Berwick Township, Adams County, Pennsylvania

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 7.7 square miles (20 km²), all of it land.

As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 1,818 people, 677 households, and 513 families residing in the township. The population density was 235.6 people per square mile (90.9/km²). There were 715 housing units at an average density of 92.7/sq mi (35.8/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 98.40% White, 0.28% African American, 0.44% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.72% from other races, and 0.11% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.15% of the population.

There were 677 households, out of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.9% were married couples living together, 6.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.2% were non-families. 18.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the township the population was spread out, with 23.0% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 30.1% from 25 to 44, 27.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.0 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $46,164, and the median income for a family was $50,060. Males had a median income of $36,154 versus $23,958 for females. The per capita income for the township was $22,573. About 4.2% of families and 4.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.3% of those under age 18 and 11.7% of those age 65 or over.

Map of Adams County, Pennsylvania School Districts

Residents of Berwick Township may attend the local, public schools operated by Conewago Valley School District which provides full day kindergarten through 12th grade. In 2013, the Conewago Valley School District's enrollment declined to 3,936 students in kindergarten through 12th grade.[5] In 2010, Conewago Valley School District enrollment was 4,024 pupils. Conewago Valley School District operates New Oxford High School (9th-12th), New Oxford Middle School (7th-8th), Conewago Valley Intermediate School (4th-6th), Conewago Township Elementary School (K-3rd) and New Oxford Elementary School (K-3rd).

In 2013, the Pittsburgh Business Times ranked Conewago Valley School District 310th out of 498 public schools for academic achievement of its pupils.[6] In 2012, Conewago Valley School District declined to ‘’Warning’’ Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) due to lagging student achievement in both reading and mathematics.[7]

High school aged students can attend the taxpayer funded Adams County Tech Prep for training in the building trades, the culinary arts, Diesel Mechanics, allied health including Emergency medical technician (EMT) certification and other areas. The school is located on the Gettysburg Area High School campus at 1130 Old Harrisburg Road. Adams County Tech Prep is funded by a consortium of the school districts, which includes: Gettysburg Area School District, Littlestown Area School District, Fairfield Area School District, Conewago Valley School District and Bermudian Springs School District.

Berwick Township residents may also choose between two local, public charter schools: Vida Charter School and Gettysburg Montessori Charter School. In Pennsylvania, residents may attend public charter schools at no cost to the parents. The tuition is paid by their public school system. By Commonwealth law, if the public school district provides transportation for its own students, then the district must also provide transportation to any school that lies within 10 miles of its borders, as well as, all schools within its borders.[8] Tuition at Conewago Valley School District rates in 2012 were Elementary School - $8,102.21, High School - $8,514.19.[9]

Berwick Township residents may also apply to attend any of the Commonwealth's 14 public cyber charter schools (in 2013) at no additional cost to the parents. The resident's public school district is required to pay the charter school and cyber charter school tuition for residents who attend these public schools.[10][11] Residents may also seek admission, for their school aged child, to any other public school district. When accepted for admission, the parents are responsible for paying an annual tuition fee set by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

Lincoln Intermediate Unit #12 provides a wide variety of services to children living in its region which includes Berwick Township. Early screening, special educations services, speech and hearing therapy, autistic support, preschool classes and many other services like driver education are available. Services for children during the preschool years are provided without cost to their families when the child is determined to meet eligibility requirements. Intermediate units receive taxpayer funding: through subsidies paid by member school districts; through direct charges to users for some services; through the successful application for state and federal competitive grants and through private grants.

Libraries Community members have access to the Adams County Public Library which is located on 140 Baltimore Street in Gettysburg; the East Berlin Community Library which is located on 105 Locust Street, East Berlin; the Littlestown Library, located at 232 North Queen Street, Littlestown; the New Oxford Area Library located at 122 North Peter Street, in New Oxford; the Adams County Historical Society Library which is located on 111 Seminary Ridge, in Gettysburg; the Adams County Law Library located in the Court House, 117 Baltimore St Rm 305 in Gettysburg and to the statewide PA Power Library which is an online library funded with tax dollars from the state's education budget.

At Harrisburg Area Community College Gettysburg Campus, Berwick Township residents have access to college courses at a discounted tuition rate for state residents. Conewago Valley School District is not a tax funding district of the College. Berwick Township residents contribute to the community college through state taxation and funding.

• Berwick Township official website