Rush Township, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 23.9 square miles (61.8 km²), of which, 22.9 square miles (59.2 km²) of it is land and 1.0 square miles (2.6 km²) of it (4.27%) is water. It is in the Delaware watershed and is drained by the Schuylkill River via the Little Schuylkill River and by the Nesquehoning Creek into the Lehigh River. Its villages include Barnesville, Ginthers, Grier City (also in Delano Township), Haucks, Hometown, Park Crest (also in Ryan Township), Quakake, Still Creek, and Tamanend (also in Delano Township).

As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 3,957 people, 1,419 households, and 1,058 families residing in the township. The population density was 173.2 people per square mile (66.9/km²). There were 1,563 housing units at an average density of 68.4/sq mi (26.4/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 96.44% White, 2.35% African American, 0.03% Native American, 0.48% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.25% from other races, and 0.43% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.11% of the population.

There were 1,419 households, out of which 26.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.3% were married couples living together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.4% were non-families. 22.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.90.

In the township the population was spread out, with 18.3% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 21.9% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 23.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.3 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $42,664, and the median income for a family was $45,750. Males had a median income of $35,386 versus $27,473 for females. The per capita income for the township was $17,893. About 4.3% of families and 6.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.7% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over.

STS bus route 45 serves the township along the Route 309 corridor, which runs north-to-south and intersects east-to-west Route 54 in Hometown. The bus route runs from Pottsville via Tamaqua to McAdoo. On Saturdays the Hometown auction bus 47 runs from Pottsville via Frackville, Shenandoah, and Mahanoy City to Hometown and McAdoo. Also, Carbon County Community Transit runs on Wednesdays from Hometown to Nesquehoning on Lynx 3 (via Tamaqua, Coaldale, Lansford, and Summit Hill).