Dukes County is a
county
A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
located in the
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...
of
. As of the
2020 census, the population was 20,600, making it the
second-least populous county in Massachusetts. Its
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
is
Edgartown
Edgartown is a tourist destination on the island of Martha's Vineyard in Dukes County, Massachusetts, United States, for which it is the county seat.
It was once a major whaling port, with historic houses that have been carefully preserved. Tod ...
.
Dukes County comprises the
Vineyard Haven
Vineyard Haven is a community within the town of Tisbury, Massachusetts on the island of Martha's Vineyard. It is listed as a census-designated place (CDP) by the U.S. Census Bureau with a population of 2,114 as of the 2010 census.
The area was ...
, MA
Micropolitan Statistical Area. The county consists of the island of
Martha's Vineyard
Martha's Vineyard, often simply called the Vineyard, is an island in the Northeastern United States, located south of Cape Cod in Dukes County, Massachusetts, known for being a popular, affluent summer colony. Martha's Vineyard includes the s ...
(including
Chappaquiddick Island
Chappaquiddick Island (Massachusett language: ''tchepi-aquidenet''; colloquially known as "Chappy"), a part of the town of Edgartown, Massachusetts, is a small peninsula and occasional island on the eastern end of Martha's Vineyard. Norton Poi ...
), the
Elizabeth Islands
The Elizabeth Islands are a chain of small islands extending southwest from the southern coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts in the United States. They are located at the outer edge of Buzzards Bay (bay), Buzzards Bay, north of Martha's Vineyard, ...
(including
Cuttyhunk
Cuttyhunk Island is the outermost of the Elizabeth Islands in Massachusetts. A small outpost for the harvesting of sassafras was occupied for a few weeks in 1602, arguably making it the first English settlement in New England. Cuttyhunk is loc ...
), the island of
Nomans Land
Nomans Land (Massachusett language, Wampanoag: ;; also mapped "No Man's Land," "No Mans Land," or "No Man's island"), is an uninhabited island 612 acres (248 ha) in size, located in the town of Chilmark, Massachusetts, Chilmark, Duke ...
, and other associated islets.
History
The original inhabitants of the islands were
Wampanoag
The Wampanoag , also rendered Wôpanâak, are an Indigenous people of the Northeastern Woodlands based in southeastern Massachusetts and historically parts of eastern Rhode Island,Salwen, "Indians of Southern New England and Long Island," p. 17 ...
, who had several villages. Political jurisdiction over the lands were granted by the English monarchy in overlapping claims to two different British nobles, from which Massachusetts Bay Company settler
Thomas Mayhew
Governor Thomas Mayhew, the Elder (March 31, 1593 – March 25, 1682) established the first European settlement on Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket and adjacent islands in 1642. He is one of the editors of the Bay Psalm Book, the first book published ...
purchased them in 1641. Mayhew established a colony in his new domain, carefully purchasing land ownership rights from the native inhabitants, and maintaining native governments to continue unimpeded. In 1665, Mayhew's lands were included in a grant to
James, Duke of York
James VII and II (14 October 1633 16 September 1701) was King of England and King of Ireland as James II, and King of Scotland as James VII from the death of his elder brother, Charles II, on 6 February 1685. He was deposed in the Glorious Re ...
(later King James II). In 1671, a settlement was arranged, allowing Mayhew to continue to rule while placing his territory under the jurisdiction of the
Province of New York
The Province of New York (1664–1776) was a British proprietary colony and later royal colony on the northeast coast of North America. As one of the Middle Colonies, New York achieved independence and worked with the others to found the Uni ...
.
Dukes County was thus established as
Dukes County, New York
Dukes County was a county of the Province of New York from 1683 to 1691. It was established on November 1, 1683, at the same time as Kings County, Queens County, and Dutchess County. It consisted of the Elizabeth Islands, Martha's Vineyard, a ...
, on November 1, 1683, and included all of Mayhew's lands – Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, and the Elizabeth Islands. The county was transferred to Massachusetts on October 7, 1691, and at the same time Nantucket Island was split into the separate
Nantucket County, Massachusetts
Nantucket () is an island about south from Cape Cod. Together with the small islands of Tuckernuck and Muskeget, it constitutes the Town and County of Nantucket, a combined county/town government that is part of the U.S. state of Massachuse ...
. The 1695 incorporation statute created a county "by the name of Dukes County," as opposed to the standard form "the county of Dukes" which is the reason for the redundancy in the formal name, "County of Dukes County".
Geography
According to the
U.S. 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 the ...
, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (79%) is water.
It is the third-smallest county by land area in Massachusetts.
Nearby counties
*
Barnstable County, Massachusetts
Barnstable County is a county located in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. At the 2020 census, the population was 228,996. Its shire town is Barnstable. The county consists of Cape Cod and associated islands (some adjacent islands are in Duke ...
– northeast
*
Plymouth County, Massachusetts
Plymouth County is a county in the U.S. state of Massachusetts, south of Boston. As of the 2020 census, the population was 530,819. Its county seats are Plymouth and Brockton. In 1685, the county was created by the Plymouth General Court, th ...
– north
*
Bristol County, Massachusetts
Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in S ...
– northwest
*
Nantucket County, Massachusetts
Nantucket () is an island about south from Cape Cod. Together with the small islands of Tuckernuck and Muskeget, it constitutes the Town and County of Nantucket, a combined county/town government that is part of the U.S. state of Massachuse ...
– east
National protected area
*
Nomans Land Island National Wildlife Refuge
The Nomans Land Island Wildlife Refuge is a United States National Wildlife Refuge located on Nomans Land, a island off the coast of Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts. It is part of the town of Chilmark, in Dukes County. The Island is long ea ...
Demographics
2020 Census
''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.''
2010 census
At the
2010 census, there were 16,535 people, 7,368 households, and 4,221 families living in the county.
The population density was . There were 17,188 housing units at an average density of .
The
racial makeup
A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...
of the county was 87.6% white, 3.1% black or African American, 1.1% American Indian, 0.8% Asian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 3.9% from other races, and 3.4% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.3% of the population.
The largest ancestry groups were:
* 18.5% Irish
* 17.1% English
* 11.7% Portuguese
* 10.0% American
* 9.2% German
* 7.6% Italian
* 5.5% French
* 2.9% West Indian
* 2.9% Scottish
* 2.5% Dutch
* 2.3% Scotch-Irish
* 2.1% Swedish
* 2.1% Polish
* 1.9% French Canadian
* 1.4% Russian
* 1.1% Arab
* 1.0% Sub-Saharan African
Of the 7,368 households, 25.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.1% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 42.7% were non-families, and 33.4% of households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.81. The median age was 45.3 years.
The median household income was $62,407 and the median family income was $77,231. Males had a median income of $43,850 versus $41,994 for females. The per capita income for the county was $33,390. About 5.5% of families and 8.6% 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 4.3% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over.
2000 census
At the
2000 census there were 14,987 people, 6,421 households, and 3,788 families living in the county. The population density was 144 people per square mile (56/km
2). There were 14,836 housing units at an average density of 143 per square mile (55/km
2). The
racial makeup
A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...
of the county was 90.69% White, 2.40% Black or African American, 1.71% Native American, 0.46% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 1.48% from other races, and 3.19% from two or more races. 1.03% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 20.4% were of
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
, 13.3%
Irish
Irish may refer to:
Common meanings
* Someone or something of, from, or related to:
** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe
***Éire, Irish language name for the isle
** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
, 8.6%
Portuguese
Portuguese may refer to:
* anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal
** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods
** Portuguese language, a Romance language
*** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language
** Portu ...
, 6.4%
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance language
*** Regional Ita ...
and 5.7%
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
ancestry, 93.1% spoke
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
, 3.7%
Portuguese
Portuguese may refer to:
* anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal
** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods
** Portuguese language, a Romance language
*** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language
** Portu ...
and 1.7%
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...
as their first language and 0.285% speak
Irish
Irish may refer to:
Common meanings
* Someone or something of, from, or related to:
** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe
***Éire, Irish language name for the isle
** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
at home.
Of the 6,421 households 28.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.40% were married couples living together, 9.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.00% were non-families. 32.00% of households were one person and 11.10% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.91.
The age distribution was 22.70% under the age of 18, 5.50% from 18 to 24, 29.60% from 25 to 44, 27.80% from 45 to 64, and 14.40% 65 or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.10 males.
The median household income was $45,559 and the median family income was $55,018. Males had a median income of $38,945 versus $30,346 for females. The per capita income for the county was $26,472. About 5.00% of families and 7.30% 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 10.40% of those under age 18 and 5.30% of those age 65 or over.
Real Estate
As of the fourth quarter 2021, the median value of homes in Dukes County was $883,820, an increase of 22.3% from the prior year.
Demographic breakdown by town
Income
The ranking of unincorporated communities that are included on the list are reflective if the census designated locations and villages were included as cities or towns. Data is from the 2007–2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates.
Political affiliation
Religion
Politics
Like the state of
, Dukes County heavily supports the
Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to:
*Democratic Party (United States)
Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to:
Active parties Africa
*Botswana Democratic Party
*Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea
*Gabonese Democratic Party
*Demo ...
. The last
Republican Party candidate to receive over 40% of the county’s vote was
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...
in 1984, and the last Republican to win the county was Richard Nixon in 1972. Before 1964, however, the county was a stronghold of the Republicans, supporting Dwight D Eisenhower in 1956 by an especially large margin well over 50%, and was one of the few counties where
William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft (September 15, 1857March 8, 1930) was the 27th president of the United States (1909–1913) and the tenth chief justice of the United States (1921–1930), the only person to have held both offices. Taft was elected pr ...
finished ahead of Woodrow Wilson in 1912. ''(See table)''.
Communities
Towns
*
Aquinnah (formerly Gay Head)
*
Chilmark
*
Edgartown
Edgartown is a tourist destination on the island of Martha's Vineyard in Dukes County, Massachusetts, United States, for which it is the county seat.
It was once a major whaling port, with historic houses that have been carefully preserved. Tod ...
(shire town or county seat)
*
Gosnold
*
Oak Bluffs
Oak Bluffs is a town located on the island of Martha's Vineyard in Dukes County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,341 at the 2020 United States Census. It is one of the island's principal points of arrival for summer tourists, ...
*
Tisbury
*
West Tisbury
Census-designated places
*
Edgartown
Edgartown is a tourist destination on the island of Martha's Vineyard in Dukes County, Massachusetts, United States, for which it is the county seat.
It was once a major whaling port, with historic houses that have been carefully preserved. Tod ...
*
Oak Bluffs
Oak Bluffs is a town located on the island of Martha's Vineyard in Dukes County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,341 at the 2020 United States Census. It is one of the island's principal points of arrival for summer tourists, ...
*
Vineyard Haven
Vineyard Haven is a community within the town of Tisbury, Massachusetts on the island of Martha's Vineyard. It is listed as a census-designated place (CDP) by the U.S. Census Bureau with a population of 2,114 as of the 2010 census.
The area was ...
Other villages
*
Cuttyhunk
Cuttyhunk Island is the outermost of the Elizabeth Islands in Massachusetts. A small outpost for the harvesting of sassafras was occupied for a few weeks in 1602, arguably making it the first English settlement in New England. Cuttyhunk is loc ...
*
Menemsha
Education
School districts include:
[ ]
Text list
/ref>
K-12:
* Gosnold School District
Secondary:
* Martha's Vineyard School District
Elementary:
* Edgartown School District
* Oak Bluffs School District
* Tisbury School District
* Up-Island Regional School District
See also
* List of Massachusetts locations by per capita income
* Registry of Deeds (Massachusetts) The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has 21 separate Registries of Deeds, each functioning in districts dealing with real estate registration and land records. The registries are divided by county or subdivided within official state counties. These d ...
*
* USS ''Dukes County'' (LST-735)
References
External links
*
National Register of Historic Places listing for Dukes Co., Massachusetts
Map of cities and towns of Massachusetts
{{coord, 41.37, -70.70, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-MA_source:UScensus1990
1695 establishments in Massachusetts
Massachusetts counties
Micropolitan areas of Massachusetts
Populated places established in 1695