Somerset, Maryland
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Somerset is a town located in Montgomery County, Maryland, near the District of Columbia border. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 1,124.
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Geography
Somerset is located at 38°58'2" North, 77°5'41" West (38.967110, -77.094824)Template:GR.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.7 km² (0.3 mi²). 0.7 km² (0.3 mi²) of it is land and none of it is covered by water.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 1,124 people, 406 households, and 326 families residing in the town. The population density is 1,549.9/km² (4,001.0/mi²). There are 419 housing units at an average density of 577.8/km² (1,491.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the town is 94.04% White, 0.89% African American, 0.00% Native American, 3.38% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.89% from other races, and 0.80% from two or more races. 2.94% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 406 households out of which 38.7% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 74.1% are married couples living together, 4.9% have a female householder with no husband present, and 19.7% are non-families. 16.0% 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 2.77 and the average family size is 3.05.
In the town the population is spread out with 28.1% under the age of 18, 3.5% from 18 to 24, 16.5% from 25 to 44, 32.7% from 45 to 64, and 19.3% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 46 years. For every 100 females there are 98.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 87.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town is $144,523, and the median income for a family is $149,057. Males have a median income of $100,000 versus $80,762 for females. The per capita income for the town is $82,368. 2.7% of the population and 0.0% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 0.0% of those under the age of 18 and 0.0% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
History
Although Somerset was originally incorporated as a town in 1906, its history dates back to 1890 when 5 government scientists purchased a 50 acre parcel of tobacco farmland from the government for the purpose of setting up a residential community. This land was originally part of the Friendship Tract, a 1713 gift of 3,000 acres to a couple of early Maryland colonists which is now the basis for the nearby Friendship Heights area. Five early streets were arranged and remain to this day: Dorset, Warwick, Surrey, Cumberland, and Essex after the English counties. The first home in Somerset was occupied by Dr. Charles A. Crampton in 1893 and by 1905 there were 35 residences. Despite being promoted as an area of "tranquility and refinement", the original Town was plagued by inadequate water drainage, a makeshift sewage system, and no local fire protection or schools. These problems prompted the local citizens to petition the State of Maryland for incorporation into a township so that taxes could be levied to provide these basic surfaces. The Charter was issued in 1906, forming the community of Somerset Heights and the surrounding areas into the Town of Somerset. The first Town Council was elected on May 7, 1906, and Dr. Crampton was elected as the first mayor.
External links
Town of Somerset Homepage (http://www.townofsomerset.com)
Montgomery County, MD History (http://www.montgomeryhistory.org) Template:Mapit-US-cityscale