Middleton, Massachusetts
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| Middleton, Massachusetts | |
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| Coordinates: | |
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| Country | United States |
| State | Massachusetts |
| County | Essex County |
| Settled | 1659 |
| Incorporated | 1728 |
| Government | |
| - Type | Open town meeting |
| Area | |
| - Town | 14.4 sq mi (37.4 km²) |
| - Land | 14.0 sq mi (36.2 km²) |
| - Water | 0.5 sq mi (1.2 km²) |
| Elevation | 94 ft (29 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| - Town | 7,744 |
| - Density | 554.4/sq mi (214.1/km²) |
| Time zone | Eastern (UTC-5) |
| - Summer (DST) | Eastern (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 01949 |
| Area code(s) | 351 / 978 |
| Website: http://www.townofmiddleton.org/ | |
Middleton is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 7,744 at the 2000 census.
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[edit] History
Middleton was first settled in 1659 and was officially incorporated in 1728. Prior to 1728 it was considered a part of Salem. It was first settled by Bray Wilkins. It grew as a farming community mostly due to its location on the Ipswich River. The name Middleton is derived from its location mid way between the important early settlements of Salem and Andover.
In the late 1700s and to the mid 1800s it was a vacation town to those who lived in areas such as Lawrence and Lowell. It is home to one of the oldest trees in Massachusetts. It is 863 years old, and is located at 53 Peabody Street. The oldest still standing house is the Smith house, which was built in 1693, and is situated on 18 acres of forest and fields. It is home to many other buildings. It was a tavern on the main road between Salem, and Lowell. It was located on historical Mill Street, which is no more than a side street today.
Middleton is one of the fastest growing cities in the Commonwealth, and the fastest on the North Shore. It is home to many famous people such as Coco Crisp, Ray Bourque, David Ortiz, and many others.
The town is considered part of the Boston metropolitan area. It is 15.2 miles from the state house in Boston. When locally grouped it is grouped with Salem, Danvers, and Beverly.
[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 37.4 km² (14.4 mi²). 36.2 km² (14.0 mi²) of it is land and 1.2 km² (0.5 mi²) of it (3.32%) is water.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 7,744 people, 2,305 households, and 1,744 families residing in the town. The population density was 214.0/km² (554.4/mi²). There were 2,347 housing units at an average density of 64.9/km² (168.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.43% White, 1.65% African American, 0.05% Native American, 1.11% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.27% from other races, and 1.43% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.26% of the population.
There were 2,305 households out of which 37.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.7% were married couples living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.3% were non-families. 20.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.22.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.0% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 36.9% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 9.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 138.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 147.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $81,395, and the median income for a family was $87,605. Males had a median income of $51,831 versus $37,874 for females. The per capita income for the town was $29,031. About 2.1% of families and 3.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.4% of those under age 18 and 11.2% of those age 65 or over.
