Slippery Rock stands out as an island of growth
Summary: The population of Slippery Rock is climbing, more like in the southwestern part of Butler County rather than in the surrounding municipalities. Read about the island of growth in northern Butler County and its impact.
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The story of growth in southern Butler County has been well-told, but while the population within the Seneca Valley and Mars Area school districts is climbing, the populations of Slippery Rock township and borough also are seeing a notable uptick.
Up in the northwestern corner of the county, the area that features Slippery Rock University has been growing at rates that rival the southern parts of the county.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau estimates, Slippery Rock borough grew by an estimated 12.3% and Slippery Rock Township by 25% between 2020 and 2024. The estimates show the township grew by upward of 1,600 residents in that time, and the borough grew by more than 300 people.
Also growing is Slippery Rock University. According to the university, enrollment for the fall 2025 semester was 8,625 — a 2.75% increase since last fall and the biggest single-year increase since 2016.
Tim Slekar, associate provost for academic innovation and dean of graduate and continuing education, said while growth remains positive for the meantime, the university is exploring new pathways of education.
“We’ve got some statistics looming that points to a demographic cliff. The number of 18-year-olds are declining, and as that decline continues, there will be efforts to emphasize working with community partners,” he said.
Slekar was hired by the university in May for the purpose of helping to form those external partnerships. For example, he said the university has been working with the Eastern Atlantic States Carpenters Technical Centers to create a program for apprentice carpenters. The program will look to give apprentices the opportunity to work in their industry while pursuing their bachelor’s degree at the university.
“We recognize that the traditional 4-year program is a fantastic option, but we want to be sure that educational access is available to all students, regardless of needs,” he said.
Working alongside industry partners gives the university the opportunity to reflect and update its curricula, Slekar said.
Those students, regardless of educational pathway or residential status, have a symbiotic relationship with both public and private sector institutions. While each student represents another prospective customer, it also represents more strain on the area’s infrastructure.
Slippery Rock Mayor Jondavid Longo estimates that while the borough has around 3,000 residents, its infrastructure supports over 20,000 between university students and faculty, borough residents and township residents.
“The university obviously places some infrastructure demands on us, but it ends up being to our benefit. We want to support the students who study here so they might consider living, working and starting a family here in Slippery Rock,” he said.
He explained that the borough’s budget always requires prioritization. For him and the current borough council, public safety, roads and stormwater management are just some of the paramount focuses.
“It’s all about being good stewards of our taxpayers’ money,” Longo said.
He said thanks to the work of himself and council to prioritize functionality over aesthetics, the borough has not needed to raise property taxes since he was sworn in. He said he is also committed to making sure it won’t raise again.
Bob McCafferty, the owner and operator of North Country Brewing Company, said he believes recent decisions by council have been to the benefit of the borough as a whole.
“The borough council has come a long way,” he said. “People are understanding how the business aspect of downtown Main Street can help everybody. Not only the tax base, but it gives the community more options.”
McCafferty and his wife purchased the brew pub, located at 141 S. Main St., in the late 1990s and opened its doors in 2005.
In the 20 years since it opened, he said he’s seen Slippery Rock borough change in some ways and stay the same in others. One of the biggest changes he noted was the amount of activity the borough sees, even through the summer.
“The time when the borough was dry, when the students left, it was vacant. There wasn’t a car left on Main Street. The businesses that were here were closed every summer,” McCafferty said.
He said one of the reasons he and his wife purchased property in Slippery Rock was because of the small-town feel. He said when looking at future growth, he believes area officials will strike a balance between maintaining that feel while still developing where they can.
“I think there’s a mindset here to keep it a small town, and I think that’s going to help us as well. I’ve seen other developments happen that just create five lanes (of traffic),” McCafferty said. “I kind of like how Slippery Rock has its funky, quirky two-story buildings that don’t match.”
