Windsor County, Vermont


Windsor County is a county located in the U.S. state of Vermont. As of the 2010 census, the population was 56,670. The shire town is the town of Woodstock. The county's largest municipality is the town of Hartford.

History

Windsor County is one of several Vermont counties created from land ceded by the State of New York on 15 January 1777 when Vermont declared itself to be a distinct state from New York. The land originally was contested by Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and New Netherland, but it remained undelineated until July 20, 1764 when King George III established the boundary between Province of New Hampshire and Province of New York along the west bank of the Connecticut River, north of Massachusetts and south of the parallel of 45 degrees north latitude. New York assigned the land gained to Albany County. On March 12, 1772 Albany County was partitioned to create Charlotte County, and this situation remained until Vermont's independence from New York and Britain.
Windsor County was established on February 16, 1781 from parts of Cumberland County and organized the same year.
Windsor County is notable for being the birthplace of Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which is land and is water. It is the largest county by area in Vermont.

Adjacent counties

Demographics

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 57,418 people, 24,162 households, and 15,729 families living in the county. The population density was 59 people per square mile. There were 31,621 housing units at an average density of 33 per square mile. The racial makeup of the county was 97.72% White, 0.33% Black or African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.63% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.15% from other races, and 0.91% from two or more races. 0.82% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 20.1% were of English, 12.9% Irish, 10.9% American, 9.9% French, 7.7% German, 6.7% French Canadian and 5.5% Italian ancestry. 96.4% spoke English and 1.5% French as their first language.
There were 24,162 households out of which 29.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.70% were married couples living together, 9.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.90% were non-families. 28.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.86.
In the county, the population was spread out with 23.30% under the age of 18, 5.90% from 18 to 24, 27.30% from 25 to 44, 27.60% from 45 to 64, and 15.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $40,688, and the median income for a family was $59,002. Males had a median income of $42,648 versus $25,696 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,369. About 3.20% of families and 5.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.50% of those under age 18 and 7.60% of those age 65 or over.
In 2007, the census department estimated that Windsor had the oldest average age in the state, 44.7. This compares with the actual census in 2000 of 41.3 years.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 56,670 people, 24,753 households, and 15,420 families living in the county. The population density was. There were 34,118 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the county was 96.3% white, 0.9% Asian, 0.6% black or African American, 0.3% American Indian, 0.2% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.2% of the population.
Of the 24,753 households, 25.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.1% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 37.7% were non-families, and 30.0% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.77. The median age was 45.8 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $50,893 and the median income for a family was $63,387. Males had a median income of $44,610 versus $34,150 for females. The per capita income for the county was $29,053. About 5.6% of families and 9.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.5% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

In 1828, Windsor County was won by National Republican Party candidate John Quincy Adams.
In 1832, the county was won by Anti-Masonic Party candidate William Wirt.
From William Henry Harrison in 1836 to Winfield Scott in 1852, the county would be won by Whig Party candidates.
From John C. Frémont in 1856 to Richard Nixon in 1960, the Republican Party would have a 104-year winning streak in the county.
In 1964, Windsor County was won by Democratic Party incumbent President Lyndon B. Johnson, who became not only the first Democratic presidential candidate to win the county, but the first to win the state of Vermont entirely.
Following the Democrats victory in 1964, the county went back to voting for Republican candidates for another 20 year winning streak starting with Richard Nixon in 1968 and ending with George H. W. Bush in 1988, who became the last Republican presidential candidate to win the county.
Bill Clinton won the county in 1992 and it has been won by Democratic candidates ever since.

Transportation

In 2009, the United States Department of Transportation measured of "major arteries", the highest in the state.
Because US Route 4 had the "feel" of a highway, motorists were inclined to speed. As a result, the Windsor County Sheriff's Department wrote 2,452 tickets in 2007.

Communities

Towns

Villages

Villages are census divisions, but have no separate corporate existence from the surrounding towns.

Unincorporated communities