
Downtown Hershey at the intersection of Chocolate Ave and Cocoa Ave, with the signature Hershey Kiss lights and the Hershey Chocolate Factory in the background.
'Hershey' is an
unincorporated community within
Derry Township in
Dauphin County in the U.S.
Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania, 14 miles east of
Harrisburg. The community has no legal status as an incorporated municipality and all municipal services are provided by Derry Township. The Census Bureau has also defined a
census-designated place (CDP) with the same name for statistical purposes, although the local understanding of the community may differ somewhat from the census definition. The population was 12,771 at the 2000 census.
Hershey was originally named 'Derry Church', Pennsylvania. It was renamed Hershey, Pennsylvania in 1906 after the growing popularity of
Hershey's Chocolate. It is popularly called Chocolatetown, USA.
General Information
★ ZIP code: 17033
★ Area code: 717
★ Local phone code: 298, 312, 489, 508, 520, 531, 533, 534, 707, 835
Geography
Hershey is located at .
According to the
United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 37.4
km² (14.4
mi²). 37.3 km² (14.4 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (0.35%) is water.
Demographics
As of the
census of 2000, there were 12,771 people, 5,451 households, and 3,297 families residing in the CDP. The
population density was 342.2/km² (886.5/mi²). There were 5,887 housing units at an average density of 157.7/km² (408.7/mi²). 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 races, 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 couples 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 $45,098, and the median income for a family was $63,385. Males had a median income of $42,013 versus $31,086 for females. The
per capita income for the 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.
Sports
Hershey is home of the 2006 and nine-time Calder Cup champion Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League. The Bears, one of the oldest hockey teams in existence and one of the few remaining original teams of the AHL, played in the
Hersheypark Arena for over six decades and have made GIANT Center their home since 2002.
Hershey was once home to the
Hershey Wildcats of the
A-League. 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-coaster in
Hersheypark.
NBA basketball player
Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points in a
game 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 Company which also makes the well-known
Hershey bar and
Hershey Kisses, as well as the parent to the
H. B. Reese Candy Company, manufacturer of the # 1 selling candy brand in the United States,
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.
Hershey's Chocolate World is a factory store and virtual tour ride of the
The Hershey Company.
Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Company owns and operates
Hersheypark,
Hersheypark Stadium and other attractions such as ZooAmerica, and is a major employer of the community and surrounding area. The
Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and the
Milton Hershey School for orphans and troubled youth are also located in Hershey.
★
GIANT Center, home of the
Hershey Bears
★
Hershey's Chocolate World
★
Hersheypark Arena
★
Hersheypark Stadium
★
Hershey Gardens
★
Hotel Hershey
★
Hershey Museum
★
Hersheypark
★
Milton Hershey School
See also
★
Milton S. Hershey
★
Derry Township, Pennsylvania
★
H. B. Reese
★
The Hershey Company
★
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
★
Ocean Blue, The
★
Penn State Hershey Medical Center
★
Derry Township Police
External links
★
Preserve Hershey organization
nnnnnnnnnnnn