Marion, Massachusetts
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Marion is a town located in Plymouth County, Massachusetts. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 5,123.
For geographic and demographic information on the village of Marion Center, please see the article Marion Center, Massachusetts.
History
Marion was first settled in 1679 and was officially incorporated in 1852. It was the home of Benjamin Briggs, captain of the Mary Celeste. Marion is part of the Old Rochester Regional school district, which also serves neighboring Mattapoisett and Rochester. The public elementary school in Marion is Sippican Elementary school, which serves grades preK-6. The public junior high and high schools are located in Mattapoisett and serve students from Marion, Mattapoisett, and Rochester. There are also several private preschools and kindergartens in Marion, as well as the boarding/prep school Tabor Academy ([www.taboracademy.org]), serving grades 9-12. Marion has lots of waterfront, with a public beach, town pier, and many large waterfront homes. Marion is cold in the winter, generally getting down to about 1o° Fahrenheit, and warm in the summer, usually in the mid-eighties. Many homes in Marion are summer homes, with their residents coming to enjoy the warm summer weather and beaches.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 69.1 km² (26.7 mi²). 37.9 km² (14.6 mi²) of it is land and 31.2 km² (12.1 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 45.19% water.
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there are 5,123 people, 1,996 households, and 1,441 families residing in the town. The population density is 135.2/km² (350.2/mi²). There are 2,439 housing units at an average density of 64.4/km² (166.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the town is 92.17% White, 1.58% African American, 0.10% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 3.46% from other races, and 2.26% from two or more races. 0.55% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 1,996 households out of which 31.7% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.4% are married couples living together, 8.4% have a female householder with no husband present, and 27.8% are non-families. 24.1% of all households are made up of individuals and 11.9% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.51 and the average family size is 3.00.
In the town the population is spread out with 25.1% under the age of 18, 4.2% from 18 to 24, 24.7% from 25 to 44, 28.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.7% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 42 years. For every 100 females there are 92.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 87.8 males.
The median income for a household in the town is $61,250, and the median income for a family is $74,265. Males have a median income of $46,711 versus $35,911 for females. The per capita income for the town is $37,265. 4.6% of the population and 3.5% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 7.0% of those under the age of 18 and 2.0% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.