Northfield, Vermont

Northfield was chartered in 1781,[1] and incorporated in 1855.[2] The community was named after Northfield, Massachusetts.[6]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 43.6 square miles (113.0 km²), of which 43.5 square miles (112.7 km²) is land and 0.12 square miles (0.3 km²), or 0.29%, is water.[7]

The geographic center of Vermont is located within the town, with markers on the university campus of the geographical and magnetic centers.

As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 5,791 people, 1,819 households, and 1,224 families residing in the town. The population density was 132.5 people per square mile (51.2/km²). There were 1,958 housing units at an average density of 44.8 per square mile (17.3/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.41% White, 1.02% Black or African American, 0.36% Native American, 1.33% Asian, 0.43% from other races, and 1.45% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.21% of the population.

There were 1,819 households, out of which 32.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.5% were couples living together and joined in either marriage or civil union, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.7% were non-families. Of all households 24.3% were made up of individuals, and 9.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 19.4% under the age of 18, 27.2% from 18 to 24, 22.8% from 25 to 44, 18.9% from 45 to 64, and 11.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 122.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 122.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $41,523, and the median income for a family was $51,818. Males had a median income of $32,168 versus $24,781 for females. The per capita income for the town was $15,592. About 3.2% of families and 6.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.4% of those under age 18 and 6.2% of those age 65 or over.

Norwich University enrolls undergraduate students, and has a large online graduate program.[11]

Winter at Norwich University, the town's main employer, located just south of downtown

Published locally is the Northfield News & Transcript.[12][13] It is a weekly newspaper and was established in 1878 by George Richmond.

The town's largest employer is Norwich University, followed by Cabot Hosiery Mills.[14]

• Henry M. Bates, Vermont State Treasurer[15]
• Murdock A. Campbell, United States Army Major General and Adjutant General, Vermont National Guard[16]
• John P. Connarn, Vermont House of Representatives, 1957–1965; Vermont Attorney General, 1965–1967; Judge, Vermont District Court, 1967–1985[17]
• Reginald M. Cram, United States Air Force Major General and Adjutant General of the Vermont National Guard[18]
• Joseph H. Denny, Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives and President pro tempore of the Vermont State Senate[19]
• Alonzo Jackman, Norwich University professor and Brigadier General of the Vermont Militia in the American Civil War[20]
• Hollis Latham, Wisconsin state legislator and farmer (born in Northfield)[21]
• George Nichols, Secretary of State of Vermont and president of Norwich University[22]
• Charles Paine, president of the Vermont Central Railroad and the 15th governor of Vermont
• Charles Plumley, congressman from Vermont[23]
• Frank Plumley, congressman from Vermont[24]
• Beatrice Corliss, first woman mayor of Gloucester, Massachusetts and, later, a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, moved to Northfield after a life of public service.

• Central Vermont Railway
• Central Vermont Railway Depot (Northfield, Vermont)
• Northfield Savings Bank

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Northfield, Vermont.

• Town of Northfield official website
• "Northfield, a village of Washington county, Vermont, U.S.A." . Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). 1911.