Philadelphia (town), New York

Philadelphia is a town in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The population was 2,140 at the 2000 census.

The Town of Philadelphia contains a village called Philadelphia. Both town and village are in the northeast part of Jefferson County, northeast of Watertown.

History

The town was first settled around 1804.

The town was formed in 1821 from part of the Town of Le Ray.

In 1872, the community of Philadelphia set itself off from the town by incorporating as a village.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 37.6 square miles (97.4 km²), all of it land.

US Route 11 is a northeast-southwest highway near the southeast town line. It intersects New York State Route 26 at Philadelphia village.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 2,140 people, 759 households, and 582 families residing in the town. The population density was 56.9 people per square mile (22.0/km²). There were 823 housing units at an average density of 21.9/sq mi (8.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 88.93% White, 4.91% Black or African American, 0.61% Native American, 1.17% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 2.06% from other races, and 2.24% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.16% of the population.

There were 759 households out of which 45.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.6% were married couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.2% were non-families. 19.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.20.

In the town the population was spread out with 33.7% under the age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 32.0% from 25 to 44, 15.7% from 45 to 64, and 8.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 96.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $31,250, and the median income for a family was $35,909. Males had a median income of $29,605 versus $21,121 for females. The per capita income for the town was $13,555. About 12.2% of families and 13.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.2% of those under age 18 and 15.5% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and location in the Town of Philadelphia

*Philadelphia (originally "Quaker Settlement") -- The Village of Philadelphia near the center of the town on US-11.
*DeLauney Mills -- A former location in the town.
*Fort Drum -- Part of the military reservation in the eastern part of Philadelphia.
*Pine Plains -- A location in the south part of the town, near Sterlingville.
*Rogers -- A location in the south corner of the town, south of Strickland Corners on County Road 30.
*Shurtleff Corners -- A location on the northwest town line, northwest of Philadelphia village on NY-26.
*Strickland Corners -- A location in the south corner of the town on County Road 30, northwest of Sterlingville.
*Sterlingville -- A hamlet in the south corner of the town.
*Whitney Corners -- A location on County Road 20, west of Philadelphia village.

References