Washington County, Vermont

Washington County
County
Washington County Courthouse
Location within the U.S. state of Vermont
Vermont's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 44°14′57″N72°34′51″W / 44.249287°N 72.580894°W / 44.249287; -72.580894
Country	United States
State	Vermont
Founded	1811
Named for	George Washington
Shire Town	Montpelier
Largest city	Barre
Area
• Total	695 sq mi (1,800 km2)
• Land	687 sq mi (1,780 km2)
• Water	8.2 sq mi (21 km2)  1.2%%
Population  (2020)
• Total	59,807
• Density	86/sq mi (33/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	At-large

Washington County is a county located in the U.S. state of Vermont. Named after George Washington, its shire town (county seat) is the city of Montpelier (the least populous state capital in the United States) and the most populous municipality is the city of Barre. ^[1] As of the 2020 census, the population was 59,807, ^[2] making it the third-most populous county in Vermont, but the third-least populous capital county in the United States after Hughes County, South Dakota and Franklin County, Kentucky. Washington County comprises the Barre, Vermont micropolitan statistical area. In 2010, the center of population of Vermont was located in Washington County, in the town of Warren. ^[3]

History

Washington 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 distinct state from New York. ^{[4] [5] [6]} 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. ^{[7] [8]} On March 12, 1772, Albany County was partitioned to create Charlotte County, ^[9] and this situation remained until Vermont's independence from New York and Britain.

Washington County was originally established as Jefferson County in 1810 from parts of Caledonia County, Chittenden County, and Orange County and organized the following year. ^[10]

In 1814 it was renamed to Washington County. The name change occurred after the Federalists took control of the Vermont Legislature from the Jeffersonians. Vermont which conducted significant trade with British Canada had suffered particularly by passage of the Embargo Act of 1807 during the Jefferson administration. ^[11]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 695 square miles (1,800 km²), of which 687 square miles (1,780 km²) is land and 8.2 square miles (21 km²) (1.2%) is water. ^[12]

Major highways

• Interstate 89

Adjacent counties

• Lamoille County – north
• Caledonia County – northeast
• Orange County – southeast
• Addison County – southwest
• Chittenden County – northwest

National protected area

• Green Mountain National Forest (part)

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1820	14,113		—
1830	21,378		51.5%
1840	23,506		10.0%
1850	24,654		4.9%
1860	27,612		12.0%
1870	26,520		−4.0%
1880	25,404		−4.2%
1890	29,606		16.5%
1900	36,607		23.6%
1910	41,702		13.9%
1920	38,921		−6.7%
1930	41,733		7.2%
1940	41,546		−0.4%
1950	42,870		3.2%
1960	42,860		0.0%
1970	47,659		11.2%
1980	52,393		9.9%
1990	54,928		4.8%
2000	58,039		5.7%
2010	59,534		2.6%
2020	59,807		0.5%
U.S. Decennial Census [13] 1790–1960 [14] 1900–1990 [15] 1990–2000 [16] 2010–2018 [2]

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 59,534 people, 25,027 households, and 15,410 families residing in the county. ^[17] The population density was 86.6 inhabitants per square mile (33.4/km²). There were 29,941 housing units at an average density of 43.6 per square mile (16.8/km²). ^[18]

Of the 25,027 households, 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.1% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 38.4% were non-families, and 29.7% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.81. The median age was 42.3 years. ^[17]

The median income for a household in the county was $55,313 and the median income for a family was $66,968. Males had a median income of $45,579 versus $38,052 for females. The per capita income for the county was $28,337. About 5.9% of families and 10.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.8% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over. ^[19]

Elections

In 1828, Washington County was won by National Republican Party candidate John Quincy Adams.

In 1832, the county was won by Democratic Party incumbent president Andrew Jackson. Democratic Martin Van Buren was also able to win the county in 1836.

In 1840, the county was won by Whig Party candidate William Henry Harrison.

In 1844, the county was won by Democratic candidate James K. Polk. Democratic candidate Lewis Cass was also able to win the county in 1848.

In 1852, Whig Party candidate Winfield Scott won the county.

From John C. Frémont in 1856 to Richard Nixon in 1960, the Republican Party would have a 104-year winning streak within Washington County.

In 1964, the county was won by Democratic Party incumbent President Lyndon B. Johnson.

Following the Democrats victory in 1964, the county went back to voting for Republican candidates for another 20 year winning streak starting with Richard Nixon in 1968 and ending with George H. W. Bush in 1988, who became the last Republican presidential candidate to win the county.

In 1992, the county was won by Bill Clinton and has been won by Democratic candidates ever since.

United States presidential election results for Washington County, Vermont ^[20]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	8,928	25.29%	25,191	71.35%	1,188	3.36%
2016	7,993	25.71%	18,594	59.81%	4,499	14.47%
2012	8,093	27.61%	20,351	69.44%	863	2.94%
2008	9,129	28.35%	22,324	69.33%	747	2.32%
2004	11,461	36.44%	19,177	60.98%	810	2.58%
2000	11,448	38.48%	15,281	51.37%	3,020	10.15%
1996	7,750	29.94%	14,267	55.12%	3,867	14.94%
1992	9,424	32.12%	13,452	45.85%	6,462	22.03%
1988	13,253	50.40%	12,690	48.26%	351	1.33%
1984	13,706	54.48%	11,163	44.37%	289	1.15%
1980	9,714	41.96%	9,559	41.29%	3,878	16.75%
1976	10,919	53.90%	8,764	43.26%	576	2.84%
1972	12,421	61.58%	7,596	37.66%	152	0.75%
1968	9,387	52.62%	7,826	43.87%	626	3.51%
1964	5,750	32.37%	12,002	67.57%	11	0.06%
1960	10,458	59.49%	7,116	40.48%	4	0.02%
1956	11,351	71.50%	4,520	28.47%	5	0.03%
1952	11,979	72.59%	4,460	27.03%	64	0.39%
1948	7,720	59.92%	4,839	37.56%	324	2.51%
1944	7,162	55.47%	5,749	44.53%	0	0.00%
1940	8,426	52.00%	7,727	47.69%	50	0.31%
1936	8,351	50.64%	8,073	48.96%	66	0.40%
1932	8,393	57.72%	5,777	39.73%	370	2.54%
1928	9,891	68.91%	4,408	30.71%	54	0.38%
1924	8,525	74.30%	1,715	14.95%	1,234	10.75%
1920	6,418	75.76%	1,953	23.06%	100	1.18%
1916	4,216	57.11%	2,732	37.01%	434	5.88%
1912	2,797	41.26%	1,743	25.71%	2,239	33.03%
1908	3,823	67.86%	1,610	28.58%	201	3.57%
1904	3,807	72.07%	1,247	23.61%	228	4.32%
1900	3,819	68.94%	1,622	29.28%	99	1.79%
1896	4,476	73.10%	1,396	22.80%	251	4.10%
1892	3,134	60.28%	1,940	37.31%	125	2.40%
1888	3,715	64.70%	1,892	32.95%	135	2.35%
1884	3,129	60.00%	1,812	34.75%	274	5.25%
1880	3,611	62.67%	1,927	33.44%	224	3.89%

Communities

Cities

• Barre
• Montpelier (shire town)

Towns

• Barre (Town)
• Berlin
• Cabot
• Calais
• Duxbury
• East Montpelier
• Fayston
• Marshfield
• Middlesex
• Moretown
• Northfield
• Plainfield
• Roxbury
• Waitsfield
• Warren
• Waterbury
• Woodbury
• Worcester

Village

• Marshfield

Census-designated places

• Cabot
• East Barre
• East Montpelier
• Graniteville
• Northfield
• Plainfield
• South Barre
• Waitsfield
• Waterbury
• Waterbury Center
• Websterville
• Worcester

Other unincorporated communities

• Adamant
• East Calais
• East Montpelier Center
• East Roxbury
• Irasville
• North Montpelier
• Putnamville
• Riverton
• South Northfield
• South Woodbury

Education

School districts include: ^[21]

• Barre Supervisory Union
• Caledonia Central Supervisory Union
• Central Vermont Supervisory Union
• Harwood Unified School District
• Montpelier-Roxbury Supervisory Union
• Orleans Southwest Supervisory Union
• Washington Central Supervisory Union

See also

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

References

1. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
2. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 28, 2021.
3. "Centers of Population by State: 2010". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 6, 2014.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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. pp.13-19.
8. 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.
9. New York Colonial Laws, Chapter 1534; Section 5; Paragraph 321)
10. "Vermont: Individual County Chronologies". Vermont Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2008. Retrieved June 30, 2015.
11. "And They Called The County Washington". Central Vermont Chamber of Commerce. Central Vermont Magazine. Summer 1988. Retrieved October 10, 2016.
12. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved June 29, 2015.
13. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 29, 2015.
14. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved June 29, 2015.
15. Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 29, 2015.
16. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved June 29, 2015.
17. "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 20, 2016.
18. "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 20, 2016.
19. "DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 20, 2016.
20. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
21. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Washington County, VT" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved July 22, 2022. - Text list

External links

• National Register of Historic Places listing for Washington Co., Vermont
• Life in Washington County Documentary produced by Vermont Public Television

Coordinates: 44°16′N72°37′W / 44.27°N 72.62°W / 44.27; -72.62