Salisbury Township, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania

For other Pennsylvania townships with similar names, see Salisbury Township, Pennsylvania (disambiguation).

Salisbury Township is a township in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, United States. The township's population was 13,621 at the 2020 census.^[2] The township borders Allentown, Pennsylvania's third-largest city, Bethlehem, and Emmaus, in the Lehigh Valley, which had a population of 861,899 and was the 68th-most populous metropolitan area in the U.S. as of the 2020 census.

Salisbury Township
Township
Salisbury Township Office in June 2015
Seal
Location of Salisbury Township in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania
Salisbury Township Location of Salisbury Township in Pennsylvania Show map of Pennsylvania Salisbury Township Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Coordinates: 40°34′46″N 75°30′09″W
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
County	Lehigh
Area [1]
• Township	11.27 sq mi (29.19 km2)
• Land	11.17 sq mi (28.93 km2)
• Water	0.10 sq mi (0.26 km2)
Elevation	354 ft (108 m)
Population  (2020)[2]
• Township	13,621
• Estimate  (2022)[3]	13,585
• Density	1,232.03/sq mi (475.67/km2)
• Metro	865,310 (US: 68th)
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP Codes	18015, 18049, and 18103
Area code(s)	610 and 484
FIPS code	42-077-67576
Primary airport	Lehigh Valley International Airport
Major hospital	Lehigh Valley Hospital–Cedar Crest
School district	Salisbury Township
Website	www.salisburytownshippa.org

Salisbury Township is located 3.8 miles (6.1 km) southeast of Allentown, 56.6 miles (91.1 km) north of Philadelphia, and 87.6 miles (141.0 km) west of New York City.^[4] South Mall, an enclosed shopping mall, is located on Lehigh Street in the township.

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
2000	13,498		—
2010	13,505		0.1%
2020	13,621		0.9%
2022 (est.)	13,585	[3]	−0.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[5]

As of the census^[6] of 2010, there were 13,505 people, 5,595 households, and 3,832 families residing in the township. The population density was 1,224.9 inhabitants per square mile (472.9/km²). There were 5,595 housing units at an average density of 495.1 units per square mile (191.2 units/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 91.39% White, 2.93% African American, 0.03% Native American, 1.60 Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 2.40% from other races, and 1.63% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.14% of the population.

There were 5,333 households, out of which 24.79% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.25% were married couples living together, 7.61% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.15% were non-families. 23.53% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.11% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.91.

In the township, the population was spread out, with 18.84% under the age of 18, 7.02% from 18 to 24, 21.22% from 25 to 44, 32.90% from 45 to 64, and 20.01% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.5 males. The estimated median income for a household in the township in 2014 was $69,685, and the estimated median income for a family was $84,429. Males had an estimated median income of $54,869 versus $39,024 for females. The estimated per capita income for the township was $35,133. In 2014 it was estimated that 4.1% of families and 5.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.0% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over.

United States presidential election results for Salisbury Township, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania^[7][8]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	4,194	51.25%	3,910	47.78%	79	0.97%
2020	4,162	50.22%	4,022	48.53%	103	1.24%
2016	3,838	53.02%	3,135	43.31%	266	3.67%
2012	3,485	51.31%	3,222	47.44%	85	1.25%
2008	3,401	47.35%	3,669	51.09%	112	1.56%
2004	3,605	51.00%	3,420	48.39%	43	0.61%

Geography

South Mall's main entrance in Salisbury Township in June 2015

Salisbury High School in June 2015

I-78 West at PA Route 309 in Salisbury Township

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 11.3 square miles (29.2 km²), of which 11.2 square miles (28.9 km²) are land and 0.1 square miles (0.3 km²), or 0.87%, are water.^[1] It is drained by the Lehigh River, which separates it from Bethlehem and the east side of Allentown, and borders Upper Saucon Township on South Mountain. Elevations range from approximately 220 feet (67 m) above sea level on the river to 1,030 feet (310 m) in Big Rock County Park.

Emmaus and Allentown share a border, separating Salisbury into two demographically distinct non-contiguous portions. The township's villages of Farmington, Gauff Hill and Summit Lawn are in the eastern portion. The CDP of Dorneyville is in both the extreme northwestern part of the township and in South Whitehall Township.

Climate

Salisbury Township has a hot-summer humid continental climate (Dfa) and is in hardiness zone 6b. The average monthly temperature in the vicinity of South Mall ranges from 29.0 °F (−1.7 °C) in January to 73.7 °F (23.2 °C) in July.^[9]

Adjacent municipalities

• Fountain Hill (northeast)
• Bethlehem (northeast)
• Allentown (north and northwest)
• South Whitehall Township (west)
• Lower Macungie Township (southwest)
• Emmaus (south)
• Upper Milford Township (south)
• Upper Saucon Township (southeast)
• Lower Saucon Township, Northampton County (east)

Education

Further information: Salisbury Township School District

The township is served by the Salisbury Township School District. Salisbury High School serves grades 9 through 12.

Notable people

• Ian Riccaboni, Ring of Honor commentator

Transportation

As of 2022, there were 77.68 miles (125.01 km) of public roads in Salisbury Township, of which 12.64 miles (20.34 km) were maintained by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and 65.04 miles (104.67 km) were maintained by the township.^[10]

Salisbury's major thoroughfares include Interstate 78/Pennsylvania Route 309, Pennsylvania Route 29, Pennsylvania Route 145 (Pike Avenue), Emmaus Avenue, Susquehanna Street/Broadway, Lehigh Street, 24th Street, and Cedar Crest Boulevard. The township is served by multiple LANta bus routes.

Gallery

• 
  Bolete Restaurant and Inn in Gauff Hill
• 
  Arts Academy Charter School in Gauff Hill
• 
  E. Emmaus Ave
• 
  Residence at Summit Lawn
• 
  South Mall
• 
  South Mountain peak with WFMZ-TV 69 transmitters at Summit Lawn