Harford, New York
Encyclopedia
Harford is a town
in Cortland County
, New York
, United States
. The population was 920 at the 2000 census.
The Town of Harford is in the southwest part of Cortland County and is south of the City of Cortland
.
in a tract Township called "Virgil."
The town was first settled around 1803.
The town was established in 1845 from part of the Town of Virgil
.
By 1865, the population was 888.
In the 1970s, Cornell University
bought extensive tracts of land for livestock
research.
, the town has a total area of 24.2 square miles (62.7 km²), all of it land.
The west town line is the border of Tompkins County
and the south town line is the border of Tioga County
.
New York State Route 38
runs diagonally across the southwest corner of Harford. New York State Route 200 intersects New York State Route 221
east of Harford village.
The East Branch of the Owego Creek flows southward through the town. Because of the steep hills in the north of the town, the larger settlements are in the south part.
of 2000, there were 920 people, 341 households, and 246 families residing in the town. The population density
was 38.1 people per square mile (14.7/km²). There were 363 housing units at an average density of 15.0 per square mile (5.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.72% White, 1.30% African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.11% Asian, and 0.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.22% of the population.
There were 341 households out of which 36.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.8% were married couples
living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.6% were non-families. 21.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.15.
In the town the population was spread out with 30.0% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 99.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $33,750, and the median income for a family was $41,111. Males had a median income of $29,044 versus $20,673 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $16,346. About 6.0% of families and 8.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.5% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in Cortland County
Cortland County, New York
Cortland County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, named after Federico Van Cortlandt, president of the convention at Kingston that wrote the first New York State Constitution in 1777, and first lieutenant governor of the state. The county seat is Cortland...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 920 at the 2000 census.
The Town of Harford is in the southwest part of Cortland County and is south of the City of Cortland
Cortland, New York
Cortland is a city in Cortland County, New York, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a population of 18,740. It is the county seat of Cortland County.The City of Cortland, near the west border of the county, is surrounded by the Town of Cortlandville....
.
History
Harford was in the former Central New York Military TractCentral New York Military Tract
The Military Tract of Central New York, also called the New Military Tract, consisted of nearly two million acres of bounty land set aside to compensate New York’s soldiers after their participation in the Revolutionary War....
in a tract Township called "Virgil."
The town was first settled around 1803.
The town was established in 1845 from part of the Town of Virgil
Virgil, New York
Virgil is a town in Cortland County, New York, United States. The population was 2,287 at the 2000 census. The name is from the Roman poet Virgil...
.
By 1865, the population was 888.
In the 1970s, Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
bought extensive tracts of land for livestock
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
research.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 24.2 square miles (62.7 km²), all of it land.
The west town line is the border of Tompkins County
Tompkins County, New York
Tompkins County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, and comprises the whole of the Ithaca metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 101,564. The county seat is Ithaca, and the county is home to Cornell University, Ithaca College and Tompkins Cortland Community...
and the south town line is the border of Tioga County
Tioga County, New York
As of the census of 2010, there were 51,125 people residing in the county, with 22,203 housing units, of these 20,350 occupied, 1,853 vacant. The population density was 98 people per square mile...
.
New York State Route 38
New York State Route 38
New York State Route 38 is a north–south state highway in the Finger Lakes region of New York in the United States. Its southern terminus is at an intersection with NY 96 in the town of Owego in Tioga County. The northern terminus is at a junction with NY 104A in the town of...
runs diagonally across the southwest corner of Harford. New York State Route 200 intersects New York State Route 221
New York State Route 221
New York State Route 221 is a state highway in Cortland County, New York, United States. Its western terminus is at NY 38 in the town of Harford. The eastern terminus is at NY 26 and NY 41 in the town of Willet. Near its western end, NY 221 intersects New York State...
east of Harford village.
The East Branch of the Owego Creek flows southward through the town. Because of the steep hills in the north of the town, the larger settlements are in the south part.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 920 people, 341 households, and 246 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 38.1 people per square mile (14.7/km²). There were 363 housing units at an average density of 15.0 per square mile (5.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.72% White, 1.30% African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.11% Asian, and 0.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.22% of the population.
There were 341 households out of which 36.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.8% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.6% were non-families. 21.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.15.
In the town the population was spread out with 30.0% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 99.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $33,750, and the median income for a family was $41,111. Males had a median income of $29,044 versus $20,673 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $16,346. About 6.0% of families and 8.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.5% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over.
Communities and locations in Harford
- Griggs Gulf – A small valley north of Harford Mills.
- Harford – The hamletHamlet (place)A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
of Harford, located on NY Route 38New York State Route 38New York State Route 38 is a north–south state highway in the Finger Lakes region of New York in the United States. Its southern terminus is at an intersection with NY 96 in the town of Owego in Tioga County. The northern terminus is at a junction with NY 104A in the town of...
, is in the southwest part of the town. - Harford Mills (formerly "South Harford") – A hamlet, southeast of Harford village, is near the south town line.