Biggest Little Town in Pennsylvania
Irwin is an intimate suburb tucked along the edges of Westmoreland County. The city has appraised the nickname “The Biggest Little Town in Pennsylvania,” for its community engagement and inviting events. Its quaint downtown embraces small businesses and has the area’s 90-year-old Lamp Theatre. Outside the downtown, residents live in a quieter, more suburban region with simple housing and moderate-sized lot spaces. Residents can access the daily essentials through the downtown shopping and the plazas along Lincoln Highway. Irwin Borough, North Irwin Borough, and North Huntingdon Township all use the same zip code and are all served through the highly-rated Norwin School District. The population of 46,000 holds a median age of 45, five years above the median age in Pennsylvania.
Lamp Theatre primary entertainment spot
The Lamp Theatre is the beating heart of downtown Irwin and the community. The theatre opened in 1937 and served as the prime location for movies and performing arts entertainment until 2004. “Lamp Theatre has grown to be the busiest theatre in the area,” says William Elder, General Manager at Lamp Theatre. “We offer 125 events a year; we hold movies, theatres, concerts, anything that would fit in the performing arts.” Grammy-nominated bluegrass singer Rhonda Vincent and Pittsburgh-based band The Clarks have performed on their stage in the past. After 2004, the theatre stayed stagnant for ten years until the Irwin Project nonprofit helped revive it, and since then, it has further impacted the area’s economic growth. “On Friday and Saturday nights, the theatre has had a very large economic impact. On a sold-out show, I’m bringing in 350 to 500 people; restaurants also see the impact,” Elder says. “People have come up to me to say their property value was going up, and that’s in part to the Lamp.” The theatre hopes to expand its number of events and their geographic reach.
Quaint downtown with seasonal events
Downtown Irwin is a hub for small businesses and keeping everything local. “In 2016, there were a lot of empty storefronts in town,” Elder says. “We have three new restaurants and a brewery since the theatre reopened in 2016.” Dining options include quick grab-and-go spots like juicers and coffee shops to laid-back restaurants like bars, taverns and grills. Locals can also find essential services such as insurance companies, health offices, boutiques and supply stores. Lincoln Highway is also the gateway to major big-box retailers and department stores. 12 miles east is the Westmoreland Mall, which has over 100 retail stores. Downtown is also a busy place for its seasonal events. “Downtown Irwin does a lot of street markets, car cruises, all kinds of things for the holidays,” says Lisa Smartnick, Membership Coordinator at Norwin Chamber of Commerce. “They do Gig on Main, where they close Main Street and have food and music usually the Clarks perform; it draws 1000s of people,” she adds. “There’s Light Up Norwin, the city’s annual tree lighting. The Norwin Community Picnic is held the first week of August, where we give 100s of prizes.”
Simple housing in slower market
Homes in Irwin, on average, are selling after 59 days, that’s 36% slower than the national average. Nearly 85% of the population own their home. The median home price sits at $250,000, which went up 6% from the previous year. Houses are primarily single-family detached properties, often ranch, split-levels and colonial homes built in the 20th century. Buyers can find a Cape Cod home with two bedrooms for $89,000. Homes over 3,000 square feet can cost around $800,000. Newer construction homes come with ranges between $350,000 to $550,000; however, these often exclude the price of the lots.
One public district for metro area
Public School options include the Norwin School District, which rates an A-minus on Niche. The district serves 5,300 students across seven schools and an online academy. All kindergarten through fourth-grade elementary and middle schools rate an A-minus on Niche. Sheridan Terrace Elementary received recognition in 2014, earning the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Academics. Norwin High School rates a B+ on Niche. Students can participate in the College in High School program, where they can earn college credit from five universities, including the University of Pittsburgh and Seton Hall University.
Different parks with different draws
There are a handful of options for outdoor recreation for residents, but there’s no designated park. “The parks have their own different draw. Irwin Park has an amphitheater and trails. Indian Trail is a big draw for fishing because of the lake,” Smartnick says. “Oak Hollow Park is where people do a lot of hiking; there are many hiking trails around here.” Braddock’s Trail is scenic, offering attractive views of waterfalls and bird species. The trail also takes hikers through Braddock’s Military Road, an improved road built by British militia to cross the Appalachian Mountains. On those rainy and cold days, folks can play a competitive game at Norwin Bowl.
Accessible to major roadways
“Downtown is very walkable, but other than that, it would be definitely a car-dependent area,” says Smartnick. “We have a bus system, but it doesn’t go from street to street; it goes from Greensburg and Pittsburgh.” Lincoln Highway and Interstate 76 (Pennsylvania Turnpike) are the major roadways. Lincoln Highway can connect commuters to Pittsburgh or Greensburg, which is 10 miles east. Interstate 76 connects to Pittsburgh in 28 miles. The nearest airport is Pittsburgh International Airport, which is 46 miles away. It offers nonstop flights to 135 destinations.
Minimal crime
Irwin earned a B-plus on Niche for crime and an A rating on Crimegrade.org. Crimegrade.org reports that Irwin is safer than 89% of other major cities, with the crime rate at 10.78 per 1,000 residents. North Irwin and Irwin boroughs are served through the Irwin Police Department. North Huntingdon Township Police Department reported 13,621 incidents in 2023, with the most frequent incidents being traffic stops.
Photography Contributed By
Patrick Graham
