The 1840s were a decade of great growth for the borough of West Chester. A building boom shaped the physical layout and appearance of the borough. In 1838, there were sixteen Black artisans and a huckster on the tax list of the borough. The majority of Black residents lived in the southeast quadrant of the borough near the lumberyards, brickyards, and the West Chester Gas facility. This development continued throughout the twentieth century.
The population of West Chester is comprised of a mixture of citizens and immigrants. The percentage of residents who are not citizens is the largest. Listed below are the ages of people living in West Chester. The percentage of residents who are married is the highest among the other demographic groups. Other minority groups are represented in the area by a smaller percentage. However, West Chester has the most Hispanic/Latino population in the entire Philadelphia area.
According to the US Census Bureau, the median household income in West Chester, PA is $61,837. This is nearly twice the national average of $240,500. The median household income is $58,872 for residents of Census Tract 3023, $302,300, and 3024, respectively. The median age is 24, which is lower than the national average of 37.3. The average number of car owners is two per household.
In 1899, the city celebrated its centennial, and its citizens no longer thought of the town as a small, inland town. They were now seeing West Chester as the largest suburban area of Philadelphia. The West Chester Pike trolley line was extended, connecting the city to Sixty-Third Street in Philadelphia and Newtown Square. The West Chester Pike was eventually connected to Baltimore and the South.