Upper Allen Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania

Upper Allen Township is a township in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 18,059 at the 2010 census, up from 15,338 at the 2000 census. The township is the home of Messiah College.

Geography

The township is in eastern Cumberland County, bordered by the borough of Mechanicsburg to the north and York County to the south. Interstate 76, the Pennsylvania Turnpike, crosses the northern part of the township from east to west, while the U.S. Route 15 freeway crosses the township from northeast to southwest. Three highway interchanges provide access from US 15 to the township, while a fourth connects to Exit 236 on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. From the US 15/I-76 interchange it is 8 miles (13 km) northeast to Harrisburg, the state capital, and 31 miles (50 km) southwest to Gettysburg, both via US 15, while it is 111 miles (179 km) east to Philadelphia and 196 miles (315 km) west to Pittsburgh via the Turnpike.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 13.3 square miles (34.4 km²), of which 13.2 square miles (34.2 km²) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.3 km²), or 0.78%, is water.Yellow Breeches Creek forms the southern border of the township, separating it from York County.