Chesterfield, Massachusetts
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Chesterfield is a rural recreational hill town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, 8 miles southeast of Pittsfield and 108 miles west of Boston. The town was settled around 1755 and the town center, established after the 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there were sawmills and tanneries in operation as well as cloth dressing mills, and in the early 19th century these superseded farming and brought in a small immigrant population that was mostly Irish. Progress wiped out most of the industry in Chesterfield and by the turn of the century a re-emerging agricultural economy developed alongside the growing trade from summer residents. Today, the small community is home to 1201 residents.
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History
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Chesterfield was first settled in 1760 and was officially incorporated in 1762.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 81.0 km² (31.3 mi²). 80.5 km² (31.1 mi²) of it is land and 0.5 km² (0.2 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 0.61% water.
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there are 1,201 people, 447 households, and 324 families residing in the town. The population density is 14.9/km² (38.6/mi²). There are 524 housing units at an average density of 6.5/km² (16.8/mi²). The racial makeup of the town is 98.67% White, 0.00% African American, 0.00% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 0.25% Pacific Islander, 0.08% from other races, and 0.75% from two or more races. 0.08% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 447 households out of which 34.0% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.6% are married couples living together, 7.8% have a female householder with no husband present, and 27.3% are non-families. 18.8% of all households are made up of individuals and 6.5% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.69 and the average family size is 3.09.
In the town the population is spread out with 25.7% 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 are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 40 years. For every 100 females there are 99.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 96.0 males.
The median income for a household in the town is $49,063, and the median income for a family is $57,361. Males have a median income of $35,417 versus $27,788 for females. The per capita income for the town is $19,220. 5.7% of the population and 3.4% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 5.7% of those under the age of 18 and 3.4% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
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Areas of intrest
(note- links may be external)
- Roberts’ Family Farm (http://www.robertsfamilyfarm.com)
"Pick your own" Blueberries! 222 South Street Chesterfield, MA 413-296-4080
- Chesterfield Scout Reservation (http://sne.tripod.com/gtc.htm)
Sugar Hill Road, Chesterfield, MA 01096 Camp TEL: 413-296-4248
- Chesterfield Antiques (http://www.berkshireantiquesandart.com/61che.html) "A stock of 18th and 19th century American furniture and accessories. Dealers welcome."
Rte. 143 Chesterfield, MA 01012 (413) 296-4252