Place

The Borough of Wilkinsburg has an area of 2.2 square miles and is located east of the City of Pittsburgh in Allegheny County. Like many first tier suburbs, Wilkinsburg was a thriving community with a population of 29,853 in 1940 and a peak population of 31,418 in 1950. That number has dwindled to 15, 930 according to the 2010 census, representing a -11% change in population.  In 2010, the population density was 7,430 people per square mile which is smaller than the 2007 estimate of 7,666 people per square mile. 

As population has fallen, Wilkinsburg’s vacancy rate has increased more dramatically than most other municipalities. High vacancy rates create a vicious cycle: as the number of vacant lots increases, an area becomes a less desirable place to live, causing further abandonment and even more vacancy. Allegheny County has designated Wilkinsburg as a distressed community since the mid-1980s.

 Read the 2010 Census Data about Wilkinsburg.

People

Approximately 67% of the population is African American, 28% White, and Other Races make up 5%. The 2010 median income for a household in the borough was $28,076, and the median income for a family was $33,412.

The per capita income for the borough was $16,890. About 15.9% of families and 18.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.8% of those under age 18 and 14.2% of those ages 65 or over.