King of Prussia, Pennsylvania

King of Prussia is located in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. As of the 2000 census, this place had a total population of 18,511. The community got its name in the 18th century from a local tavern which was named "King of Prussia" in honor of Frederick the Great. While the United States Postal Service office there still carries that name, there is no incorporated City of King of Prussia. The municipality there is, officially, Upper Merion Township.

History

The Inn was important in Colonial times as it was a day?s travel (by horse) from Philadelphia. Settlers heading for Ohio would take their first night on the road at the King of Prussia Inn. This place?s role as an important crossroad has only grown in the passing years.

Today three major highways meet in King of Prussia. The Schuylkill Expressway from Center City, Philadelphia, ends in King of Prussia. The Pennsylvania Turnpike?s east-west toll road has a major interchange there. U.S. 202, a major north-south highway passes through there as well. Its construction as a modern expressway would have caused the destruction of the King of Prussia Inn. However, historic preservationists managed to prevail upon the state of Pennsylvania to avoid this important structure by building north and southbound lanes on either side of it. For more than a quarter century the Inn was marooned on an artificial island--modern cars and trucks roaring past it on all sides. It was sealed up for years, surrounded by a high fence. The Inn was successfully relocated in 2000 and opened to the public in October 2002.

The King of Prussia shopping mall complex was located immediately adjacent to the original site of the Inn. The two-mall agglomeration is the largest shopping complex in the world consisting of the adjacent Plaza at King of Prussia and Court at King of Prussia. Among other stores, the complex featured the only FAO Schwarz store in Pennsylvania, now closed.

The area is steeped in history. Vintage 200 year-old plus homes and farmsteads dot the rolling countryside. The Valley Forge National Historical Park, where General George Washington and his Continental Army spent the winter of 1777-1778, is about a mile away.

A movie, In the King of Prussia, was released in 1982 and involved a group of anti-war activists who broke into the General Electric Weapons Plant located there.

Residents often refer to King of Prussia in print as KoP, and in conversation as K.O.P. Local recreation includes an 18 screen movie theater.

Geography

King of Prussia is located at 40°5'41" North, 75°22'41" West (40.094608, -75.378076)¹.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 21.9 km² (8.5 mi²). 21.8 km² (8.4 mi²) of it is land and 0.2 km² (0.1 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 0.83 percent water.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there are 18,511 people, 8,245 households, and 4,773 families residing in the town. The population density is 850.8/km² (2,202.4/mi²). There are 8,705 housing units at an average density of 400.1/km² (1,035.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the town is 82.70 percent White, 4.26 percent African American, 0.16 percent Native American, 10.62 percent Asian, 0.04 percent Pacific Islander, 0.84 percent from other races, and 1.39 percent from two or more races. 1.91 percent of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 8,245 households out of which 21.1 percent have children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.2 percent are married couples living together, 6.3 percent have a female householder with no husband present, and 42.1 percent are non-families. 33.1 percent of all households are made up of individuals and 8.1 percent have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.22 and the average family size is 2.89.

In the town the population is spread out with 17.6 percent under the age of 18, 8.4 percent from 18 to 24, 35.1 percent from 25 to 44, 22.2 percent from 45 to 64, and 16.7 percent who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 37 years. For every 100 females there are 97.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 96.1 males.

The median income for a household in the town is $62,012, and the median income for a family is $75,882. Males have a median income of $50,803 versus $37,347 for females. The per capita income for the town is $32,070. 3.2 percent of the population and 1.6 percent of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 1.8 percent are under the age of 18 and 2.1 percent are 65 or older.