Rush Township has a warm-summer humid continental climate and the hardiness zone is 6a. Average monthly temperatures in Hometown range from 25.2 °F in January to 69.7 °F in July. The average annual absolute minimum temperature in Hometown is -9.6 °F.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,957 people, 1,419 households, and 1,058 families residing in the township. The population density was 173.2 people per square mile. There were 1,563 housing units at an average density of 68.4/sq mi. The racial makeup of the township was 96.44% White, 2.35% African American, 0.03% Native American, 0.48% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.25% from other races, and 0.43% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.11% of the population. There were 1,419 households out of which 26.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.3% were married couplesliving together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.4% were non-families. 22.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.90. In the township the population was spread out with 18.3% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 21.9% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 23.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.3 males. The median income for a household in the township was $42,664, and the median income for a family was $45,750. Males had a median income of $35,386 versus $27,473 for females. The per capita income for the township was $17,893. About 4.3% of families and 6.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.7% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over.
Transportation
bus route 45 serves the township along the Route 309 corridor, which runs north-to-south and intersects east-to-west Route 54 in Hometown. The bus route runs from Pottsville via Tamaqua to McAdoo. On Saturdays the Hometown auction bus 47 runs from Pottsville via Frackville, Shenandoah, and Mahanoy City to Hometown and McAdoo. Also, Carbon County Community Transit runs on Wednesdays from Hometown to Nesquehoning on Lynx 3.
