Oakfield 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 Genesee County,

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

, United States. The population was 3,250 at the 2010 census. The name of the town is derived from a number of trees, including the

oak An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...

. The town is on the northern border of Genesee County. Within the town is a

village A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to ...

also named Oakfield.

History

Prehistoric earthworks indicate a previous occupation by Native Americans. The local tribe during historic time were the

Seneca people The Seneca () ( see, Onödowáʼga:, "Great Hill People") are a group of indigenous peoples of the Americas, Indigenous Iroquoian-speaking people who historically lived south of Lake Ontario, one of the five Great Lakes in North America. Their n ...

. The manner in which they cut down the trees on their land gave rise to the phrase "Oak Orchard," which has current usage in the area. The area was once known as "Plain Brook", after it was first settled around 1801. The town was formed in 1842 from the town of

Elba Elba ( it, isola d'Elba, ; la, Ilva) is a Mediterranean island in Tuscany, Italy, from the coastal town of Piombino on the Italian mainland, and the largest island of the Tuscan Archipelago. It is also part of the Arcipelago Toscano National ...

and named "Oakfield". In 1858, the community of Caryville set itself off from the town by incorporating as the village of Oakfield.

Geography

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 the ...

, the town has a total area of 23.9 square miles (62.0 km²), of which 23.5 square miles (60.7 km²) is land and 0.5 square miles (1.2 km², or 1.96%) is water.

Oak Orchard Creek Oak Orchard Creek (sometimes called Oak Orchard River) is a tributary of Lake Ontario in Orleans County, New York in the United States. The creek flows through Oak Orchard Creek Marsh, of which were declared a National Natural Landmark in May 1 ...

flows across the north part of the town. The north town line is the border of Orleans County (town of

Barre Barre or Barré may refer to: * Barre (name) or Barré, a surname and given name Places United States * Barre, Massachusetts, a New England town ** Barre (CDP), Massachusetts, the central village in the town * Barre, New York, a town * Barre (c ...

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 incl ...

of 2010, there were 3,782 people, 1,390 households, and 1007 families residing in the town. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: 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 term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

was 136.6 people per square mile (52.7/km²). There were 1,250 housing units at an average density of 53.3 per square mile (20.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95%

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 on ...

, 1.4%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...

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 ...

, 0.6% Native American, 0.2%

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 ...

, 1.1% 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 1.7% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, 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 Vic ...

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 3.2% of the population. There were 1,390 households, out of which 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.6% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.6% were non-families. 22% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.14. In the town, the population was spread out, with 27.8% under the age of 19, 6.1% from 20 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 28% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.6 males. The median income for a household in the town was $49,023. Males had a median income of $32,355 versus $23,403 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 $22,174. About 9.1% 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 ...

Communities and locations in the Town of Oakfield

* Dunhams Grove – A former location in the town, where Lewiston Road crosses Oakfield-Batavia Townline Road. * East Oakfield – A

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 ...

on the Lockport Road east of the village of Oakfield. * Five Corners (previously "Oakfield Corners") – A location northwest of the village of Oakfield. *

Oak Orchard Wildlife Management Area The Oak Orchard Wildlife Management Area is an approximately wildlife management area (WMA) located in western New York, United States. Most of this conservation area is in the northwest part of Genesee County, with a small northern portion in ...

– A conservation area in the north part of the town. * Oakfield (named at first "Plain Brook," then "Caryville" until 1858) – The village of Oakfield, located on NY-63.

References

External links

Early Oakfield history

{{authority control Towns in Genesee County, New York