Franklin County, Vermont

Franklin County, Vermont
Map of Vermont highlighting Franklin County
Location in the state of Vermont
Map of the United States highlighting Vermont
Vermont's location in the U.S.
Founded January 15, 1777
Named for Benjamin Franklin
Shire Town St. Albans
Largest city St. Albans
Area
 • Total 692 sq mi (1,792 km2)
 • Land 634 sq mi (1,642 km2)
 • Water 58 sq mi (150 km2), 8.4%
Population
 • (2010) 47,746
Congressional district At-large
Time zone Eastern: UTC-5/-4

Franklin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Vermont. As of the 2010 census, the population was 47,746.[1] Its shire town is St. Albans.[2] It borders the Canadian province of Quebec.

Franklin County is part of the Burlington-South Burlington, VT Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Franklin County is one of several Vermont counties created from land ceded by the state of New York on January 15, 1777 when Vermont declared itself to be a state distinct from New York.[3][4][5] 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 New Hampshire and 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.[6][7] On March 12, 1772 Albany County was partitioned to create Charlotte County,[8] and this situation remained until Vermont's independence from New York and Britain. However, this did not end the contest.

On September 3, 1783, as a result of the signing of the Treaty of Paris the Revolutionary War ended with Great Britain recognizing the independence of the United States. Vermont's border with Quebec was established at 45 degrees north latitude.[9][10]

The county's namesake is Benjamin Franklin.[11]

in 2008, the federal government declared the county a disaster area after severe storms and flooding June 14–17.[12]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 692 square miles (1,790 km2), of which 634 square miles (1,640 km2) is land and 58 square miles (150 km2) (8.4%) is water.[13]

Adjacent counties

National protected area

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
18008,282—
181016,615100.6%
182017,1923.5%
183024,52542.7%
184024,5310.0%
185028,58616.5%
186027,231−4.7%
187030,29111.2%
188030,225−0.2%
189029,755−1.6%
190030,1981.5%
191029,866−1.1%
192030,0260.5%
193029,975−0.2%
194029,601−1.2%
195029,8941.0%
196029,474−1.4%
197031,2826.1%
198034,78811.2%
199039,98014.9%
200045,41713.6%
201047,7465.1%
Est. 201248,2141.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[14]
1790-1960[15] 1900-1990[16]
1990-2000[17] 2010-2012[1]

As of the census[18] of 2000, there were 45,417 people, 16,765 households, and 12,188 families residing in the county. The population density was 71 people per square mile (28/km²). There were 19,191 housing units at an average density of 30 per square mile (12/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.06% White, 0.30% Black or African American, 1.51% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.21% from other races, and 1.64% from two or more races. 0.59% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 18.0% were of French Canadian, 17.8% French, 17.4% American, 12.8% English and 9.8% Irish ancestry according to Census 2000. 94.2% spoke English and 4.8% French as a first language.

There were 16,765 households out of which 37.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.40% were married couples living together, 9.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.30% were non-families. 20.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.08.

In the county, the population was spread out with 28.10% under the age of 18, 7.00% from 18 to 24, 31.40% from 25 to 44, 22.50% from 45 to 64, and 11.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 98.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.90 males.

As of the 2000 RCMS,[19] the three largest denominational groups in Franklin County are Catholic, Mainline Protestant, and Orthodox. The Catholic Church has the highest number of adherents in Franklin County (at 16,280), followed by the United Methodist Church with 2,674 members reported and the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Vasiloupulis, reporting 1,720 adherents. The religious body with the largest number of congregations is the United Methodist Church (with 17 congregations) followed by the Catholic Church (with 14 congregations).

Politics

Presidential election results[20]
Year Democrat Republican
2012 60.6% 12,057 37.2% 7,405
2008 61.4% 13,179 36.6% 7,853
2004 53.2% 10,598 44.9% 8,936
2000 49.6% 9,514 43.7% 8,395

Economy

Personal income

The median income for a household in the county was $41,659, and the median income for a family was $46,733. Males had a median income of $32,009 versus $24,078 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,816. About 7.00% of families and 9.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.40% of those under age 18 and 10.30% of those age 65 or over.

Industry

In 2009, the county had the most dairy farms in the state, 239 out of 1,078.[21]

Communities

Cities and towns

Villages

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

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 30, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. ↑ Slade, William, Jr., comp. Vermont State Papers: Being a collection of Records and Documents Connected with the Assumption and Establishment of Government by the People of Vermont, Together with the Journal of the Council of Safety, the First Constitution, the Early Journals of the General Assembly, and the Laws from the Year 1779 to 1786, Inclusive. Middlebury, 1823. P. 70-73.
  4. ↑ Van Zandt, Franklin K. Boundaries of the United States and the Several States. Geological Survey Professional Paper 909. Washington, DC; Government Printing Office, 1976. The Standard Compilation for its subject. P. 64.
  5. ↑ Williamson, Chilton. Vermont in Quandary: 1763-1825. Growth of Vermont series, Number 4. Montpelier: Vermont Historical Series, 1949. PP. 82-84; map facing 95, 100-102, 112-113.
  6. ↑ Slade, William, Jr., comp. Vermont State Papers: Being a collection of Records and Documents Connected with the Assumption and Establishment of Government by the People of Vermont, Together with the Journal of the Council of Safety, the First Constitution, the Early Journals of the General Assembly, and the Laws from the Year 1779 to 1786, Inclusive. Middlebury, 1823. P. 13-19.
  7. ↑ Van Zandt, Franklin K. Boundaries of the United States and the Several States. Geological Survey Professional Paper 909. Washington, DC; Government Printing Office, 1976. The Standard Compilation for its subject. P. 63.
  8. ↑ New York Colonial Laws, Chapter 1534; Section 5; Paragraph 321)
  9. ↑ Van Zandt, Franklin K. Boundaries of the United States and the Several States. Geological Survey Professional Paper 909. Washington, DC; Government Printing Office, 1976. The Standard Compilation for its subject. P. 12.
  10. ↑ Parry, Clive, ed. Consolidated Treaty Series. 231 Volumes. Dobbs Ferry, New York; Oceana Publications, 1969-1981. Volume 48; pp. 481; 487; 491-492.
  11. ↑ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p. 131.
  12. ↑ Sutkoski, Matt (August 1, 2008). Summer has been wet one for the ages. Burlington Free Press.
  13. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  14. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 30, 2013.
  15. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved December 30, 2013.
  16. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 30, 2013.
  17. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 30, 2013.
  18. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
  19. ↑ "County Membership Reports". thearda.com. Retrieved 2010-04-25.
  20. ↑ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". Retrieved 2011-06-11.
  21. ↑ Lefebvre, Paul (February 11, 2009). Average Vermont farmer expected to lose $92,000. the Chronicle.

External links

 Brome-Missisquoi Regional County Municipality, Quebec, Canada
Grand Isle County Orleans County
   Franklin County, Vermont  
Chittenden County Lamoille County

Coordinates: 44°52′N 72°55′W / 44.86°N 72.91°W