Windsor County, Vermont

Windsor County
County
Windsor County courthouse in Woodstock
Location within the U.S. state of Vermont
Vermont's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 43°33′30″N72°31′59″W / 43.55827°N 72.53299°W / 43.55827; -72.53299
Country	United States
State	Vermont
Founded	1781
Named for	Windsor, Vermont, which was named for Windsor, Connecticut
Shire Town	Woodstock
Largest town	Hartford
Area
• Total	977 sq mi (2,530 km2)
• Land	969 sq mi (2,510 km2)
• Water	7.4 sq mi (19 km2)  0.8%
Population  (2020)
• Total	57,753
• Density	59/sq mi (23/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	At-large

Windsor County is a county located in the U.S. state of Vermont. As of the 2020 census, the population was 57,753. ^[1] The shire town (county seat) is the town of Woodstock. ^[2] The county's largest municipality is the town of Hartford.

History

Windsor 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. ^{[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 Province of New Hampshire and Province of 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.

Windsor County was established on February 16, 1781, from parts of Cumberland County and organized the same year. ^[9]

Windsor County is notable for being the birthplace and burial site of Calvin Coolidge, the 30th U.S. President and one of two Presidents born in the state (the other being Chester A. Arthur). Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, was also born in Windsor County.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 977 square miles (2,530 km²), of which 969 square miles (2,510 km²) is land and 7.4 square miles (19 km²) (0.8%) is water. ^[10] It is the largest county by area in Vermont.

Adjacent counties

• Orange County - north
• Grafton County, New Hampshire - northeast
• Sullivan County, New Hampshire - east
• Windham County - south
• Bennington County - southwest
• Rutland County - west
• Addison County - northwest

National parks

• Green Mountain National Forest (part)
• Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park
• White Rocks National Recreation Area (part)

Major highways

• I-89
• I-91
• US 4
• US 5
• VT 10
• VT 11
• VT 12
• VT 14
• VT 35
• VT 44
• VT 73
• VT 100
• VT 100A
• VT 103
• VT 106
• VT 107
• VT 131
• VT 132
• VT 155

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1790	15,740		—
1800	26,944		71.2%
1810	34,877		29.4%
1820	38,233		9.6%
1830	40,625		6.3%
1840	40,356		−0.7%
1850	38,504		−4.6%
1860	37,193		−3.4%
1870	36,063		−3.0%
1880	35,196		−2.4%
1890	31,706		−9.9%
1900	32,225		1.6%
1910	33,681		4.5%
1920	36,984		9.8%
1930	37,416		1.2%
1940	37,862		1.2%
1950	40,885		8.0%
1960	42,483		3.9%
1970	44,082		3.8%
1980	51,030		15.8%
1990	54,055		5.9%
2000	57,418		6.2%
2010	56,670		−1.3%
2020	57,753		1.9%
U.S. Decennial Census [11] 1790–1960 [12] 1900–1990 [13] 1990–2000 [14] 2010–2018 [1]

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, ^[15] there were 57,418 people, 24,162 households, and 15,729 families living in the county. The population density was 59 inhabitants per square mile (23/km²). There were 31,621 housing units at an average density of 33 units per square mile (13 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.72% White, 0.33% Black or African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.63% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.15% from other races, and 0.91% from two or more races. 0.82% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 20.1% were of English, 12.9% Irish, 10.9% American, 9.9% French, 7.7% German, 6.7% French Canadian and 5.5% Italian ancestry. 96.4% spoke English and 1.5% French as their first language.

There were 24,162 households, out of which 29.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.70% were married couples living together, 9.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.90% were non-families. 28.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.10% 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 2.86. In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.30% under the age of 18, 5.90% from 18 to 24, 27.30% from 25 to 44, 27.60% from 45 to 64, and 15.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $40,688, and the median income for a family was $59,002. Males had a median income of $42,648 versus $25,696 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,369. About 3.20% of families and 5.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.50% of those under age 18 and 7.60% of those age 65 or over.

In 2007, the census department estimated that Windsor had the oldest average age in the state, 44.7. This compares with the actual census in 2000 of 41.3 years. ^[16]

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 56,670 people, 24,753 households, and 15,420 families living in the county. ^[17] The population density was 58.5 inhabitants per square mile (22.6/km²). There were 34,118 housing units at an average density of 35.2 units per square mile (13.6 units/km²). ^[18] The racial makeup of the county was 96.3% white, 0.9% Asian, 0.6% black or African American, 0.3% American Indian, 0.2% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.2% of the population. ^[17]

Of the 24,753 households, 25.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.1% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 37.7% were non-families, and 30.0% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.77. The median age was 45.8 years. ^[17]

The median income for a household in the county was $50,893 and the median income for a family was $63,387. Males had a median income of $44,610 versus $34,150 for females. The per capita income for the county was $29,053. About 5.6% of families and 9.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.5% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those age 65 or over. ^[19]

Politics

Since Vermont began using the popular vote in presidential elections in 1828, Windsor County has voted for the statewide winner in every presidential election in the state's history with the exception of 1912 when it voted for Progressive candidate Theodore Roosevelt over statewide winner William Taft. Mirroring the politics of the state as a whole, Windsor County was solidly Republican from its inception in the 1856 election until the 1980s, voting only for Democrat Lyndon Johnson in 1964 when he faced the highly conservative Barry Goldwater. It has supported the Democratic presidential candidate in every election since 1992. While the county did not swing as hard to the Democrats as other parts of Vermont, it has given the Democrats at least 55 percent of the vote at every election since 2004.

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

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	10,458	30.50%	22,569	65.82%	1,262	3.68%
2020	9,971	28.95%	23,376	67.86%	1,099	3.19%
2016	8,605	28.75%	17,556	58.66%	3,767	12.59%
2012	8,598	29.96%	19,494	67.93%	607	2.12%
2008	9,084	29.15%	21,444	68.81%	637	2.04%
2004	11,491	37.35%	18,561	60.33%	715	2.32%
2000	11,713	40.19%	15,140	51.94%	2,294	7.87%
1996	8,015	30.80%	14,070	54.07%	3,938	15.13%
1992	9,035	30.95%	13,871	47.52%	6,286	21.53%
1988	12,584	50.48%	12,009	48.17%	337	1.35%
1984	14,054	57.96%	9,869	40.70%	324	1.34%
1980	10,470	45.71%	8,067	35.22%	4,366	19.06%
1976	11,001	55.80%	8,282	42.01%	433	2.20%
1972	12,421	63.59%	6,989	35.78%	122	0.62%
1968	9,795	56.47%	6,986	40.27%	566	3.26%
1964	5,859	32.51%	12,163	67.49%	1	0.01%
1960	12,657	66.94%	6,250	33.05%	2	0.01%
1956	14,157	78.73%	3,820	21.24%	5	0.03%
1952	13,941	78.46%	3,791	21.33%	37	0.21%
1948	9,626	70.95%	3,736	27.54%	206	1.52%
1944	9,930	66.12%	5,089	33.88%	0	0.00%
1940	9,109	62.34%	5,475	37.47%	28	0.19%
1936	9,489	64.90%	5,084	34.77%	49	0.34%
1932	9,353	67.16%	4,343	31.18%	231	1.66%
1928	10,739	79.46%	2,747	20.33%	29	0.21%
1924	10,223	88.43%	1,015	8.78%	322	2.79%
1920	8,400	82.56%	1,714	16.85%	61	0.60%
1916	4,236	64.54%	2,216	33.77%	111	1.69%
1912	2,409	37.48%	1,302	20.26%	2,716	42.26%
1908	4,683	81.61%	907	15.81%	148	2.58%
1904	4,830	83.74%	797	13.82%	141	2.44%
1900	5,227	84.25%	943	15.20%	34	0.55%
1896	6,128	88.02%	674	9.68%	160	2.30%
1892	4,753	76.79%	1,329	21.47%	108	1.74%
1888	5,163	75.48%	1,457	21.30%	220	3.22%
1884	5,110	74.23%	1,601	23.26%	173	2.51%
1880	6,122	77.29%	1,740	21.97%	59	0.74%

Transportation

In 2009, the United States Department of Transportation measured 113.6 miles (182.8 km) of "major arteries", the highest in the state. ^[21]

Because US Route 4 had the "feel" of a freeway, motorists were inclined to speed. As a result, the Windsor County Sheriff's Department wrote 2,452 tickets in 2007. ^[22]

Communities

Towns

• Andover
• Baltimore
• Barnard
• Bethel
• Bridgewater
• Cavendish
• Chester
• Hartford
• Hartland
• Ludlow
• Norwich
• Plymouth
• Pomfret
• Reading
• Rochester
• Royalton
• Sharon
• Springfield
• Stockbridge
• Weathersfield
• West Windsor
• Weston
• Windsor
• Woodstock (shire town)

Villages

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

• Ludlow
• Perkinsville
• Woodstock

Census-designated places

• Ascutney
• Bethel
• Cavendish
• Chester
• Hartford Village
• Hartland
• North Hartland
• North Springfield
• Norwich
• Proctorsville
• Quechee
• Rochester
• South Royalton
• South Woodstock
• Springfield
• West Woodstock
• Weston
• White River Junction
• Wilder
• Windsor

Unincorporated communities

• Brownsville
• Felchville
• Gaysville
• Hartland Four Corners
• Lewiston
• North Pomfret
• Plymouth Notch
• Weathersfield Bow
• West Hartford

See also

• List of counties in Vermont
• List of towns in Vermont
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Windsor County, Vermont
• USS Windsor (APA-55), an attack transport named for Windsor County

References

1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 28, 2021.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
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. pp.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. "Vermont: Individual County Chronologies". Vermont Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2008. Retrieved June 30, 2015.
10. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved June 29, 2015.
11. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 29, 2015.
12. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved June 29, 2015.
13. Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 29, 2015.
14. "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.
15. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved May 14, 2011.
16. Sutkowski, Matt (August 7, 2008). Census: State older, a little more diverse. Burlington Free Press.
17. "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 1, 2015. 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. Heath, Brad; McLean, Dan (September 25, 2009). "Funds bypass worst roads". Burlington Free Press. pp. 1A.
22. Shinn, Peggy (January 18, 2009). "Not so fast (or else) on these Vermont highways". Boston Globe. Retrieved January 23, 2019.

External links

• National Register of Historic Places listing for Windsor Co., Vermont

43°34′N72°34′W / 43.57°N 72.57°W / 43.57; -72.57