Waitsfield, Vermont

Waitsfield, Vermont
Town

Downtown Waitsfield, Vermont

Location in Washington County and the state of Vermont

Location of Vermont with the U.S.A.
Coordinates: 44°11′20″N 72°48′45″W / 44.18889°N 72.81250°WCoordinates: 44°11′20″N 72°48′45″W / 44.18889°N 72.81250°W
Country United States
State Vermont
County Washington
Chartered 1782 (Vermont)
Area
  Total 26.9 sq mi (69.7 km2)
  Land 26.7 sq mi (69.2 km2)
  Water 0.2 sq mi (0.5 km2)
Elevation 800 ft (306 m)
Population (2010)
  Total 1,719
  Density 64/sq mi (25/km2)
Time zone EST (UTC-5)
  Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code 05673
Area code(s) 802 Exchanges: 496, 583
FIPS code 50-75325[1]
GNIS feature ID 1462237[2]
Website www.waitsfieldvt.us

Waitsfield is a town in Washington County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,719 at the 2010 census.[3] It was created by Vermont charter on February 25, 1782. It was granted to militia Generals Benjamin Wait and Roger Enos and others, and named for Wait.[4]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 26.9 square miles (69.7 km2), of which 26.7 square miles (69.2 km2) is land and 0.19 square miles (0.5 km2), or 0.68%, is water.[5]

Waitsfield is located in the valley of the Mad River, between the main range of the Green Mountains to the west and the Northfield Mountains to the east. Vermont Route 100 runs through the valley, connecting Waterbury to the north with Warren and Rochester to the south. Vermont Route 17 leaves Route 100 to the west, heading over the Green Mountains past the Mad River Glen ski area, eventually reaching Bristol.

The primary villages in town are Waitsfield and Irasville, both along Route 100. Waitsfield Common is near the geographic center of the town.

Demographics

Town Office - Waitsfield, Vermont

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 1,659 people, 734 households, and 485 families residing in the town. The population density was 61.7 people per square mile (23.8/km2). There were 908 housing units at an average density of 33.7 per square mile (13.0/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.23% White, 0.96% African American, 0.24% Native American, 0.48% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.30% from other races, and 0.72% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.21% of the population.

There were 734 households out of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.2% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.9% were non-families. 25.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.73.

In the town the population was spread out with 21.3% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 32.2% from 25 to 44, 27.7% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 96.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $45,577, and the median income for a family was $54,868. Males had a median income of $31,827 versus $27,260 for females. The per capita income for the town was $24,209. About 3.9% of families and 5.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.1% of those under age 18 and 2.0% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

Economy

The town's economy is based mostly around the two nearby ski resorts, Sugarbush Resort and Mad River Glen.

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters and Vermont Crossroads Press both originated in Waitsfield. Vermont Crossroads Press published "The Adventures of You Series", which later became the Choose Your Own Adventure series of children's books by Bantam Books.

A long-running Christmas-themed commercial for Miller High Life beer was filmed in Waitsfield in 1976.[6]

Notes

External links