Essex County, Vermont

Not to be confused with Essex, Vermont.

Essex County, Vermont
Essex County Courthouse
Location in the U.S. state of Vermont
Vermont's location in the U.S.
Founded	1800
Named for	Essex
Shire Town	Guildhall
Largest town	Brighton
Area
• Total	675 sq mi (1,748 km2)
• Land	664 sq mi (1,720 km2)
• Water	12 sq mi (31 km2), 1.7%
Population
• (est. 2014)	6,125
• Density	9.2/sq mi (4/km²)
Congressional district	At-large
Time zone	Eastern: UTC-5/-4

Essex County is the county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Vermont. As of the 2010 census, the population was 6,306, making it the least-populous county in both Vermont and New England. Its shire town is Guildhall. The county was created in 1792 and organized in 1800.

Essex County is part of the Berlin, NH–VT Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Prior to the arrival of colonists of European descent, the local Abenakis had subsisted largely on moose.

Vermont was divided into two counties in March, 1778. In 1781 the legislature divided the northernmost county, Cumberland, into three counties: Windham and Windsor, in approximately the modern location for those counties. The northern remainder was called Orange County. This latter tract nearly corresponded with the old New York county of Gloucester, organized by that province March 16, 1770, with Newbury as the shire town.

On September 3, 1783, as a result of the signing of the Treaty of Paris, the Revolutionary War ended with Great Britain recognizing the independence of the United States. Vermont's border with Quebec was established at 45 degrees north latitude.

On November 5, 1792, the legislature divided Chittenden and Orange counties into six separate counties, as follows: Chittenden, Orange, Franklin, Caledonia, Essex, and Orleans. No reason is given for the county being named after the county of Essex in England.

In 1999, a group of investors bought 86,212 acres (34,889 ha) from Champion International Paper for $7.5 million, covering parts of fourteen towns in the county. The state of Vermont and the Freeman Foundation purchased easements for $8.5 million to guarantee traditional uses of the land for logging and recreation. In 2008, Plum Creek Timber company announced plans to purchase this property.

A murder trial was held at the county courthouse in 1923, which was the last murder trial. In 1973, a non-resident murdered another non-resident. In 2008, two residents died by homicide – the first in 85 years – when police said a young woman was shot by her boyfriend and a 59-year-old man shot his mother.

In 2012, a study indicated that county residents, overall, were the least healthy in the state. The rating was based on premature death, low birth weight, smoking, obesity, inactivity, excessive drinking, car crashes, sexually transmitted diseases, graduation rates, poverty, violent crime rates, air pollution, limited access to healthy food, unemployment, and the number of single parent households.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 675 square miles (1,750 km²), of which 664 square miles (1,720 km²) is land and 12 square miles (31 km²) (1.7%) is water.

Adjacent counties

• Coos County, New Hampshire – east
• Grafton County, New Hampshire – south
• Caledonia County – southwest
• Orleans County – west
• Coaticook Regional County Municipality, Quebec – north

Fauna

In 2011, there were about 1,000 moose in the county. State officials estimated that this was about the "correct number" for a sustainable herd, with the moose not showing signs of starvation, nor the feeding grounds showing signs of overgrazing.

National protected area

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

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1800	1,479		—
1810	3,087		108.7%
1820	3,284		6.4%
1830	3,981		21.2%
1840	4,226		6.2%
1850	4,650		10.0%
1860	5,786		24.4%
1870	6,811		17.7%
1880	7,931		16.4%
1890	9,511		19.9%
1900	8,056		−15.3%
1910	7,384		−8.3%
1920	7,364		−0.3%
1930	7,067		−4.0%
1940	6,490		−8.2%
1950	6,257		−3.6%
1960	6,083		−2.8%
1970	5,416		−11.0%
1980	6,313		16.6%
1990	6,405		1.5%
2000	6,459		0.8%
2010	6,306		−2.4%
Est. 2014	6,125		−2.9%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2014

As of the census of 2000, there were 6,459 people, 2,602 households, and 1,805 families residing in the county. The population density was 10 people per square mile (4/km²). There were 4,762 housing units at an average density of 7 per square mile (3/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.56% White, 0.17% Black or African American, 0.63% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 0.23% from other races, and 2.14% from two or more races. 0.50% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 28.1% were of French, 23.1% English, 10.5% American, 8.8% Irish and 5.7% French Canadian ancestry according to Census 2000. 8.87% of the population speak French at home.

There were 2,602 households out of which 31.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.10% were married couples living together, 8.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.60% were non-families. 24.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.92.

In the county, the population was spread out with 25.60% under the age of 18, 6.50% from 18 to 24, 27.20% from 25 to 44, 25.50% from 45 to 64, and 15.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 100.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.00 males.

An estimated 1,000 military veterans reside in the county.

Government

Legislators

The Essex-Orleans Senate district includes all of Essex County, as well as parts or all of Orleans County, Franklin County and Lamoille County. It is represented in the Vermont Senate by John S. Rodgers (D) and Robert A. Starr (D).

Elections

Presidential election results

Year	Democrat	Republican
2012	55.0% 1,539	41.6% 1,164
2008	55.9% 1,733	41.4% 1,284
2004	43.5% 1,276	54.2% 1,591
2000	39.0% 1,129	54.1% 1,564

In the 2004 U.S. Presidential election, Essex County was the only county in Vermont to vote for George W. Bush, by 10.7% over John Kerry, who won statewide by a 20.1% advantage.

In 2008, Essex voted for Barack Obama by a 14.5% margin over John McCain, while Obama carried the state by 37%. In 2012 Barack Obama won the county again by almost exactly the same margin.

Economy

Personal income

The median income for a household in the county was $30,490, and the median income for a family was $34,984. Males had a median income of $27,929 versus $20,583 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,388. About 9.90% of families and 13.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.30% of those under age 18 and 12.90% of those age 65 or over.

The median wage is the lowest in the state, and that status is expected to continue through 2010.

Housing

In 2007, Essex was the only county in the state to have a positive Housing Affordability Index on housing; i.e., the average household can afford to buy the average house. That said, both figures are the lowest in the state.

Media

WVTI 106.9 broadcasts from Island Pond, Vermont.

Communities

Towns

• Averill
• Bloomfield
• Brighton
• Brunswick
• Canaan
• Concord
• East Haven
• Ferdinand
• Granby
• Guildhall (shire town)
• Lemington
• Lewis
• Lunenburg
• Maidstone
• Norton
• Victory

Census-designated places

• Beecher Falls
• Canaan
• Concord
• Island Pond

Unincorporated communities

In Vermont, gores and grants are unincorporated portions of a county which are not part on any town and have limited self-government (if any, as many are uninhabited).

• Avery's Gore
• Beecher Falls
• Island Pond
• Warner's Grant
• Warren Gore

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Essex County, Vermont

External links

• National Register of Historic Places listing for Essex Co., Vermont
• Philip, Abenaki Indian Chief, and Philip’s Grant (Orleans and Essex Counties)