Jefferson 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 Lincoln County,

Maine Maine ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the United States, and the northeasternmost state in the Contiguous United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Provinces and ...

, United States. The population was 2,551 at the 2020 census. Damariscotta Lake State Park, a popular Mid Coast swimming, canoeing and picnic area, is located within the town limits.

History

Jefferson is a town in Lincoln County, incorporated on February 24, 1807, when Thomas Jefferson was president, from Ballstown Plantation. During the 19th Century, it set off land to Alna and Newcastle, and annexed land from Patricktown, later incorporated as Somerville. Abandoned granite quarries and clay banks where bricks were made suggest the early economic activities of the area.

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 is water. Jefferson is located on the Great Bay of Damariscotta Lake. Damariscotta Lake State Park is a

State Park State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the sub-national level within those nations which use "Federated state, state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on accou ...

located in Jefferson.

Demographics

2010 census

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 2010, there were 2,427 people, 1,010 households, and 703 families living in the town. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), 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 geog ...

was . There were 1,564 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 98.1%

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 ...

, 0.3%

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 ...

, 0.5% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.1% from other races, and 0.7% 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 1.5% of the population. There were 1,010 households, of which 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.2% 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, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 30.4% were non-families. 23.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.79. The median age in the town was 46 years. 20% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.1% were from 25 to 44; 34% were from 45 to 64; and 17.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 49.8% male and 50.2% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 2,388 people, 945 households, and 687 families living in the town. The population density was . There were 1,427 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 98.83%

, 0.08%

, 0.04% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.13% from other races, and 0.75% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 0.34% of the population. There were 945 households, out of which 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.4% were

living together, 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.2% were non-families. 21.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 2.91. In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.6% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.6 males. The median income for a household in the town was $42,311, and the median income for a family was $45,694. Males had a median income of $30,865 versus $25,430 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 $20,298. About 7.3% of families and 12.3% 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 17.4% of those under age 18 and 11.4% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Jefferson's government consists of a three-member Board of Selectmen, A Chair Selectman is chosen each year, this person oversees the monthly meetings. There is no Town Manager, a Town Clerk runs maintains the day-to-day operations. Elected fire chief is Walter Morris

Education

Jefferson has one K–8 public school, Jefferson Village School, and one public library.

Notable people

* Beatrice Farnham, 20th-century artist and entrepreneur * Paul A. MacDonald,

Secretary of State of Maine The secretary of state of Maine is a State constitutional officer, constitutional officer in the U.S. state of Maine and serves as the head of the Maine Department of State. The Secretary of State performs duties of both a legislative branch as w ...

* Estelle M. H. Merrill (pen name, Jean Kincaid; 1858–1908), journalist, editor * Oakes Murphy, US congressman and fourteenth governor of Arizona Territory

References

External links

Town of Jefferson

Jefferson Public Library

Jefferson Village School

Damariscotta Lake State Park

Epodunk profile
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Maine Genealogy: Jefferson, Lincoln County, Maine
{{authority control Towns in Lincoln County, Maine Towns in Maine