Onset is a

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, suc ...

(CDP) in the town of Wareham,

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut Massachusett_writing_systems.html" ;"title="nowiki/> məhswatʃəwiːsət.html" ;"title="Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət">Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət'' En ...

, United States. The population was 1,573 at the 2010 census.

Geography

Onset is located at (41.746424, -70.663251). 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 th ...

, the CDP has a total area of 3.4 km (1.3 mi), of which 2.8 km (1.1 mi) is land and 0.6 km (0.2 mi) (16.92%) is water.

Demographics

At the 2000 census there were 1,292 people, 568 households, and 323 families in the CDP. The population density was 461.9/km (1,192.7/mi). There were 910 housing units at an average density of 325.3/km (840.1/mi). 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 CDP was 74.46% African American, 7.74% White, 0.23% Native American, 1.24% Asian, 13.08% from other races, and 3.25% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.78%. Of the 568 households 22.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.2% were married couples living together, 17.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.0% were non-families. 35.0% of households were one person and 13.9% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.93. The age distribution was 22.4% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 18.6% 65 or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.3 males. The median household income was $31,250 and the median family income was $36,739. Males had a median income of $37,629 versus $26,903 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $18,088. About 13.0% of families and 23.6% 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 ...

, including 43.8% of those under age 18 and 14.0% of those age 65 or over. Onset is home to the highest percentage (per capita) of Cape Verdean Americans in the United States.

History

Onset was developed in the 1880s as a summer camp meeting for

Spiritualists Spiritualism is the metaphysics, metaphysical school of thought opposing physicalism and also is the category of all spiritual beliefs/views (in monism and Mind-body dualism, dualism) from ancient to modern. In the long nineteenth century, Spir ...

. Many of the existing cottages in Onset were built as second homes for individuals from

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

Taunton Taunton () is the county town of Somerset, England, with a 2011 population of 69,570. Its thousand-year history includes a 10th-century monastic foundation, Taunton Castle, which later became a priory. The Normans built a castle owned by the ...

, Brockton and other northeastern cities who gathered to hear mediums communicate with the dead. While it was run by the Spiritualists, the village was known as Onset Bay Grove. It has fallen in line since its inception as a non-religious area with a large beachfront and some of the attractions that bring a summer vacationing crowd.

References

External links

1885 Birds Eye View of Onset Bay Grove
{{authority control Wareham, Massachusetts Census-designated places in Plymouth County, Massachusetts Spiritualist communities in the United States Census-designated places in Massachusetts Populated coastal places in Massachusetts