Sharon, Connecticut

Sharon, Connecticut
Town
Hotchkiss Memorial Library

Location in Litchfield County, Connecticut
Coordinates: 41°52′N 73°27′W / 41.867°N 73.450°W / 41.867; -73.450Coordinates: 41°52′N 73°27′W / 41.867°N 73.450°W / 41.867; -73.450
Country  United States
U.S. state  Connecticut
County Litchfield
Region Northwest Hills
Incorporated 1739
Government
 • Type Selectman-town meeting
 • First selectman Brent M. Colley (R)
 • Selectman Dale Jones (R)
 • Selectman Jessica K. Fowler (D)
Area
 • Total 59.6 sq mi (154.4 km2)
 • Land 58.7 sq mi (152.0 km2)
 • Water 0.9 sq mi (2.2 km2)
Elevation 1,135 ft (346 m)
Population (2005)
 • Total 3,052
 • Density 52/sq mi (20/km2)
Time zone UTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−4 (Eastern)
ZIP code 06069
Area code(s) 860

Sharon is a town located in Litchfield County, Connecticut, in the northwest corner of the state. It is bounded on the north by Salisbury, on the east by the Housatonic River, on the south by Kent, and on the west by Dutchess County, New York. At the time of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 2,782, roughly a third more than it had had 230 years earlier. The ZIP code for Sharon is 06069. The urban center of the town is the Sharon census-designated place, with a population of 729 at the 2010 census.[1]

History

The first inhabitants of the area they called Poconnuck were the Mattabesec Native Americans. These were part of what became known as the Wappinger confederacy which in turn belonged to the loose Algonquian confederacy. Sharon is incorporated in 1739. It is named after the Plain of Sharon.[2]

Historic sites

Sharon has 6 sites listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places:

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 59.6 square miles (154.3 km²), of which, 58.7 square miles (152.0 km²) of it is land and 0.9 square miles (2.2 km²) of it is water. The total area is 1.44% water. Sharon is part of the Northwest Highlands of Connecticut, a region in and around the watershed of the Housatonic River. The Appalachian Trail passes through a few miles east of Sharon, near West Cornwall and U.S. Route 7.

Principal communities

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.%±
18202,573—
18502,507—
18602,5562.0%
18702,441−4.5%
18802,5805.7%
18902,149−16.7%
19001,982−7.8%
19101,880−5.1%
19201,585−15.7%
19301,7107.9%
19401,611−5.8%
19501,88917.3%
19602,14113.3%
19702,49116.3%
19802,6235.3%
19902,92811.6%
20002,9681.4%
20102,782−6.3%
Est. 20142,725[3]−2.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[4]

As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 2,968 people, 1,246 households, and 775 families residing in the town. The population density was 50.6 per square mile (19.5/km²). There were 1,617 housing units at an average density of 27.5 per square mile (10.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.87% White, 0.94% African American, 0.57% Asian, 0.44% Native American, 0% Pacific Islander, 0.34% from other races, and 0.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.95% of the population.

There were 1,246 households of which 25.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.9% were married couples living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.8% were non-families. 31.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.87.

In the town, the population was spread out with 21.3% under the age of 18, 4.2% from 18 to 24, 24.4% from 25 to 44, 29.1% from 45 to 64, and 21.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.2 males.

The median household income was $53,000, and the median family income for a family was $71,458. Males had a median income of $42,841 versus $31,375 for females. The per capita income for the town was $45,418. About 3.9% of families and 7.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.4% of those under the age of 18 and none of those 65 and older.

Education

Sharon is a member of Regional School District 01, which also includes the towns of Canaan, Cornwall, Kent, North Canaan, and Salisbury. Public school students attend Sharon Center School from grades K-8 and Housatonic Valley Regional High School from grades 9-12.

Transportation

The town is served by state highways Route 4, Route 41, Route 343, and Route 361.

Notable residents and natives

The presence of Sharon Hospital, a sizeable regional hospital, has led to Sharon being birthplace to several people who did not live in the town:

Alfred Korzybski, founder of the nearby Institute of General Semantics, died at Sharon Hospital March 1, 1950.

References

  1. ↑ https://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/cph-2-8.pdf
  2. ↑ The Connecticut Magazine: An Illustrated Monthly. Connecticut Magazine Company. 1903. p. 334.
  3. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014". Archived from the original on May 23, 2015. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  5. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
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