Cheshire, Connecticut
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Cheshire is a town located in New Haven County, Connecticut. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 28,543.
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History
When Cheshire was originally settled by Europeans, it was part of the town of Wallingford and known locally as "Northfarms". In 1780, Cheshire separated from Wallingford to become its own town, and for the next 170 years, Cheshire remained a small but prosperous farming town.
In the post-war period, Cheshire began to suburbanize as residents of New Haven began moving outwards from the urban core. Several industrial plants also located themselves in one of the town's many planned industrial parks. Despite significant residential development, Cheshire has remained a highly agricultural town that has found an economic niche in producing bedding plants for local and national consumers. The town's slogan is "The Bedding Plant Capital of Connecticut".
Well known people born in Cheshire include James Van Der Beek, Ron Palillo ("Horshack" from Welcome Back Kotter) and Brian Leetch of the NHL (not born there, but grew up there).
Culture and notable features
Every June, the town celebrates its annual Strawberry Festival on the town green. The town is also known for its highly competative high school sports team, the Cheshire Rams, and its rivalry with Amity High School.
Cheshire Academy (originally The Episcopal Academy of Connecticut) was founded in Cheshire in 1794.
Cheshire is home to two large state prison facilities located in the northern section of town. The largest of these facilities is the Cheshire Correctional Institution, which opened in 1910. In 1982, the Manson Youth Institution opened adjacent to the CCI. These prisons explain the skewed male/female ratios listed below.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 86.5 km² (33.4 mi²). 85.2 km² (32.9 mi²) of it is land and 1.3 km² (0.5 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 1.50% water.
Cheshire is located in the midst of several major cities of Connecticut. It lays fourteen miles north of New Haven, twenty-five miles south of the capital Hartford, and is adjacent to Waterbury.
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there are 28,543 people, 9,349 households, and 7,254 families residing in the town. The population density is 334.9/km² (867.4/mi²). There are 9,588 housing units at an average density of 112.5/km² (291.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the town is 89.40% White, 4.67% African American, 0.22% Native American, 2.63% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.91% from other races, and 1.15% from two or more races. 3.84% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 9,349 households out of which 39.1% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.5% are married couples living together, 6.9% have a female householder with no husband present, and 22.4% are non-families. 19.4% of all households are made up of individuals and 9.6% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.71 and the average family size is 3.14.
In the town the population is spread out with 25.2% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 12.6% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 38 years. For every 100 females there are 113.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 114.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town is $80,466, and the median income for a family is $90,774. Males have a median income of $60,078 versus $38,471 for females. The per capita income for the town is $33,903. 3.0% of the population and 1.6% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 2.4% of those under the age of 18 and 4.3% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
External links
Town of Cheshire official Web site (http://www.cheshirect.org/)de:Cheshire (Connecticut)