Shillington, Pennsylvania

Shillington, Pennsylvania
Name	Shillington
Settlement type	Borough
Subdivision type	Country
Subdivision name	United States
Subdivision type1	State
Subdivision name1	Pennsylvania
Subdivision type2	County
Subdivision name2	Berks County
Established title	Settled
Established date	1892
Established title1	Incorporated
Established date1	1913
Government type	Borough
Leader title	Mayor
Leader name	Brian D. Lawrence
Unit pref	Imperial
Area total sq mi	0.78
Area land sq mi	0.78
Area water sq mi	0.00
Population as of	2020
Population total	5,360
Population density sq mi	auto
Timezone	EST
Utc offset	-5
Timezone DST	EDT
Utc offset DST	-4
Postal code type	ZIP Code
Postal code	19607
Area code	610 and 484
Blank name	FIPS code
Blank info	42-70280
Blank1 name	GNIS feature ID
Blank1 info	1187408
Website	shillingtonboro.com

Shillington, Pennsylvania. Shillington is a borough in Berks County, part of the Reading metropolitan area. Primarily a residential suburb, it is known for its community parks and its historical connection to notable literary figure John Updike. The borough operates under a borough government and is served by the Governor Mifflin School District.

History

The area was originally part of Cumru Township and was settled by European immigrants in the 18th century, with early industry centered on farming and milling. The community developed more formally after the arrival of the Philadelphia and Reading Railway in the late 19th century, with the borough officially incorporated in 1913. Its growth was closely tied to the industrial expansion of neighboring Reading, a major hub for the Reading Railroad and textile manufacturing. A significant cultural landmark is the former home of John Updike, who spent his formative years here and later depicted a fictionalized version of the town as "Olinger" in works like The Centaur and Of the Farm.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 0.78 square miles, all of it land. It is located in the Pennsylvania Dutch Country region, with topography characterized by the rolling hills of the Piedmont province. Shillington is bordered by Cumru Township and Kenhorst, and is situated just southwest of the Schuylkill River. Major thoroughfares include Route 724 and U.S. Route 222, providing connectivity to Lancaster and Allentown.

Demographics

As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,360. The racial makeup was predominantly White, with smaller populations of African American, Asian, and Hispanic or Latino residents. The median household income was slightly above the average for Pennsylvania, with a significant portion of the workforce employed in education, healthcare, and manufacturing sectors in the greater Reading area. Housing primarily consists of single-family homes, with a density characteristic of an inner-ring suburb.

Government

Shillington operates under the Borough Code of Pennsylvania with a mayor-council system. The current mayor is Brian D. Lawrence, and legislative authority rests with a seven-member borough council elected to four-year terms. The borough provides services including police protection through the Shillington Police Department, public works, and zoning administration. It falls within Pennsylvania's 9th congressional district, represented in the U.S. House by Dan Meuser, and in the Pennsylvania State Senate by Judy Schwank.

Education

Public education is administered by the Governor Mifflin School District, which operates Governor Mifflin Intermediate School and Governor Mifflin High School serving borough residents. The district is known for its strong academic and athletic programs. Several parochial schools and private institutions, such as Reading Central Catholic High School, are also accessible in the region. For higher education, residents are served by nearby institutions including Penn State Berks and Albright College in Reading.

Notable people

* John Updike (1932–2009), Pulitzer Prize-winning author of the Rabbit Angstrom novels, who grew up in Shillington. * Taylor Swift (born 1989), singer-songwriter, lived in a rented home in the borough during 2023 while performing a residency at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. * Keith Haring (1958–1990), influential pop artist, was born in nearby Reading and was familiar with the Shillington area. * Carson Long (1843–1919), founder of Carson Long Military Academy in New Bloomfield, was a former resident. * Mike Maksudian (born 1963), former Major League Baseball catcher for the Minnesota Twins and Toronto Blue Jays, attended Governor Mifflin High School.

Category:Boroughs in Pennsylvania Category:Boroughs in Berks County, Pennsylvania Category:Populated places established in 1913