Caroline is a

town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...

in Tompkins County,

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

, United States. The population was 3,282 at the 2010 census. It is on the county's southeast border, southeast of Ithaca.

History

The area was first settled circa 1794 while the region was still part of Tioga County. Caroline was part of the Watkins and Flint Purchase (1791). Caroline was formed from the town of Spencer (now in Tioga County) in 1811.

Notable people

Charles R. Gleason (1830-1907), Wisconsin businessman and politician, was born in Caroline.'Legislative Manual of Wisconsin 1870,' Biographical Sketch of Charles R. Gleason, pg. 361 Austin Blair (1818-1894), 13th governor of Michigan.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the town has a total area of , of which is land and (0.13%) is water. The east and south town lines are the border of Tioga County. New York State Route 79 crosses the town.

Demographics

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2000, there were 2,910 people, 1,161 households, and 758 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 1,254 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 92.85%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 3.09%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.58% Native American, 0.86% Asian, 0.10%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 0.38% from other races, and 2.13% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 2.37% of the population. There were 1,161 households, out of which 33.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.9% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.7% were non-families. 26.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.99. In the town, the population was spread out, with 27.1% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 27.9% from 45 to 64, and 9.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.0 males. The median income for a household in the town was $43,315, and the median income for a family was $51,983. Males had a median income of $35,375 versus $26,587 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the town was $21,531. About 6.9% of families and 7.4% 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 7.6% of those under age 18 and 3.1% of those age 65 or over. The majority of the residents of the Caroline area commute to the Ithaca area. The Town of Caroline is served by 4 school districts Ithaca (city), New York, Dryden (village), New York, Newark Valley (village), New York and Candor (village), New York. Caroline Elementary School serves the northern and central portions of the town. Brooktondale Baptist School, sponsored by Brooktondale Baptist Church, closed around 2002, although the parish community continues.

Communities and locations in Caroline

*Besemer (formerly "Besemer Depot") – A location on NY-79 in the northwestern corner of the town. *Brooktondale (formerly "Mott's Corner" and "Brookton") – A

hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play. Set in Denmark, the play (the ...

near the western town boundary. *Caroline – A hamlet on NY-79 at the northern town line. *Caroline Center (formerly "Centerville") – A hamlet centrally located in the town. *Caroline Depot – A hamlet in the northwestern part of the town and south of Brooktondale. * Guide Board Corners – A location south of Slaterville Springs. * Slaterville Springs (formerly "Slaterville") – A hamlet with a post office on NY-79, site of Caroline Town Hall, formerly the District No. 2 School, and St. Thomas Episcopal Church, which are listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

. *Speedsville – A hamlet in the southeastern corner of the town. The District Number 7 School and St. John's Episcopal Church are listed on the

. *West Slaterville (formerly "Boiceville") – A hamlet on NY-79 near the northern town line. It was the site of the first town meeting. *White Church – A hamlet in the southwestern part of Caroline.

Education

Students in the town of Caroline are dispersed into several school districts: Dryden, Ithaca, Candor, and Newark Valley. A school located within the town is the Caroline Elementary School of the Ithaca City School District.

References

External links

*
town of Caroline historian
{{authority control Towns in Tompkins County, New York Towns in New York (state) Populated places established in 1811 1811 establishments in New York (state)