Shrewsbury, Vermont
Encyclopedia
Shrewsbury is a town
in Rutland County, Vermont
, United States
. The town was named for the Earl of Shrewsbury
. The population was 1,056 at the 2010 census.
Shrewsbury is the home of former U.S. Senator Jim Jeffords
. In the late 1980s, the town received worldwide attention from the media, when a moose
spent several months unsuccessfully courting a local farmer's cow.
The town has a small elementary school (Shrewsbury Mountain School), and the high school students attend Mill River Union High School
in Clarendon
.
The meetinghouse, located in Shrewsbury Center, houses the community church and is host to activities such as a talent show and contra dances. The fire department is made up of volunteers and is located in Cuttingsville. There is also a small volunteer library.
The town has a very low crime rate, with only occasional cases of vandalism
or burglary
. There has not been a murder in Shrewsbury since the 1880s.
, the town has a total area of 50.2 square miles (130 km²), of which 50.1 square miles (129.8 km²) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) is water.
of 2000, there were 1,108 people, 426 households, and 322 families residing in the town. The population density
was 22.1 people per square mile (8.5/km2). There were 506 housing units at an average density of 10.1 per square mile (3.9/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.29% White, 0.18% African American, 0.27% Asian, 0.90% from other races
, and 0.36% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.26% of the population.
There were 426 households out of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.3% were married couples
living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.2% were non-families. 19.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 2.90.
In the town the population was spread out with 24.0% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 32.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 98.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $48,472, and the median income for a family was $51,681. Males had a median income of $37,656 versus $25,125 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $22,042. About 2.2% of families and 6.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.7% of those under age 18 and 1.5% of those age 65 or over.
New England town
The New England town is the basic unit of local government in each of the six New England states. Without a direct counterpart in most other U.S. states, New England towns are conceptually similar to civil townships in other states, but are incorporated, possessing powers like cities in other...
in Rutland County, Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The town was named for the Earl of Shrewsbury
Earl of Shrewsbury
Earl of Shrewsbury is a hereditary title of nobility created twice in the peerage of England.-First creation, 1074:The first creation occurred in 1074 for Roger de Montgomerie, one of William the Conqueror's principal counselors...
. The population was 1,056 at the 2010 census.
Shrewsbury is the home of former U.S. Senator Jim Jeffords
Jim Jeffords
James Merrill "Jim" Jeffords is a former U.S. Senator from Vermont. He served as a Republican until 2001, when he left the party to become an independent. He retired from the Senate in 2006.-Background:...
. In the late 1980s, the town received worldwide attention from the media, when a moose
Moose
The moose or Eurasian elk is the largest extant species in the deer family. Moose are distinguished by the palmate antlers of the males; other members of the family have antlers with a dendritic configuration...
spent several months unsuccessfully courting a local farmer's cow.
Local culture
There are several local businesses, including a breakfast restaurant called Over Easy's, a hair salon, a Ford dealership, and a number of small businesses. However, the vast majority of citizens work outside of the town, many in nearby Rutland.The town has a small elementary school (Shrewsbury Mountain School), and the high school students attend Mill River Union High School
Mill River Union High School
Mill River Union High School, commonly known as Mill River or MRU, is a public junior-senior high school in Clarendon, Vermont. and is part of the Rutland South Supervisory Union...
in Clarendon
Clarendon, Vermont
Clarendon is a town in Rutland County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,571 at the 2010 census. Clarendon spans U.S. Route 7 and is split by the highway, the Cold River and Mill River, Otter Creek, and the Green Mountains into the villages of Clarendon, West Clarendon, East Clarendon,...
.
The meetinghouse, located in Shrewsbury Center, houses the community church and is host to activities such as a talent show and contra dances. The fire department is made up of volunteers and is located in Cuttingsville. There is also a small volunteer library.
The town has a very low crime rate, with only occasional cases of vandalism
Vandalism
Vandalism is the behaviour attributed originally to the Vandals, by the Romans, in respect of culture: ruthless destruction or spoiling of anything beautiful or venerable...
or burglary
Burglary
Burglary is a crime, the essence of which is illicit entry into a building for the purposes of committing an offense. Usually that offense will be theft, but most jurisdictions specify others which fall within the ambit of burglary...
. There has not been a murder in Shrewsbury since the 1880s.
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 50.2 square miles (130 km²), of which 50.1 square miles (129.8 km²) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) is water.
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 1,108 people, 426 households, and 322 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 22.1 people per square mile (8.5/km2). There were 506 housing units at an average density of 10.1 per square mile (3.9/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.29% White, 0.18% African American, 0.27% Asian, 0.90% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.36% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.26% of the population.
There were 426 households out of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.3% 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, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.2% were non-families. 19.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 2.90.
In the town the population was spread out with 24.0% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 32.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 98.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $48,472, and the median income for a family was $51,681. Males had a median income of $37,656 versus $25,125 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 $22,042. About 2.2% of families and 6.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.7% of those under age 18 and 1.5% of those age 65 or over.