A Myerstown house in a postcard mailed on August 7, 1906
On December 24, 1757, 249 acres (1.01 km2) of land was deeded to Isaac Meier and wife Catherine, who built their house at the Hergelrode site on South College Street. As early as 1763 he began deeding out lots and planned to make a town which he called Tulpehocken Town, after the Tulpehocken Creek, which runs through the borough.
Meier was fatally shot by an unknown assassin on July 14, 1770, at the Henry Buch House on 40 West Main Street which was a tavern at that time.[3] After his death the citizens of Tulpehocken Town began to call it Meier's Town after him.
Myerstown is located at 40°22'19" North, 76°18'15" West (40.372058, -76.304208).[5] According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 0.9 square miles (2.3 km2), all land.[5]
At the 2000 census, there were 3,171 people, 1,265 households, and 810 families residing in the borough. The population density was 3,559.1 inhabitants per square mile (1,374.2/km2). There were 1,339 housing units at an average density of 1,502.9 per square mile (580.3/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.48% White, 1.41% African American, 0.00% Native American, 0.44% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.22% from other races, and 0.45% from two or more races. 0.95% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.[9]
There were 1,265 households, 29.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.4% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. 31.5% of households were made up of individuals, and 16.1% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the borough, the population was spread out, with 22.2% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 19.2% from 45 to 64, and 22.0% 65 or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 85.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.5 males.
The median household income was $36,563 and the median family income was $45,698. Males had a median income of $31,985 versus $20,684 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $17,177. 6.6% of the population and 4.6% of families were below the poverty line. 8.4% of those under the age of 18 and 9.5% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
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