Brookfield is a
town
A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world.
Origin and use
The word "town" shares an ori ...
in
Madison County,
New York, United States. The population was 2,403 at the 2000 census.
The Town of Brookfield is located in the southeastern part of the county. The county agricultural fair is held here every year.
History
The town was first settled ''circa'' 1791.
The Town of Brookfield was established in 1795 from part of the town of
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...
, but part was removed in 1805 to form the
Town of Columbus, all this taking place while it was still part of
Chenango County
Chenango County is a county located in the south-central section U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 47,220. Its county seat is Norwich. The county's name originates from an Oneida word meaning 'large bull-thist ...
.
Geography
The northern town line is the border of
Oneida County, and the southern town boundary is the border of Chenango County. The eastern town line is the border of
Otsego County.
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of t ...
, the town has a total area of , of which is land and (0.13%) is water.
Demographics
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...
of 2000, there were 2,403 people, 877 households, and 658 families residing in the town. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...
was 30.8 people per square mile (11.9/km
2). There were 1,041 housing units at an average density of 13.4 per square mile (5.2/km
2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.29%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...
, 0.54%
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.25%
Native American, 0.37%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.04% from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 0.50% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties forme ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 0.33% of the population.
There were 877 households, out of which 37.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.5% were
married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.9% were non-families. 20.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.13.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 28.7% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $31,000 and the median income for a family was $35,000. Males had a median income of $26,462 versus $19,226 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the town was $13,719. About 10.4% of families and 13.9% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 19.4% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over.
Notable people
*
William R. Williams, former US Congressman
*
John Palmer Usher
John Palmer Usher (January 9, 1816 – April 13, 1889) was an American administrator who served in the Cabinet of President Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War.
Life and career
Born in Brookfield, New York, Usher trekked west in ...
, Secretary of the Interior under the Lincoln Administration, was born in Brookfield, NY
*
Myrtilla Miner
Myrtilla Miner (March 4, 1815, near Brookfield, New York – December 17, 1864, Washington, D.C.) was an American educator and abolitionist whose school for African American girls, established against considerable racist opposition, grew into the ...
, educator and abolitionist, was born near Brookfield, NY
Communities and locations in Brookfield
*
Brookfield – The
hamlet
''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...
of Brookfield is in the eastern part of the town on Route 80.
*
Button Falls – A waterfall located southwest of Leonardsville on
Button Creek.
*Guideboard – A hamlet west of Brookfield village on Route 80.
*
Leonardsville – A hamlet near the eastern town line.
*Marsh Corners – A location in the southwestern part of the town.
*Moscow Hill – A hamlet in the western part of the town on Route 95.
*
North Brookfield – A hamlet in the northwestern part of the town.
*River Forks – A location in the northeastern corner of the town.
*
South Brookfield – A hamlet in the southeastern corner of the town.
*West Brookfield – A hamlet north of Moscow Hill, near the western town line.
*
West Edmeston – A hamlet on the eastern town line, partially situated in the
Town of Edmeston.
Education
* Brookfield has one school, the Brookfield Central School, and it instructs grades K-12.
* The Brookfield Central School mascot is the
Beaver.
* The 1982-1983 Brookfield Central School boys varsity basketball team won the Section III tournament and went on to win the New York State Championship in the Class D division.
References
External links
Early history of Brookfield
{{authority control
Syracuse metropolitan area
Populated places established in 1791
Towns in Madison County, New York
1791 establishments in New York (state)