Windham County, Vermont

Windham County, Vermont
Location in the state of Vermont
Vermont's location in the U.S.
Founded	1779 (as Cumberland County) (renamed 1781)
Shire Town	Newfane
Largest town	Brattleboro
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	798 sq mi (2,067 km²) 789 sq mi (2,044 km²) 9 sq mi (23 km²), 1.18%
Population  - (2010)  - Density	44,513 56/sq mi (21.78/km²)

Windham County is a county located in the U.S. state of Vermont. As of 2010, the population was 44,513. Its shire town is Newfane.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 798 square miles (2,067 km²) - 789 square miles (2,043 km²) is land and 9 square miles (24 km²) (1.18%) is water.

Adjacent counties

• Windsor County, Vermont - north
• Sullivan County, New Hampshire - northeast
• Cheshire County, New Hampshire - east
• Franklin County, Massachusetts - south
• Bennington County, Vermont - west

National protected areas

• Green Mountain National Forest (part)
• Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge (part)

History

Fort Bridgman, Vernon, was burned in 1755, a casualty of the French and Indian War.

Demographics

Windham County courthouse in Newfane

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1790	17,572		—
1800	23,581		34.2%
1810	26,760		13.5%
1820	28,457		6.3%
1830	28,748		1.0%
1840	27,442		−4.5%
1850	29,062		5.9%
1860	26,982		−7.2%
1870	26,036		−3.5%
1880	26,763		2.8%
1890	26,547		−0.8%
1900	26,660		0.4%
1910	26,932		1.0%
1920	26,373		−2.1%
1930	26,015		−1.4%
1940	27,850		7.1%
1950	28,749		3.2%
1960	29,776		3.6%
1970	33,074		11.1%
1980	36,933		11.7%
1990	41,588		12.6%
2000	44,216		6.3%
2010	44,513		0.7%

As of the census of 2000, there were 44,216 people, 18,375 households, and 11,447 families residing in the county. The population density was 56 people per square mile (22/km²). There were 27,039 housing units at an average density of 34 per square mile (13/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.72% White, 0.50% Black or African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.79% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.32% from other races, and 1.42% from two or more races. 1.11% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 18.1% were of English, 13.3% Irish, 9.5% French, 8.9% American, 7.7% German, 6.0% Italian and 5.0% French Canadian ancestry according to Census 2000. 95.9% spoke English, 1.3% Spanish and 1.2% French as their first language.

There were 18,375 households out of which 29.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.20% were married couples living together, 9.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.70% were non-families. 29.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.91.

In the county, the population was spread out with 23.50% under the age of 18, 7.10% from 18 to 24, 28.10% from 25 to 44, 27.20% from 45 to 64, and 14.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 95.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $38,204, and the median income for a family was $46,989. Males had a median income of $31,094 versus $24,650 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,533. About 6.10% of families and 9.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.00% of those under age 18 and 7.90% of those age 65 or over.

Elections

Presidential election results

Year	Democrat	Republican
2008	73.0% 17,585	24.9% 5,997
2004	66.4% 15,489	31.2% 7,280
2000	52.7% 11,319	34.2% 7,358

In 2006, four towns in Windham County, Dummerston, Marlboro, Newfane, and Stratton, had their citizens pass resolutions supporting the proposed impeachment of President George W. Bush.

The county was Vermont's bluest county in both the 2004 and 2008 U.S. Presidential elections. In 2004, John Kerry carried the county by 35.2% margin over Bush, with Kerry carrying the state by 20.1% over Bush. In 2008, Barack Obama won Windham by 48.1% margin over John McCain, with Obama winning by 37% over McCain statewide.

County Law Enforcement

The Windham County Sheriff's Department is one source of law enforcement in this county except for large towns such as Brattleboro. Other towns also have contracts with the Vermont State Police.

Cities, towns, and villages*

• Athens
• Brattleboro
  • West Brattleboro (an unincorporated community of Brattleboro)
• Brookline
• Dover
• Dummerston
• Grafton
• Guilford
  • Algiers (an unincorporated community of Guilford)
• Halifax
• Jamaica
• Londonderry
• Marlboro
• Newfane
  • Newfane Village
• Putney
• Rockingham
  • Bellows Falls (an incorporated village of Rockingham)
  • Saxtons River (an incorporated village of Rockingham)
• Somerset
• Stratton
• Townshend
  • Harmonyville (an unincorporated community of Townshend)
  • West Townshend (an unincorporated community of Townshend)
• Vernon
• Wardsboro
• Westminster
  • North Westminster (a village of Westminster)
• Whitingham
  • Jacksonville (a village of Whitingham)
• Wilmington
• Windham
  • South Windham (an unincorporated community of Windham)

* Villages are census divisions, but do not necessarily have any separate corporate existence from the towns they are in.

See also

• List of counties in Vermont
• List of towns in Vermont
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Windham County, Vermont

External links

• Windham County Sheriff's Department
• The Mount Snow Valley Chamber of Commerce
• National Register of Historic Places listing for Windham Co., Vermont
• The Historical Society of Windham County
• Windham County history and genealogy