Shrinking towns of Pennsylvania

Overall, Pennsylvania's population has slowly increased during the last 15 years from a little more than 12 million people at the 2000 Census to nearly 13 million in 2015, according to the most recent federal records available.

But numerous townships, boroughs and cities throughout the state have steadily lost residents in that time. Some of the loss is attributed to decaying towns after the fall of industry, or an exodus from the more rural patches of Pennsylvania to big cities and their suburbs.

This list shows Pennsylvania municipalities that lost 5 percent or more of their population during the last 15 years.

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28. Butler

Butler

County: Butler

Population in 2000: 14,123

Population in 2015: 13,517

Population loss: -606

Percent change: -4%

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27. Penn Hills

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Penn Hills

County: Allegheny

Population in 2000: 44,301

Population in 2015: 42,239

Population loss: -2,062

Percent change: -5%

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26. Greensburg

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Greensburg

County: Westmoreland

Population in 2000: 15,385

Population in 2015: 14,669

Population loss: -716

Percent change: -5%

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25. Lower Burrell

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Lower Burrell

County: Westmoreland

Population in 2000: 12,166

Population in 2015: 11,593

Population loss: -573

Percent change: -5%

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24. St. Marys

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St. Marys

County: Elk

Population in 2000: 13,501

Population in 2015: 12,845

Population loss: -656

Percent change: -5%

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23. Plains Township

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Plains Township

County: Luzerne

Population in 2000: 10,434

Population in 2015: 9,863

Population loss: -571

Percent change: -5%

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22. Indiana

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Indiana

County: Indiana

Population in 2000: 14,868

Population in 2015: 14,050

Population loss: -818

Percent change: -6%

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21. Doylestown Township

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Doylestown Township

County: Bucks

Population in 2000: 18,715

Population in 2015: 17,606

Population loss: -1,109

Percent change: -6%

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20. New Kensington

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New Kensington

County: Westmoreland

Population in 2000: 13,739

Population in 2015: 12,874

Population loss: -865

Percent change: -6%

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19. Johnstown

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Johnstown

County: Cambria

Population in 2000: 21,849

Population in 2015: 20,369

Population loss: -1,480

Percent change: -7%

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18. North Union

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North Union

County: Fayette

Population in 2000: 13,472

Population in 2015: 12,554

Population loss: -918

Percent change: -7%

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17. New Castle

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New Castle

County: Lawrence

Population in 2000: 24,387

Population in 2015: 22,682

Population loss: -1,705

Percent change: -7%

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16. Sandy Township

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Sandy Township

County: Clearfield

Population in 2000: 11,454

Population in 2015: 10,648

Population loss: -806

Percent change: -7%

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15. Upper Providence

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Upper Providence

County: Delaware

Population in 2000: 11,096

Population in 2015: 10,288

Population loss: -808

Percent change: -7%

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14. Washington

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Washington

County: Washington

Population in 2000: 14,760

Population in 2015: 13,642

Population loss: -1,118

Percent change: -8%

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13. Chester

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Chester

County: Delaware

Population in 2000: 36,839

Population in 2015: 34,016

Population loss: -2,823

Percent change: -8%

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12. Sharon

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Sharon

County: Mercer

Population in 2000: 14,999

Population in 2015: 13,754

Population loss: -1,245

Percent change: -8%

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11. Wilkinsburg

Wilkinsburg

County: Allegheny

Population in 2000: 17,266

Population in 2015: 15,866

Population loss: -1,400

Percent change: -8%

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10. Morrisville

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Morrisville

County: Bucks

Population in 2000: 9,664

Population in 2015: 8,666

Population loss: -998

Percent change: -10%

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9. McKeesport

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McKeesport

County: Allegheny

Population in 2000: 22,266

Population in 2015: 19,637

Population loss: -2,629

Percent change: -12%

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8. Delaware Township

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Delaware Township

County: Pike

Population in 2000: 8,282

Population in 2015: 7,281

Population loss: -1,001

Percent change: -12%

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7. Uniontown

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Uniontown

County: Fayette

Population in 2000: 11,654

Population in 2015: 10,150

Population loss: -1,504

Percent change: -13%

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6. Aliquippa

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Aliquippa

County: Beaver

Population in 2000: 10,721

Population in 2015: 9,296

Population loss: -1,425

Percent change: -13 %

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5. Kennedy Township

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Kennedy Township

County: Allegheny

Population in 2000: 9,164

Population in 2015: 7,935

Population loss: -1,229

Percent change: -13%

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4. Bethel Township

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Bethel Township

County: Delaware

Population in 2000: 10,482

Population in 2015: 9,074

Population loss: -1,408

Percent change: -13%

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3. Clairton

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Clairton

County: Allegheny

Population in 2000: 7,884

Population in 2015: 6,752

Population loss: -1,132

Percent change: -14%

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2. Duquesne

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Duquesne

County: Allegheny

Population in 2000: 6,752

Population in 2015: 5,556

Population loss: -1,196

Percent change: -18%

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1. Dyberry Township

Photo by Flickr user William Doyle

Dyberry Township

County: Wayne

Population in 2000: 2,346

Population in 2015: 1,358

Population loss: -988

Percent change: -42%

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Correction

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An earlier version of this list incorrectly labeled Langhorne Borough in Bucks County as the Pennsylvania municipality with the highest population loss during the last 15 years.

After PennLive reviewed the numbers again, an error was found in a 2009 report from the U.S. Census Bureau. Population figures for that year in Langhorne had a high margin of error.

All of the other municipalities on the list have accurate population counts.

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