Editing Westford, New York

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Westford, New York
|settlement_type          = [[Administrative divisions of New York#Town|Town]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = 
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = 
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = Otsego County outline map Westford red.png
|mapsize                  = 250x200px
|map_caption              = Otsego County map with the Town of Westford in red
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             =

<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = Country
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[New York (state)|New York]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in New York|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Otsego County, New York|Otsego]]
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = 
|established_date         =

<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref  = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2016">{{cite web|title=2016 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2016_Gazetteer/2016_gaz_place_36.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 5, 2017}}</ref>
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 87.82
|area_land_km2            = 87.68
|area_water_km2           = 0.14
|area_total_sq_mi         = 33.91
|area_land_sq_mi          = 33.85
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.06

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2010 United States Census|2010]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 868
|population_density_km2   = 9.47
|population_density_sq_mi = 24.52
<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
|utc_offset               = -5
|timezone_DST             = EDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -4
|elevation_footnotes      = 
|elevation_m              = 486
|elevation_ft             = 1594
|coordinates              = {{coord|42|38|N|74|48|W|region:US-NY|display=inline}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 13488
|area_code                = [[Area code 607|607]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 36-79972<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 0979622<ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=October 25, 2007}}</ref>
|website                  = 
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_as_of = 2016
|pop_est_footnotes = <ref name="USCensusEst2016"/>
|population_est = 830
}}
'''Westford''' is a [[Administrative divisions of New York#Town|town]] in [[Otsego County, New York|Otsego County]], [[New York (state)|New York]], United States. The population was 868 at the 2010 census. It is southeast of [[Cooperstown, New York|Cooperstown]].

== History ==
The town was first settled around 1790 by pioneers from [[Vermont]]. However, it is claimed that the first settler in Westford was Robert Roseboom from [[New Jersey]], who settled in what is now known at Maple Valley. During the 1790s Westford received an influx of land-hungry settlers from New England who subsequently established the first churches and schools in Westford.

The town was established from part of the town of [[Worcester, New York|Worcester]] in 1808.<ref>''History of Otsego County, New York, 1740-1878''. Reprinted by Higginson Book Company.</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|33.8|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|33.8|sqmi|km2}}  is land and {{convert|0.04|sqmi|km2}}  (0.06%) is water.

Elk Creek drains the town, flowing southward. Cherry Creek in Cherry Creek Valley flows through the southwestern part of Westford.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1820= 1526
|1830= 1645
|1840= 1478
|1850= 1423
|1860= 1382
|1870= 1300
|1880= 1271
|1890= 1023
|1900= 910
|1910= 803
|1920= 735
|1930= 652
|1940= 685
|1950= 602
|1960= 526
|1970= 435
|1980= 652
|1990= 634
|2000= 784
|2010= 868
|estyear=2016
|estimate=830
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2016">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.2016.html|title=Population and Housing Unit Estimates|access-date=June 9, 2017}}</ref>
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> of 2000, there were 784 people, 306 households, and 215 families residing in the town.  The population density was {{convert|23.2|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 446 housing units at an average density of {{convert|13.2|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the town was 98.09% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.26% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.13% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.38% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.13% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.02% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.91% of the population.

There were 306 households, out of which 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.9% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.7% were non-families. 23.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.5% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 26.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.0 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $34,318, and the median income for a family was $38,611. Males had a median income of $29,375 versus $22,237 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $16,351.  About 6.8% of families and 9.2% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 8.0% of those under age 18 and 13.2% of those age 65 or over.

== Communities and locations in Westford ==
*'''Badeau Hill''' &ndash; An elevation located southwest of Westford.
*'''Bentley Hollow''' &ndash; A former location in Westford.
*'''[[Betty and Wilbur Davis State Park]]''' &ndash; The state park is in the northwestern part of the town.
*'''Darling Hill''' &ndash; An elevation located west of Westford.
*'''Elk Creek''' &ndash; An important stream flowing out the south of the town.
*'''Hooker Mountain [[New York State Wildlife Management Areas|Wildlife Management Area]]''' &ndash; A conservation area in the southwestern part of town.
*'''Hubbard Settlement''' &ndash; A former location in Westford.
*'''Maple Valley''' &ndash; A hamlet in the northern part of Westford on County Road 34.
*'''[[Westford (CDP), New York|Westford]]''' &ndash; The [[Hamlet (New York)|hamlet]] of Westford is near the center of the town.
*'''Westville''' &ndash; A hamlet at the junction of County Roads 35 and 42 by the western town line.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.westfordny.com Town of Westford]
* [http://www.rootsweb.com/~nyotsego/wes.htm  Early map and brief history of Westford]

{{Otsego County, New York}}

{{coord|42|38|N|74|48|W|type:city_region:US-NY|display=title}}

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[[Category:Towns in Otsego County, New York]]
[[Category:Towns in New York (state)]]