Bennington County, Vermont

Bennington County, Vermont

Bennington County courthouse in Manchester
Map of Vermont highlighting Bennington County
Location in the U.S. state of Vermont
Map of the United States highlighting Vermont
Vermont's location in the U.S.
Founded 1778
Shire Town Bennington & Manchester
Largest town Bennington
Area
 • Total 678 sq mi (1,756 km2)
 • Land 675 sq mi (1,748 km2)
 • Water 2.7 sq mi (7 km2), 0.4%
Population (est.)
 • (2015) 36,317
 • Density 55/sq mi (21/km²)
Congressional district At-large
Time zone Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Website www.rpc.bennington.vt.us

Bennington County is a county in the state of Vermont, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 37,125.[1] The shire towns (county seats) are jointly Bennington ("The Southshire") and Manchester ("The Northshire").[2] Its largest municipality is the town of Bennington. The county was created in 1778.[3]

History

Bennington is the oldest county in Vermont still in existence, created by the first general assembly on 17 March 1778.[4] Vermont was organized into two original counties, with Bennington in the west and Unity (a few days later renamed Cumberland) in the east.[5] On 16 February 1781 Rutland County was created from Bennington County.[6] On 13 April 1781 Bennington gained the gore east of the town of Bromley (now Peru) from Windham and Windsor Counties.[7]

From 26 June 1781 until 23 February 1782, Vermont attempted to annex part of New York east of the Hudson River (the so-called West Union); inhabitants in the area favored Vermont's township form of government, while Vermont hoped to gain bargaining power through expansion.[8] New York did not lose control of the area. For almost seven months Bennington County overlapped part of Albany County, New York.[9]

On 27 February 1787 Windham County gained the town of Stratton from Bennington County,[10] On 25 October 1805 Rutland County gained from the county when the town of Mount Tabor gained from the town of Peru.[11] The county gained from Rutland County when the town of Dorset gained a small area from the town of Mount Tabor on 17 November 1825.[12]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 678 square miles (1,760 km2), of which 675 square miles (1,750 km2) is land and 2.7 square miles (7.0 km2) (0.4%) is water.[13]

Adjacent counties

National protected areas

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
179012,206—
180014,61719.8%
181015,8938.7%
182016,1251.5%
183017,4688.3%
184016,872−3.4%
185018,58910.2%
186019,4364.6%
187021,3259.7%
188021,9502.9%
189020,448−6.8%
190021,7056.1%
191021,378−1.5%
192021,5770.9%
193021,6550.4%
194022,2862.9%
195024,1158.2%
196025,0884.0%
197029,28216.7%
198033,34513.9%
199035,8457.5%
200036,9943.2%
201037,1250.4%
Est. 201636,191[14]−2.5%
U.S. Decennial Census[15]
1790–1960[16] 1900–1990[17]
1990–2000[18] 2010–2014[1]

2000 census

As of the census[19] of 2000, there were 36,994 people, 14,846 households, and 9,917 families residing in the county. The population density was 55 people per square mile (21/km²). There were 19,403 housing units at an average density of 29 per square mile (11/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.75% White, 0.42% Black or African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.62% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.21% from other races, and 0.80% from two or more races. 0.93% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 16.5% were of Irish, 16.0% English, 10.5% French, 9.1% German, 9.0% American, 8.1% Italian and 6.3% French Canadian ancestry according to Census 2000. 96.4% spoke English, 1.2% Spanish and 1.2% French as their first language.

There were 14,846 households out of which 30.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.10% were married couples living together, 10.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.20% were non-families. 26.80% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.91.

In the county, the population was spread out with 23.70% under the age of 18, 7.70% from 18 to 24, 26.30% from 25 to 44, 25.70% from 45 to 64, and 16.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 92.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $39,926, and the median income for a family was $46,565. Males had a median income of $31,982 versus $23,632 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,193. About 7.00% of families and 10.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.40% of those under age 18 and 7.90% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 37,125 people, 15,470 households, and 9,767 families residing in the county.[20] The population density was 55.0 inhabitants per square mile (21.2/km2). There were 20,922 housing units at an average density of 31.0 per square mile (12.0/km2).[21] The racial makeup of the county was 96.6% white, 0.8% black, 0.7% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 0.3% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.4% of the population.[20] The largest ancestry groups were:

Republic of Ireland 18.8% Irish

England 17.1% English

France 14.8% French

Germany 13.9% German

Italy 9.8% Italian

United States 5.9% American

Quebec 5.5% French Canadian

Scotland 4.2% Scottish

Poland 3.9% Polish

Northern Ireland 2.8% Scotch-Irish

Netherlands 2.3% Dutch

Sweden 1.7% Swedish

Russia 1.6% Russian

Wales 1.3% Welsh [22]

Of the 15,470 households, 27.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.1% were married couples living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 36.9% were non-families, and 29.9% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.83. The median age was 45.1 years.[20]

The median income for a household in the county was $47,396 and the median income for a family was $60,642. Males had a median income of $40,996 versus $32,068 for females. The per capita income for the county was $27,962. About 8.6% of families and 10.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.1% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.[23]

Politics

Presidential Elections Results[24]
Year Republican Democratic Third Parties
2016 34.1% 5,925 54.9% 9,539 11.0% 1,917
2012 32.3% 5,687 65.5% 11,514 2.2% 392
2008 32.1% 6,133 65.5% 12,524 2.5% 472
2004 40.0% 7,616 58.1% 11,069 2.0% 380
2000 41.2% 7,284 51.0% 9,021 7.8% 1,372
1996 32.4% 5,229 50.4% 8,139 17.2% 2,784
1992 32.4% 5,895 44.9% 8,178 22.7% 4,143
1988 53.3% 8,387 45.6% 7,174 1.0% 164
1984 59.1% 9,035 39.5% 6,039 1.4% 210
1980 44.4% 6,091 39.1% 5,361 16.5% 2,269
1976 54.2% 6,712 43.9% 5,443 1.9% 232
1972 60.6% 7,542 38.6% 4,804 0.9% 107
1968 52.3% 5,967 43.5% 4,966 4.2% 483
1964 34.6% 3,895 65.4% 7,359
1960 61.2% 7,099 38.8% 4,502 0.0% 1
1956 75.6% 8,434 24.4% 2,719 0.0% 4
1952 73.3% 8,385 26.4% 3,018 0.3% 34
1948 62.3% 5,840 35.6% 3,340 2.1% 194
1944 58.6% 5,252 41.4% 3,709
1940 57.4% 5,845 42.3% 4,308 0.3% 27
1936 56.1% 5,515 42.4% 4,166 1.6% 153
1932 55.8% 5,250 42.1% 3,964 2.2% 202
1928 63.5% 6,114 36.3% 3,498 0.2% 18
1924 72.9% 5,341 20.0% 1,466 7.1% 518
1920 71.4% 4,172 27.7% 1,615 0.9% 54
1916 60.4% 2,602 36.9% 1,590 2.7% 116
1912 36.1% 1,464 26.1% 1,057 37.8% 1,534[25]
1908 73.7% 2,453 22.5% 748 3.9% 129
1904 74.3% 2,419 22.9% 745 2.8% 92
1900 74.6% 2,666 24.4% 871 1.1% 38
1896 80.4% 3,086 17.1% 656 2.5% 97
1892 64.2% 2,196 33.8% 1,155 2.0% 69
1888 60.7% 2,497 27.4% 1,128 11.8% 487

Education

Bennington is home to Bennington College and Southern Vermont College. The Community College of Vermont and Vermont Technical College also have campuses in downtown Bennington.

Bennington County is home to these high schools:

Law enforcement

Bennington Police car in downtown Bennington

Bennington County is home to these local law enforcement agencies:

The Bennington County Sheriff's Department and Vermont State Police are two other sources of law enforcement for the county, especially in towns without their own local police departments.

Transportation

GMCN bus in Bennington

Major highways

Bennington County is crossed by:

Bus

The main public transportation provider in Bennington County is the Green Mountain Community Network, whose Green Mountain Express bus system has five local bus routes in and around the town of Bennington and three commuter routes to Manchester; Wilmington; Williamstown, Massachusetts; and points in between as of September 29, 2014. Readsboro is served out of Wilmington by Southeast Vermont Transit's (formerly the Deerfield Valley Transit Association) fare free MOOver bus. There are also commuter buses to Rutland from Manchester and a regional bus line to Albany, New York from Bennington via Marble Valley Regional Transit District and Yankee Trails World Travel, respectively. Premier Coach's Vermont Translines (a partner of Greyhound) also stops in Bennington and Manchester on its intercity bus route between Albany and Burlington.

Air

William H. Morse State Airport is a small public-use and state-owned airport west of downtown Bennington, serving private aviation interests. Commercial airlines are available at Albany International Airport to the west in the state of New York, and to the north at Rutland Southern Vermont Regional Airport in Rutland County.

Communities

Downtown Arlington

Towns

Villages

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

Census-designated places

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 30, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on 2011-05-31. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. ↑ "Vermont: Individual County Chronologies". Vermont Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2008. Retrieved June 30, 2015.
  4. ↑ Vermont History Timeline Archived 2011-09-11 at the Wayback Machine.
  5. ↑ Vt. State Papers, 12:43–44.
  6. ↑ Vermont State Papers, 13:5–6.
  7. ↑ Vt. State Papers, 13:19.
  8. ↑ Vt. State Papers, 13:45–46; Newton, 83–87; Williamson, C., 101–102.
  9. ↑ Vt. State Papers, 3, pt. 2: 67–68.
  10. ↑ Vt. State Papers, 14:173–175.
  11. ↑ McCarty, "Evolution," 134; Vt. Laws 1805, ch. 15/pp. 19–20.
  12. ↑ McCarty, "Evolution," 140; Vt. Laws 1825, no 18/p. 25; Vt. Laws 1832, no. 25/p. 25.
  13. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
  14. ↑ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  15. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on May 12, 2015. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
  16. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
  17. ↑ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
  18. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
  19. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2013-09-11. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
  20. 1 2 3 "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2016-01-20.
  21. ↑ "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2016-01-20.
  22. ↑ "DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2016-01-20.
  23. ↑ "DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2016-01-20.
  24. ↑ http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS
  25. ↑ The leading "other" candidate, Progressive Theodore Roosevelt, received 1,380 votes, while Socialist candidate Eugene Debs received 105 votes, Prohibition candidate Eugene Chafin received 49 votes.
Adjacent places of Bennington County, Vermont
 Washington County, New York Rutland County Windsor County
Windham County
   Bennington County, Vermont  
Rensselaer County, New York Berkshire County, Massachusetts Franklin County, Massachusetts

Coordinates: 43°02′N 73°07′W / 43.03°N 73.11°W / 43.03; -73.11

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