Worth 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 Jefferson 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 231 at the 2010 census. The town is named after William Worth, a commander of troops during the

Battle of Sackett's Harbor The Second Battle of Sacket's Harbor or simply the Battle of Sacket's Harbor, took place on 29 May 1813, during the War of 1812. A British force was transported across Lake Ontario and attempted to capture the town, which was the principal dockya ...

. The town of Worth is located in the southeastern corner of the county and is south of

Watertown Watertown may refer to: Places in China In China, a water town is a type of ancient scenic town known for its waterways. Places in the United States *Watertown, Connecticut, a New England town **Watertown (CDP), Connecticut, the central village ...

History

The town was first settled ''circa'' 1802. Difficulties in successful settlement and the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...

led to a partial abandonment of the town. The town was created by separation from the town of

Lorraine Lorraine , also , , ; Lorrain: ''Louréne''; Lorraine Franconian: ''Lottringe''; german: Lothringen ; lb, Loutrengen; nl, Lotharingen is a cultural and historical region in Northeastern France, now located in the administrative region of Gr ...

in 1848. An earlier attempt to form this town was disrupted by the War of 1812. Worth attained its greatest population in 1900, at 2,895.

Geography

Worth stands on the northwest side of the

Tug Hill Plateau Tug Hill, sometimes referred to as the Tug Hill Plateau, is an upland region in northern New York State, famous for heavy winter snows. The Tug Hill region is east of Lake Ontario, north of Oneida Lake, and west of the Adirondack Mountains. The r ...

. 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 , of which are land and , or 0.20%, are water. The southern town line is the border of

Oswego County Oswego County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 117,525. The county seat is Oswego. The county name is from a Mohawk-language word meaning "the pouring out place", referring to the point at ...

, and the eastern (and part of the northern) town line is the border of Lewis County.

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 2000, there were 234 people, 96 households, and 67 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 5.4 people per square mile (2.1/km²). There were 259 housing units at an average density of 6.0 per square mile (2.3/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 93.59%

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 ...

, 3.42%

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 ...

, and 2.99% 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 1.28% of the population. There were 96 households, out of which 32.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.3% 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, 4.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.2% were non-families. 25.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.93. In the town, the population was spread out, with 23.1% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 32.1% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 12.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 116.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 127.8 males. The median income for a household in the town was $29,028, and the median income for a family was $31,250. Males had a median income of $27,500 versus $23,636 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 $12,584. About 9.5% 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 7.4% of those under the age of eighteen and 26.3% of those 65 or over.

Communities and locations in Worth

*Bullock Corners – A location in the northwestern corner of Worth, west of Worth village. *Diamond – 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 ...

in the southwestern corner of the town on County Road 95. The community was once called "South Woods". *Frederick Corners – A hamlet near the western town line at County Roads 93 and 95. *Lorraine Gulf – A valley in the northwestern part of Worth. *Seven by Nine Corners – A hamlet in the northeastern corner of the town on County Road 96. *Stears Corners – A hamlet near the western town line on County Road 96. *

South Sandy Creek South Sandy Creek is a small tributary to Lake Ontario in Jefferson and Lewis counties 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 ...

– A stream flowing through the northern part of Worth. *Worth (previously called "Worthville" and "Wilcoxs Corners") – A hamlet on County Road 189 in the northwestern corner of the town. *Worth Center – A hamlet southeast of Worth village, located on County Road 93.

References

External links

Early Worth history

{{authority control Towns in Jefferson County, New York