the Amtrak-owned Keystone Corridor and Northeast Corridor between the Harrisburg Transportation Center in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and Pennsylvania Station in New York via 30th Street Station in Philadelphia. It is...
provides frequent rail service to the nearby towns of
MiddletownMiddletown Station is an Amtrak railroad station on the Keystone Corridor in Middletown, Dauphin County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The station is served by Amtrak's Keystone Service between New York City and Harrisburg.- Services and facilities :...
(9 miles),
HarrisburgThe Harrisburg Transportation Center is a large railway station and transportation hub in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. It is located on the eastern edge of Downtown Harrisburg between the intersections of Aberdeen and Market Streets and 4th and Chestnut Streets...
(13 miles)and Elizabethtown.Hershey uses cars and trains to go places as well as
CAT and
LT (formerly known as COLT)County of Lebanon Transit Authority is a public transportation service located in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. It provides bus and paratransit service to Lebanon, Pennsylvania and select communities in the region...
provide bus service.
From 1944 to 1981, Hershey had its own small general aviation airport.
Education
- Derry Township School District
The Derry Township School District is a midsized, suburban public school district which serves Derry Township in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. The district includes the unincorporated Village of Hershey. Derry Township encompasses approximately . According to 2000 federal census data, it serves a...
– public school
- Hershey High School
Hershey High School is one of four buildings which comprise the campus of the Derry Township School District in Hershey, Pennsylvania. In 1996, the school was nationally recognized as a Blue Ribbon School by the U.S...
- The Vista School – a state approved, private school for children aged 3 to 21 years who are diagnosed with autism.
- Milton Hershey School
The Milton Hershey School is a private philanthropic boarding school in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Originally named the Hershey Industrial School, the institution was founded and funded by chocolate industrialist Milton Snavely Hershey and his wife, Catherine Sweeney Hershey...
– a private philanthropic school founded in 1909 by chocolate magnate Milton Hershey to serve underprivileged children. Currently serves children from prekindergarten through twelfth grade.
Sports
| Club |
League |
Venue |
Established |
Championships |
| Hershey Bears The Hershey Bears Hockey Club is a professional ice hockey team playing in the American Hockey League, and is currently the top affiliate of the NHL Washington Capitals. The hockey club is based in the unincorporated town of Hershey, Pennsylvania, located within Derry Township some 14 miles east of...
|
AHLThe American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
, Ice hockey |
Giant CenterThe Giant Center is a 10,500-seat multi-purpose arena in Hershey, Pennsylvania, a census-designated place in the Harrisburg metropolitan area. It is home to the Hershey Bears ice hockey team, the longest-existing member of the American Hockey League since 1938...
|
1932 |
11 |
| Hershey Haymakers The Hershey Haymakers is an American professional indoor lacrosse team based in Hershey, Pennsylvania. It is a charter member of the North American Lacrosse League...
|
NALL The North American Lacrosse League is a men's professional indoor lacrosse league based in the United States, set to begin play in January 2012. The league will be North America's third professional lacrosse league, after Major League Lacrosse and the National Lacrosse League...
, Lacrosse |
Giant CenterThe Giant Center is a 10,500-seat multi-purpose arena in Hershey, Pennsylvania, a census-designated place in the Harrisburg metropolitan area. It is home to the Hershey Bears ice hockey team, the longest-existing member of the American Hockey League since 1938...
|
2011 |
|
Hershey was once home to the
Hershey WildcatsHershey Wildcats were a professional soccer team, based in Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA, that played in the USL A-League between 1997 and 2001. The team was owned by Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Company...
of the
A-LeagueThe United Soccer Leagues First Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico....
. This professional soccer team was folded after the 2001 season by its owners, who decided that it would not be successful financially. The Wildcats were named after a popular
roller-coasterThe Wild Cat was the name of a wooden roller coaster located in Hersheypark, Hershey, Pennsylvania. Milton S. Hershey had the ride built at a cost of $50,000, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the town of Hershey. It was the first roller coaster built in Hersheypark...
in
HersheyparkHersheypark is an amusement park located in Hershey, Pennsylvania, near the Hershey Chocolate Factory.Hersheypark was opened on April 24, 1907 as a leisure park for the employees of the Hershey Chocolate Company, an American confectionery company. Later, the company decided to open the park to the...
. Hershey was also home to the
Hershey ImpactThe Hershey Impact was an indoor soccer club based in Hershey, Pennsylvania that competed in the National Professional Soccer League.The team played its home games at the Hersheypark Arena for all of its 3 seasons.-Staff & Ownership:...
over the
AISLThe American Indoor Soccer League was a semi-professional indoor soccer league founded in 2003 and for now folded in 2008.- History :Founded in 2002, the AISL's headquarters are based in West Springfield, Massachusetts, but the media relations office is based out of Cleveland, Ohio. The league...
indoor soccerIndoor soccer or arena soccer, or six-a-side football in the United Kingdom, is a game derived from association football adapted for play in an indoor arena such as a turf-covered hockey arena or skating rink. The most important difference in play is that the indoor field is surrounded by a wall...
league.
National Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
player
Wilt ChamberlainWilton Norman "Wilt" Chamberlain was an American professional NBA basketball player for the Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers; he also played for the Harlem Globetrotters prior to playing in the NBA...
scored 100 points for the Philadelphia Warriors in a regular season
gameWilt Chamberlain's 100-point game, named by the National Basketball Association as one of its greatest games, was a regular-season game between the Philadelphia Warriors and the New York Knicks held on March 2, 1962, at Hersheypark Arena in Hershey, Pennsylvania.The Warriors won the game 169-147,...
played at Hersheypark Arena in 1962; his effort remains a single-game record for the league.
Points of interest
The community is home to
The Hershey CompanyThe Hershey Company, known until April 2005 as the Hershey Foods Corporation and commonly called Hershey's, is the largest chocolate manufacturer in North America. Its headquarters are in Hershey, Pennsylvania, which is also home to Hershey's Chocolate World. It was founded by Milton S...
which also makes the well-known
Hershey barThe Hershey's chocolate bar is a flagship chocolate bar described as "The Great American Chocolate Bar" manufactured by the Hershey Company, invented by Logan Hall and Zach Phillips. Hershey Milk Chocolate and Milk Chocolate with almonds and peanuts were both introduced in 1894...
and Hershey's Kisses, as well as the parent to the
H. B. ReeseHarry Burnett "H. B." Reese was an American inventor, and founder of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, and of the H. B. Reese Candy Co., he was born in York County, Pennsylvania on a farm. Said to have worked odd jobs such as butcher or salesman in his youth, he eventually married around 1900 and went...
Candy Company, manufacturer of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.
Hershey's Chocolate WorldHershey’s Chocolate World is the name of Hershey’s visitor center in Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States. Open year-round, Hershey's Chocolate World offers marketplace shops and restaurants, specializing in Hershey's chocolate products...
is a factory store and virtual tour ride of
The Hershey CompanyThe Hershey Company, known until April 2005 as the Hershey Foods Corporation and commonly called Hershey's, is the largest chocolate manufacturer in North America. Its headquarters are in Hershey, Pennsylvania, which is also home to Hershey's Chocolate World. It was founded by Milton S...
.
Hershey Entertainment and Resorts CompanyHershey Entertainment and Resorts , also known as "HERCO", is a privately owned company of the Hershey Trust Company.- History :The company was originally founded by Milton S...
owns and operates
HersheyparkHersheypark is an amusement park located in Hershey, Pennsylvania, near the Hershey Chocolate Factory.Hersheypark was opened on April 24, 1907 as a leisure park for the employees of the Hershey Chocolate Company, an American confectionery company. Later, the company decided to open the park to the...
,
Hersheypark StadiumHersheypark Stadium is a stadium, located in Hershey, Pennsylvania, on the grounds of Hersheypark. The General Manager is Frank O'Connell.It is used as a sporting facility, concert venue and location for various other large functions . In addition, it hosted the 2004 Presidential Race Campaign stop...
and other attractions such as ZooAmerica, Hershey Gardens, and is a major employer of the community and surrounding area. The
Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical CenterPenn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, located in Hershey, Pennsylvania, 10 miles east of Harrisburg, is Penn State’s medical school and academic medical center, and is the only medical school and university hospital in Pennsylvania located outside the urban areas of Philadelphia and...
and the
Milton Hershey SchoolThe Milton Hershey School is a private philanthropic boarding school in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Originally named the Hershey Industrial School, the institution was founded and funded by chocolate industrialist Milton Snavely Hershey and his wife, Catherine Sweeney Hershey...
for underprivileged youth are also located in Hershey. The
Pennsylvania State PoliceThe Pennsylvania State Police is the state police force of Pennsylvania, responsible for statewide law enforcement. It was founded in 1905 by order of Governor Samuel Pennypacker, in response to the private police forces used by mine and mill owners to stop worker strikes and the inability or...
Academy is located north town along Hersheypark Drive. In addition the
Derry Township PoliceThe Derry Township Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency in Derry Township, PA, more commonly referred to as Hershey, PA. The department was created on July 1, 1966 by the Derry Township Board of Supervisors. The department is currently made up of 35 sworn police officers,...
Department is a nationally recognized law enforcement agency.
- GIANT Center
The Giant Center is a 10,500-seat multi-purpose arena in Hershey, Pennsylvania, a census-designated place in the Harrisburg metropolitan area. It is home to the Hershey Bears ice hockey team, the longest-existing member of the American Hockey League since 1938...
, home of the Hershey BearsThe Hershey Bears Hockey Club is a professional ice hockey team playing in the American Hockey League, and is currently the top affiliate of the NHL Washington Capitals. The hockey club is based in the unincorporated town of Hershey, Pennsylvania, located within Derry Township some 14 miles east of...
- Hershey's Chocolate World
Hershey’s Chocolate World is the name of Hershey’s visitor center in Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States. Open year-round, Hershey's Chocolate World offers marketplace shops and restaurants, specializing in Hershey's chocolate products...
- Hershey Community Center Building
Hershey Community Center Building is a historic building located at Hershey, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. It was designed by noted architect Paul Philippe Cret , under a general plan by Milton S. Hershey , and built in 1932-1933. Plans for a community theater and center were originally drawn-up...
- Hersheypark Arena
Hersheypark Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena, located in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The arena has a seating capacity, for hockey, of 7,286 people and in excess of 8,000, including standing room...
- Hersheypark Stadium
Hersheypark Stadium is a stadium, located in Hershey, Pennsylvania, on the grounds of Hersheypark. The General Manager is Frank O'Connell.It is used as a sporting facility, concert venue and location for various other large functions . In addition, it hosted the 2004 Presidential Race Campaign stop...
- Hotel Hershey
The Hotel Hershey, built in the 1930s, is a historical landmark, four-star hotel located on a hilltop overlooking Hershey, Pennsylvania. It has 232 guest rooms and of event space....
- Milton S. Hershey Mansion
Milton S. Hershey Mansion, also known as High Point or Hershey Country Club was the home of Milton S. Hershey from 1908 to 1945. With 22 rooms and a staff of 3, it was rather modest compared to homes of other wealthy industrialists of that age....
- Hershey Museum
The Hershey Story is a museum devoted to the history and legacy of Milton S. Hershey and the chocolate candy confections he invented. It is located at 63 West Chocolate Avenue in downtown Hershey, Pennsylvania, and opened in January 2009....
- Hersheypark
Hersheypark is an amusement park located in Hershey, Pennsylvania, near the Hershey Chocolate Factory.Hersheypark was opened on April 24, 1907 as a leisure park for the employees of the Hershey Chocolate Company, an American confectionery company. Later, the company decided to open the park to the...
- The Hershey Lodge
- Milton Hershey School
The Milton Hershey School is a private philanthropic boarding school in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Originally named the Hershey Industrial School, the institution was founded and funded by chocolate industrialist Milton Snavely Hershey and his wife, Catherine Sweeney Hershey...
- Hershey Area Playhouse
- Hershey Public Library
The Hershey Public Library is a full-service public library located in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Its mission is to promote and support reading, literacy, and lifelong learning.The facility features over 102,000 books, DVDs, CDs, and more...
- Hershey Shopping Outlets
- Parkview Cross Country Course
The Parkview XC Course is a former golf course turned into a cross country course located in Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA. Due to the number of long steep hills, it is known as one of the hardest courses in the state, which is why the PIAA Cross Country Championships have been held there annually...
See also
- Milton S. Hershey
Milton Snavely Hershey was an American confectioner, philanthropist, and founder of The Hershey Chocolate Company and the "company town" of Hershey, Pennsylvania....
- Derry Township, Pennsylvania
Derry Township is a township in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 21,273 at the 2000 census. Hershey, Pennsylvania, the site of the well-known Hershey's chocolate factory and its affiliated amusement park, are also located within the township...
- H. B. Reese
Harry Burnett "H. B." Reese was an American inventor, and founder of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, and of the H. B. Reese Candy Co., he was born in York County, Pennsylvania on a farm. Said to have worked odd jobs such as butcher or salesman in his youth, he eventually married around 1900 and went...
- Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
- Ocean Blue, The
The Ocean Blue, formed in Hershey, Pennsylvania in 1986, is an American indie pop band that combines melodic guitars and synthesizers. Its core original members included David Schelzel on lead vocals/guitar, Steve Lau on keyboards/saxophone, Bobby Mittan on bass guitar and Rob Minnig on drums and...
- Penn State Hershey Medical Center
Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, located in Hershey, Pennsylvania, 10 miles east of Harrisburg, is Penn State’s medical school and academic medical center, and is the only medical school and university hospital in Pennsylvania located outside the urban areas of Philadelphia and...
- Derry Township Police
The Derry Township Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency in Derry Township, PA, more commonly referred to as Hershey, PA. The department was created on July 1, 1966 by the Derry Township Board of Supervisors. The department is currently made up of 35 sworn police officers,...
- Pennsylvania State Police
The Pennsylvania State Police is the state police force of Pennsylvania, responsible for statewide law enforcement. It was founded in 1905 by order of Governor Samuel Pennypacker, in response to the private police forces used by mine and mill owners to stop worker strikes and the inability or...
- Richard Winters
Major Richard "Dick" D. Winters was a United States Army officer and decorated war veteran. He commanded Company "E", 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, during World War II....
- Hershey Public Library
The Hershey Public Library is a full-service public library located in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Its mission is to promote and support reading, literacy, and lifelong learning.The facility features over 102,000 books, DVDs, CDs, and more...
- Brian Baker (actor)
Brian Edward Baker is an American actor best known for his recurring role as a trenchcoated spokesman in Sprint's television commercials.-Early career:...
, aka "The Sprint Guy"
- Terry Farrell (actress)
Theresa Lee "Terry" Farrell is an American actress and former fashion model. She is perhaps best known for her performances in the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Becker.-Early life:...
- Jules Jordan
Jules Jordan is an American pornographic movie director, actor, and producer. Originally his movies were distributed under John Stagliano's adult video company, Evil Angel. In early 2006 his company Jules Jordan Video began handling its own distribution...
External links