Editing Windsor County, Vermont

{{Short description|County in Vermont, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Windsor County
 | state                = Vermont
 | seal                 = 
 | founded year         = 1781
 | founded date         = 
 | seat wl              = Woodstock
 | largest city wl      = Hartford
 | city type            = town
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 977
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 969
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 7.4
 | area percentage      = 0.8%
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 57753
 | population_density_sq_mi = auto
 | ex image             = Woodstock Court House.jpg
 | ex image cap         = Windsor County courthouse in Woodstock
 | time zone            = Eastern
 | named for            = [[Windsor, Vermont]], which was named for [[Windsor, Connecticut]]
 | district             = At-large
}}

'''Windsor County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] located in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Vermont]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 57,753.<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/windsorcountyvermont/POP010220|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=October 28, 2021}}</ref> The shire town ([[county seat]]) is the town of [[Woodstock, Vermont|Woodstock]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=June 7, 2011|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref> The county's largest municipality is the town of [[Hartford, Vermont|Hartford]].

==History==
Windsor County is one of several Vermont counties created from land ceded by the [[New York (state)|State of New York]] on January 15, 1777, when Vermont declared itself to be a distinct state from New York.<ref>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.</ref><ref>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.</ref><ref>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.</ref> The land originally was contested by [[Massachusetts]], [[New Hampshire]], and [[New Netherland]], but it remained undelineated until July 20, 1764, when [[George III of the United Kingdom|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 [[45th parallel north|45 degrees north latitude]]. New York assigned the land gained to [[Albany County, New York|Albany County]].<ref>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.</ref><ref>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.</ref> On March 12, 1772, Albany County was partitioned to create [[Charlotte County, Province of New York|Charlotte County]],<ref>New York Colonial Laws, Chapter 1534; Section 5; Paragraph 321)</ref> 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, Vermont|Cumberland County]] and organized the same year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/documents/VT_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm|title=Vermont: Individual County Chronologies|website=Vermont Atlas of Historical County Boundaries|publisher=[[Newberry Library|The Newberry Library]]|date=2008|access-date=June 30, 2015}}</ref>

Windsor County is notable for being the birthplace and burial site of [[Calvin Coolidge]], the [[List of presidents of the United States|30th]] [[President of the United States|U.S. President]] and one of two Presidents born in the state (the other being [[Chester A. Arthur]]). [[Joseph Smith|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 {{convert|977|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|969|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|7.4|sqmi}} (0.8%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_50.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=June 29, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files}}</ref> It is the largest county by area in Vermont.

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Orange County, Vermont|Orange County]] - north
* [[Grafton County, New Hampshire]] - northeast
* [[Sullivan County, New Hampshire]] - east
* [[Windham County, Vermont|Windham County]] - south
* [[Bennington County, Vermont|Bennington County]] - southwest
* [[Rutland County, Vermont|Rutland County]] - west
* [[Addison County, Vermont|Addison County]] - northwest

===National parks===
* [[Green Mountain National Forest]] (part)
* [[Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park]]
* [[White Rocks National Recreation Area]] (part)

===Major highways===
{{div col|content=
* {{jct|state=VT|I|89}}
* {{jct|state=VT|I|91}}
* {{jct|state=VT|US|4}}
* {{jct|state=VT|US|5}}
* {{jct|state=VT|VT|10}}
* {{jct|state=VT|VT|11}}
* {{jct|state=VT|VT|12}}
* {{jct|state=VT|VT|14}}
* {{jct|state=VT|Town|35}}
* {{jct|state=VT|VT|44}}
* {{jct|state=VT|VT|73}}
* {{jct|state=VT|VT|100}}
* {{jct|state=VT|VT|100A}}
* {{jct|state=VT|VT|103}}
* {{jct|state=VT|VT|106}}
* {{jct|state=VT|VT|107}}
* {{jct|state=VT|VT|131}}
* {{jct|state=VT|Dual|132}}
* {{jct|state=VT|VT|155}}
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1790= 15740
|1800= 26944
|1810= 34877
|1820= 38233
|1830= 40625
|1840= 40356
|1850= 38504
|1860= 37193
|1870= 36063
|1880= 35196
|1890= 31706
|1900= 32225
|1910= 33681
|1920= 36984
|1930= 37416
|1940= 37862
|1950= 40885
|1960= 42483
|1970= 44082
|1980= 51030
|1990= 54055
|2000= 57418
|2010= 56670
|2020= 57753
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=June 29, 2015}}</ref><br />1790–1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=June 29, 2015}}</ref> 1900–1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/vt190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|editor-last=Forstall|editor-first=Richard L.|date=March 27, 1995|access-date=June 29, 2015}}</ref><br />1990–2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|date=April 2, 2001|access-date=June 29, 2015}}</ref> 2010–2018<ref name="QF"/>
}}

===2000 census===
As of the [[2000 United States Census|2000 census]],<ref name="GR8">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=May 14, 2011|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> there were 57,418 people, 24,162 households, and 15,729 families living in the county. The population density was {{convert|59|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 31,621 housing units at an average density of {{convert|33|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 97.72% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 0.33% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.23% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.63% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.03% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.15% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.91% from two or more races. 0.82% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race. 20.1% were of [[English people|English]], 12.9% [[Irish people|Irish]], 10.9% [[United States|American]], 9.9% [[French people|French]], 7.7% [[German people|German]], 6.7% [[French Canadian]] and 5.5% [[Italian people|Italian]] ancestry. 96.4% spoke [[English language|English]] and 1.5% [[French language|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 [[Marriage|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.<ref>{{cite book|author=Sutkowski, Matt|title=Census: State older, a little more diverse|publisher=Burlington Free Press|date=August 7, 2008}}</ref>

===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.<ref name="census-dp1">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US50027
  |title=DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data
  |access-date=January 20, 2016
|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20150201193257/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US50027
  |archive-date=February 1, 2015
|url-status=dead
  }}</ref> The population density was {{convert|58.5|PD/sqmi}}. There were 34,118 housing units at an average density of {{convert|35.2|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}.<ref name="census-density">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY07/0500000US50027
  |access-date=January 20, 2016
|title=Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County
  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213190336/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY07/0500000US50027
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
|url-status=dead
  }}</ref> 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.<ref name="census-dp1"/>

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.<ref name="census-dp1"/>

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.<ref name="census-dp3">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US50027
  |title=DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates
  |access-date=January 20, 2016
|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213032442/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US50027
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
|url-status=dead
  }}</ref>

==Politics==
Since Vermont began using the popular vote in presidential elections in [[1828 United States presidential election in Vermont|1828]], Windsor County has voted for the statewide winner in every presidential election in the state's history with the exception of [[1912 United States presidential election in Vermont|1912]] when it voted for [[Progressive Party (United States, 1912)|Progressive]] candidate [[Theodore Roosevelt]] over statewide winner [[William Howard Taft|William Taft]]. Mirroring the politics of the state as a whole, Windsor County was solidly [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] from its inception in the [[1856 United States presidential election in Vermont|1856]] election until the 1980s, voting only for [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] [[Lyndon B. Johnson|Lyndon Johnson]] in [[1964 United States presidential election in Vermont|1964]] when he faced the highly conservative [[Barry Goldwater]]. It has supported the Democratic presidential candidate in every election since [[1992 United States presidential election in Vermont|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.

{{PresHead|place=Windsor County, Vermont|source=<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=March 26, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Democratic|10,458|22,569|1,262|Vermont}}
{{PresRow|2020|Democratic|9,971|23,376|1,099|Vermont}}
{{PresRow|2016|Democratic|8,605|17,556|3,767|Vermont}}
{{PresRow|2012|Democratic|8,598|19,494|607|Vermont}}
{{PresRow|2008|Democratic|9,084|21,444|637|Vermont}}
{{PresRow|2004|Democratic|11,491|18,561|715|Vermont}}
{{PresRow|2000|Democratic|11,713|15,140|2,294|Vermont}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|8,015|14,070|3,938|Vermont}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|9,035|13,871|6,286|Vermont}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|12,584|12,009|337|Vermont}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|14,054|9,869|324|Vermont}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|10,470|8,067|4,366|Vermont}}
{{PresRow|1976|Republican|11,001|8,282|433|Vermont}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|12,421|6,989|122|Vermont}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|9,795|6,986|566|Vermont}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|5,859|12,163|1|Vermont}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|12,657|6,250|2|Vermont}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|14,157|3,820|5|Vermont}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|13,941|3,791|37|Vermont}}
{{PresRow|1948|Republican|9,626|3,736|206|Vermont}}
{{PresRow|1944|Republican|9,930|5,089|0|Vermont}}
{{PresRow|1940|Republican|9,109|5,475|28|Vermont}}
{{PresRow|1936|Republican|9,489|5,084|49|Vermont}}
{{PresRow|1932|Republican|9,353|4,343|231|Vermont}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|10,739|2,747|29|Vermont}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|10,223|1,015|322|Vermont}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|8,400|1,714|61|Vermont}}
{{PresRow|1916|Republican|4,236|2,216|111|Vermont}}
{{PresRow|1912|Progressive|2,409|1,302|2,716|Vermont}}
{{PresRow|1908|Republican|4,683|907|148|Vermont}}
{{PresRow|1904|Republican|4,830|797|141|Vermont}}
{{PresRow|1900|Republican|5,227|943|34|Vermont}}
{{PresRow|1896|Republican|6,128|674|160|Vermont}}
{{PresRow|1892|Republican|4,753|1,329|108|Vermont}}
{{PresRow|1888|Republican|5,163|1,457|220|Vermont}}
{{PresRow|1884|Republican|5,110|1,601|173|Vermont}}
{{PresRow|1880|Republican|6,122|1,740|59|Vermont}}
|}

==Transportation==
<!---needs inventory of major roads--->
In 2009, the [[United States Department of Transportation]] measured {{convert|113.6|mi}} of "major arteries", the highest in the state.<ref>{{cite news | first=Brad |last=Heath |first2=Dan |last2=McLean |title=Funds bypass worst roads |work=Burlington Free Press | pages= 1A | date=September 25, 2009 }}</ref>

Because [[U.S. Route 4 in Vermont|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.<ref name="bg090118">{{cite news | last=Shinn |first=Peggy |title = Not so fast (or else) on these Vermont highways | work= Boston Globe | date = January 18, 2009 |url=http://archive.boston.com/travel/explorene/vermont/articles/2009/01/18/not_so_fast_or_else_on_these_vermont_highways/ |access-date=January 23, 2019}}</ref>

==Communities==

===Towns===
{{div col|colwidth=15em|content=
* [[Andover, Vermont|Andover]]
* [[Baltimore, Vermont|Baltimore]]
* [[Barnard, Vermont|Barnard]]
* [[Bethel, Vermont|Bethel]]
* [[Bridgewater, Vermont|Bridgewater]]
* [[Cavendish, Vermont|Cavendish]]
* [[Chester, Vermont|Chester]]
* [[Hartford, Vermont|Hartford]]
* [[Hartland, Vermont|Hartland]]
* [[Ludlow (town), Vermont|Ludlow]]
* [[Norwich, Vermont|Norwich]]
* [[Plymouth, Vermont|Plymouth]]
* [[Pomfret, Vermont|Pomfret]]
* [[Reading, Vermont|Reading]]
* [[Rochester, Vermont|Rochester]]
* [[Royalton, Vermont|Royalton]]
* [[Sharon, Vermont|Sharon]]
* [[Springfield (town), Vermont|Springfield]]
* [[Stockbridge, Vermont|Stockbridge]]
* [[Weathersfield, Vermont|Weathersfield]]
* [[West Windsor, Vermont|West Windsor]]
* [[Weston, Vermont|Weston]]
* [[Windsor, Vermont|Windsor]]
* [[Woodstock, Vermont|Woodstock]] (shire town)
}}

===Villages===
Villages are census divisions, but have no separate corporate existence from the surrounding towns.
* [[Ludlow (village), Vermont|Ludlow]]
* [[Perkinsville, Vermont|Perkinsville]]
* [[Woodstock (village), Vermont|Woodstock]]

===Census-designated places===
{{div col|colwidth=15em|content=
* [[Ascutney, Vermont|Ascutney]]
* [[Bethel (CDP), Vermont|Bethel]]
* [[Cavendish (CDP), Vermont|Cavendish]]
* [[Chester (CDP), Vermont|Chester]]
* [[Hartford (village), Vermont|Hartford Village]]
* [[Hartland (CDP), Vermont|Hartland]]
* [[North Hartland, Vermont|North Hartland]]
* [[North Springfield, Vermont|North Springfield]]
* [[Norwich (CDP), Vermont|Norwich]]
* [[Proctorsville, Vermont|Proctorsville]]
* [[Quechee, Vermont|Quechee]]
* [[Rochester (CDP), Vermont|Rochester]]
* [[South Royalton, Vermont|South Royalton]]
* [[South Woodstock, Vermont|South Woodstock]]
* [[Springfield (CDP), Vermont|Springfield]]
* [[West Woodstock, Vermont|West Woodstock]]
* [[Weston (CDP), Vermont|Weston]]
* [[White River Junction, Vermont|White River Junction]]
* [[Wilder, Vermont|Wilder]]
* [[Windsor (CDP), Vermont|Windsor]]
}}

===Unincorporated communities===
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Brownsville, Vermont|Brownsville]]
* [[Felchville, Vermont|Felchville]]
* [[Gaysville, Vermont|Gaysville]]
* [[Hartland Four Corners, Vermont|Hartland Four Corners]]
* [[Lewiston, Vermont|Lewiston]]
* [[North Pomfret, Vermont|North Pomfret]]
* [[Plymouth Notch, Vermont|Plymouth Notch]]
* [[Weathersfield Bow, Vermont|Weathersfield Bow]]
* [[West Hartford, Vermont|West Hartford]]
{{Div col end}}

==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==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/VT/Windsor/districts.html National Register of Historic Places listing for Windsor Co., Vermont]

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Windsor County, Vermont
|North     = [[Orange County, Vermont|Orange County]]
|Northeast = [[Grafton County, New Hampshire]]
|East      = [[Sullivan County, New Hampshire]]
|Southeast =
|South     = [[Windham County, Vermont|Windham County]]
|Southwest = [[Bennington County, Vermont|Bennington County]]
|West      = [[Rutland County, Vermont|Rutland County]]
|Northwest = [[Addison County, Vermont|Addison County]]
}}

{{Windsor County, Vermont}}
{{Vermont}}
{{Authority control}}
{{coord|43.57|-72.57|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-VT_source:UScensus1990}}

[[Category:Windsor County, Vermont| ]]
[[Category:1781 establishments in Vermont]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1781]]
[[Category:Lebanon micropolitan area]]