Northfield, Vermont

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Northfield
Vermont

Northfield
Chartered 1781
Located in Washington County, Vermont
Neighboring Towns

Moretown

Berlin

Barre

Waitsfield

Northfield

Williamstown

Warren

Roxbury

Brookfield
Geography
Total Area 116.1 km² (44.8 mi²)
Altitude 735' Above sea level
Demographics
Population (2005) 5816
Households (2005) 513
Families(2005) 458
Population Density(2005) 129.2 per mi²
Environment
Average Temperature Min/Max °F
Winter 10/27
Spring 35/58
Summer 56/79
Fall 40/62
Average Rainfall 43.3"
Sunny Days 43.2%
Pollution (Ozone) 60

Northfield is a town in Washington County, Vermont, United States. Northfield, though well known in the past as a railroad and textile center, is now in the process of recovering from a long economic decline which resulted from the closing of two major factories in the town. It has also been the home of Norwich University since 1866. The population was 5,791 at the 2000 census, but a 2005 estimate placed it at 5,816, an increase of 0.4%.

Contents

[edit] History

Depot Square, Downtown Northfield
Depot Square, Downtown Northfield

Throughout the 19th century, Northfield was an important railway hub. The Vermont Central Railroad was based here until 1853, when Charles Paine, the president, died. After this, the company merged with the Central Vermont Railroad. Even after the merger, the town remained an important center of commerce for the area. Due largely to its proximity to the depot, Northfield Center became the focus of economic activity to the many villages within the Northfield town limits. Each village retains a personality of its own to this day, however. Since the 20th century, the main employer of the town has remained Norwich University, which moved from Norwich, Vermont to Northfield in 1866. The school's enrollment is approximately 3,000. Norwich is the oldest private military college in the United States. In 2002, the school opened the National Center for the Study of Counter-Terrorism and Cybercrime on the village common, just feet from the old railroad depot which closed in the mid-20th century. Norwich University was also the site of the Vermont Quilt Festival, one of Vermont's most highly visited events, until its relocation to the more tourist friendly Williston in 2006. Today, Northfield's population grows at the slow pace of 0.4% per year; for decades it has been plagued by its image as a blue-collar town, and has not seen the tourism that neighbors Waitsfield and Montpelier have seen. In recent months, however, the town has seen the addition of a craft store, the reopening of a bike shop, and the relocation of local company Vermont Chocolatiers to a former Dunkin' Donuts location downtown. Also, a schoolhouse built in 1877 was renovated, with over one million dollars in donations, into public and municipal offices. The structure, known simply as the Gray Building, reopened to the public in 2004. The facade has been completely renewed and it remains the most visible building in Northfield, due to its position on a hilltop and the relatively low-lying village center, positioned along historic Route 12. These recent developments have filled previously empty storefronts and have revived parts of the town center.

Gray Building, as seen from Downtown
Gray Building, as seen from Downtown

[edit] Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 113.3 km² (43.7 mi²). 113.2 km² (43.7 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.04 mi²) of it (0.07%) is water.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census2 of 2000, there were 5,791 people, 1,819 households, and 1,224 families residing in the town. The population density was 51.2/km² (132.5/mi²). There were 1,958 housing units at an average density of 17.3/km² (44.8/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.41% White, 1.02% Black or African American, 0.36% Native American, 1.33% Asian, 0.43% from other races, and 1.45% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.21% of the population.

There were 1,819 households out of which 32.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.5% were couples living together and joined in either marriage or civil union, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.7% were non-families. 24.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the town the population was spread out with 19.4% under the age of 18, 27.2% from 18 to 24, 22.8% from 25 to 44, 18.9% from 45 to 64, and 11.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 122.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 122.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $41,523, and the median income for a family was $51,818. Males had a median income of $32,168 versus $24,781 for females. The per capita income for the town was $15,592. About 3.2% of families and 6.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.4% of those under age 18 and 6.2% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Notable residents

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Flag of Vermont
 State of Vermont
Montpelier (capital)
Topics

Constitution | Culture | Geography | Government | History | Images | Towns | Villages in Vermont
Regions

Champlain Valley | Green Mountains | Mount Mansfield | Northeast Kingdom
Counties

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Cities

Barre | Burlington | Montpelier | Newport | Rutland | South Burlington | St. Albans | Vergennes | Winooski


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