Why are you here?
Cranberry’s Board of Supervisors, administration and staff spend a lot of time and energy seeking the answers to that question. It’s a guiding query that helps our day-to-day work.
A recent editorial in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette summed up our findings quite well.
“Tax rates, housing costs, transportation, growth potential, crime rates, climate, arts and culture, and access to services all influence population trends,” the piece states.
Based on those items, it’s no surprise Cranberry Township is a place people want to be.
The editorial is a response to data outlined in the 2020 Census, which shows that many communities in Western Pennsylvania are struggling to retain population. And in a domino effect, that impacts the quality of life for those who remain.
The reasons are many for this population loss and will undoubtedly be the subject of much discussion for the next decade.
Cranberry, however, bucks that trend. Preliminary numbers show what we’ve expected and planned to address for decades: continued, measured, sustained growth. The Township grew by nearly 5,000 residents over the last decade. It’s the largest growth seen by any municipality in the region, according to data highlighted in the Post-Gazette.
It further confirms the adage that if you aren’t growing, you’re dying. And that slow death has tangible effects, as outlined in the Post-Gazette editorial.
“Economically, population decline can undermine local tax bases and erode basic services, as well as infrastructure, police and fire services, electricity grids and quality schools. Pennsylvania is already struggling to care for its elderly residents,” the editorial states. “Population decline also means a growing imbalance between workers and retirees.”
In summation, “these trends will continue, unless local and state governments, working with the private sector, do something about them.”
That’s something our Board of Supervisors has been doing for decades. They have been proactive in preparing for this expected growth since the mid-1990s, and have been committed to maintaining high quality public services, improving infrastructure and expanding parks and recreation offerings.
The 2020 Census not only shows that we’ve planned accordingly for growth, but further proves that what we’re doing is working. Through community partnerships and hard work, we continue to be a place where residents and businesses want to call home.
Sustained growth will continue, and we continue to make sure the Township’s services and roadways are equipped to handle our new neighbors. We hope you’ll welcome them with open arms to Cranberry – a place where people want to be.
And while we perhaps didn’t need data to prove that it’s just one more way of reminding us we’re on the right path forward - for today and for decades to come.