While doing research for something another story, we came across these population projections on the website for the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission:

[table id=31 /]

According to the US Census, the population of Conshohocken topped out in 1950 when there were 10,992 people living there. The population steadily declined until 1970 and then there was a 16% drop in population between 1970 and 1980. The population continued to decline through the 2000 census.

The population of Plymouth Township exploded between 1950 and 1960 growing from 5,118 to 11,430 or 123.3 percent. Between 1960 and 1970 there was another large population bump of 48%. In 1980 the census reported a all-time high population of 17,168 Plymouth then saw a decline in population between 1980 and 1990 of almost 7%. Since 2000, the population and ticked up slightly.

West Conshohocken’s population peaked with the 1950 census with 2,482 people. It then declined at a good clip through the 1990 census and was down to 1,294 people. The population jumped up by almost 12% for the 2000 census, but declined again in 2010 and was recorded as 1,320 people.

Out of the four municipalities, Whitemarsh Township has had the smallest periods of population loss. Since the Second World War, the census only recorded a 5.7% loss in 1980 and a 0.8% loss in 1990. Its largest recorded population was the 2010 census with 17,349 people.

So what does all this mean? All four municipalities are in a state of growth, but what is interesting is that Conshohocken and West Conshohocken aren’t projected to match their all-time population levels through 2040. Plymouth is projected to top its all-time population level around 2025 and as we mentioned, Whitemarsh is currently at its all-time level.

Next we are going to examine the population trend in the four municipalities. After that we are going to look at the commuter populations.