Weymouth, Massachusetts
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Weymouth is a city located in Norfolk County, Massachusetts. As of the 2000 census, Weymouth had a total population of 53,988.
Although it is legally a city, Weymouth officially describes itself as a "town".
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History
The site of Weymouth first saw European inhabitants in 1622 as Wessagusset, an offshoot of the Plymouth settlement. In 1624, according to town lore, the settlement was bolstered by the arrival of the ship "Charity" from Weymouth, England, including one Richard Harding, the ancestor of President Warren Harding. It became part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630 with 500 inhabitants and was officially incorporated in 1635, then assuming its present name.
Myles Standish is credited with saving the settlement in its early years from Indian attack, hoping that doing so would preempt an attack on Plymouth.
Weymouth boasts the house where Abigail Adams, wife of President John Adams, was born.
Weymouth was heavily involved in the shoemaking industry from the first years of the 1700s right through to 1973, when the Stetson Shoe Company closed its doors.
Three Weymouth citizens have been awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor: William Seach, serving in the Boxer Rebellion in China; Eldon Johnson, serving in World War II; and Ralph Talbot, a pilot in World War I.
Geography
Weymouth is located at 42°12'23" North, 70°56'45" West (42.206458, -70.945919)Template:GR.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 56.0 km² (21.6 mi²). 44.1 km² (17.0 mi²) of it is land and 11.9 km² (4.6 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 21.29% water.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 53,988 people, 22,028 households, and 13,921 families residing in the town. The population density is 1,225.4/km² (3,174.2/mi²). There are 22,573 housing units at an average density of 512.4/km² (1,327.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the town is 94.89% White, 1.44% Black or African American, 0.19% Native American, 1.56% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.64% from other races, and 1.23% from two or more races. 1.34% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 22,028 households out of which 27.3% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.6% are married couples living together, 11.1% have a female householder with no husband present, and 36.8% are non-families. 30.6% of all households are made up of individuals and 11.1% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.42 and the average family size is 3.08.
In the town the population is spread out with 22.0% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 32.7% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 38 years. For every 100 females there are 90.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 86.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town is $51,665, and the median income for a family is $64,083. Males have a median income of $42,497 versus $35,963 for females. The per capita income for the town is $24,976. 5.8% of the population and 4.1% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 7.3% of those under the age of 18 and 7.4% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
External links
- Town of Weymouth (http://www.weymouth.ma.us/)
- Weymouth, MA (http://www.weymouth-ma.info/)
- The Weymouth News (http://www.townonline.com/weymouth/)