(1752-1837), Isaac Paxton, and Michael and John Ayers. Other notable settlers were: Joseph Cox (1767-1842), the Swearingen family (1700s), Samuel Seward (1754-1828), Abraham Montanye (1752-1828), Matthew Van Dine, Jr. Born in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, in 1755, McMaken applied for land in West Chester on July 4, 1791.

One of West Chester's first settlers was Joseph McMaken. These farmers were attracted to West Chester by its beauty and quality of the land. Those who settled here were merchants, blacksmiths, tanners and millers, but these groups were out-numbered by farmers.

The Irish were the next largest group followed by the English. At one time, West Chester claimed 11 mounds.īy nationality, the largest group of early community inhabitants were German. In Ohio, Butler County is second only to Ross County in the number of antiquities and Native American mounds discovered. West Chester Township lies within an oval area geologically known as the 'Cincinnati Arch.' This area has been one of the best on the continent for collecting fossils because the Miami Valley was once at the bottom of an ancient ocean. Lakota Local Schools ranks among the state’s top school districts for academic excellence. West Chester is served by the Lakota Local Schools with an enrollment of nearly 17,000 students in 23 schools. The median home value is $203,874 and of West Chester’s more than 22,000 housing units, more than 70% are single family homes. Nearly 37% of West Chester’s residents are between the ages of 35 and 54. West Chester’s nearly 35 square miles is home to more than 64,000 residents and more than 3,600 businesses with a tax base of 40% commercial and 60% residential. The community’s vibrancy and the heart of its residents have made West Chester “One of America’s Best Places to Live.” West Chester has been named to Money Magazine’s prestigious national list recognizing the top 100 communities with populations between 50,000 and 300,000. Congratulations on choosing West Chester as your home!Ī blend of residential, professional and recreational development has made West Chester a place “Where Families Grow and Businesses Prosper.”

West chester university demographics