Editing Chesterfield, Massachusetts

{{short description|Town in Massachusetts, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Chesterfield, Massachusetts
|nickname                 =
|motto                    =
|image_skyline            = Post Office, Chesterfield MA.jpg
|imagesize                = 250px
|image_caption            = Chesterfield Post Office
|image_seal               = Seal of Chesterfield, Massachusetts.png
|image_flag               = Flag of Chesterfield, Massachusetts.png
|image_map                = Hampshire County Massachusetts incorporated and unincorporated areas Chesterfield highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location in Hampshire County in Massachusetts
|image_map1               =
|mapsize1                 =
|map_caption1             =
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Massachusetts]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Massachusetts|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Hampshire County, Massachusetts|Hampshire]]
|established_title        = Settled
|established_date         = 1760
|established_title2       = Incorporated
|established_date2        = 1762
|established_title3       =
|established_date3        =
|government_type          = [[Open town meeting]]
|leader_title             =
|leader_name              =
|leader_title1            = <!--Board of <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Selectmen-->
|leader_name1             =
|area_magnitude           =
|area_total_km2           = 80.9
|area_total_sq_mi         = 
|area_land_km2            = 79.9
|area_land_sq_mi          = 
|area_water_km2           = 1.0
|area_water_sq_mi         = 
|population_as_of         = 2020
|settlement_type          = [[New England town|Town]]
|population_total         = 1186
|population_density_km2   = auto
|population_density_sq_mi = 
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_ft             = 1394
|timezone                 = [[Eastern Standard Time Zone|Eastern]]
|utc_offset               = −5
|timezone_DST             = [[Eastern Standard Time Zone|Eastern]]
|utc_offset_DST           = −4
|coordinates              = {{coord|42|23|30|N|72|50|25|W|region:US-MA|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP Code]]s
|postal_code              = {{ubl|01012 (Chesterfield)|01084 ([[West Chesterfield, Massachusetts|West Chesterfield]])|01026 ([[Cummington, Massachusetts|Cummington]])|01096 ([[Williamsburg, Massachusetts|Williamsburg]])}}
|area_code                = [[Area code 413|413]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 25-13590
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 0618197<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|618197}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|www.townofchesterfieldma.com}}
|footnotes                =
}}

'''Chesterfield''' is a [[Western Massachusetts#The Hilltowns|rural hill]] [[New England town|town]] in [[Hampshire County, Massachusetts|Hampshire County]], [[Massachusetts]], United States, {{convert|26|mi}} east of [[Pittsfield, Massachusetts|Pittsfield]] and {{Convert|90|mi}} west of [[Boston]]. The population was 1,186 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref name="Census 2020">{{cite web| url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0600000US2501513590| title=Census - Geography Profile: Chesterfield town, Hampshire County, Massachusetts| publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=November 14, 2021}}</ref> It is part of the [[Springfield, Massachusetts]] [[Springfield metropolitan area, Massachusetts|Metropolitan Statistical Area]].

==History==
Chesterfield was first settled in 1760 and was officially incorporated in 1762. It was named after the [[Earl of Chesterfield]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=2907|title=Profile for Chesterfield, Massachusetts|publisher=[[ePodunk]]|accessdate=May 18, 2010}}</ref> The town center, established after the [[American Revolution|Revolution]], has well-preserved [[Federal period]] houses along Main Road. In its early days, the town supported a largely agricultural economy, with wool from [[Merino]] sheep as a major product. However, there were sawmills and tanneries in operation as well as cloth dressing mills, and in the early 19th century these superseded farming and brought in a small immigrant population that was mostly [[Irish Americans|Irish]]. Progress wiped out most of the industry in Chesterfield, and by the start of the 20th century a re-emerging agricultural economy developed alongside the growing trade from summer residents.

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|80.9|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|79.9|km2|order=flip}} are land and {{convert|1.0|km2|order=flip|1}}, or 1.27%, are water.<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/0600000US2501513590| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001): Chesterfield town, Hampshire County, Massachusetts| work=American Factfinder| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| accessdate=August 8, 2017| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213161449/https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/0600000US2501513590| archive-date=February 13, 2020| url-status=dead}}</ref> Chesterfield's location is nearly equidistant from the northern, southern and western state lines of Massachusetts.

Chesterfield is located in [[the Hilltowns]] region of Massachusetts, {{convert|52|mi}} north of [[Hartford, Connecticut]], {{convert|108|mi}} west of [[Boston]], {{convert|30|mi}} northwest of [[Springfield, Massachusetts|Springfield]], {{convert|64|mi}} southeast of [[Albany, New York]], {{convert|26|mi}} east of [[Pittsfield, Massachusetts|Pittsfield]], and {{convert|160|mi}} northeast of [[New York City]].

==Education==

Chesterfield is part of the [[Hampshire Regional School District]] along with [[Goshen, Massachusetts|Goshen]], [[Southampton, Massachusetts|Southampton]], [[Westhampton, Massachusetts|Westhampton]], and [[Williamsburg, Massachusetts|Williamsburg]]. Students attend K–6 at New Hingham Regional Elementary School along with [[Goshen, Massachusetts|Goshen]], and 7–12 students attend [[Hampshire Regional High School]].

==Points of interest==
*[[Chesterfield Gorge (Massachusetts)|Chesterfield Gorge]] along the [[Westfield River]], a property of the [[Trustees of Reservations]]
*Indian Hollow (Massachusetts)

==Demographics==
{{Historical populations
 | type=USA
 | align=left
 | 1790|1183
 | 1820|1447
 | 1850|1014
 | 1860|897
 | 1870|811
 | 1880|769
 | 1890|608
 | 1900|611
 | 1910|536
 | 1920|441
 | 1930|420
 | 1940|422
 | 1950|496
 | 1960|556
 | 1970|704
 | 1980|1000
 | 1990|1048
 | 2000|1201
 | 2010|1222
 | 2020|1186
 | 2022*|1175
 |footnote=* = population estimate.<ref>{{cite web | title=City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2022| publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] | access-date=November 10, 2023 | url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-total-cities-and-towns.html}}</ref>
}}

At the 2000 [[census]],<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |accessdate=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> there were 1,201 people, 447 households and 324 families residing in the town. The [[population density]] was {{convert|38.6|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sigfig=4|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 524 housing units at an average density of {{convert|16.8|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 98.67% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.25% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.25% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.08% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.75% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.08% of the population.

There were 447 households, of which 34.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.6% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.3% were non-families. Of all households, 18.8% were made up of individuals, and 6.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.09.

Of the population 25.7% were under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 28.6% from 45 to 64, and 9.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 54 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.0 males.

The [[median household income]] was $49,063 and the median family income was $57,361. Males had a median income of $35,417 versus $27,788 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $19,220. About 3.4% of families and 5.7% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 5.7% of those under age 18 and 3.4% of those age 65 or over.

==References==
<references/>

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://www.townofchesterfieldma.com/ Town of Chesterfield official website]
* [http://www.sec.state.ma.us/mhc/mhcpdf/townreports/CT-Valley/csf.pdf "MHC Survey Reconnaissance Town Report: Chesterfield"] Massachusetts Historical Commission, 1982.

{{Hampshire County, Massachusetts}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Chesterfield, Massachusetts| ]]
[[Category:Springfield metropolitan area, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Towns in Hampshire County, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Towns in Massachusetts]]