Onset is a

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), 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 counte ...

(CDP) in the town of Wareham,

Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...

, 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, 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 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 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. Of households, 35.0% 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 Cape Verdean Americans are an ethnic group of Americans whose ancestors were Cape Verdean. Immigration waves Prior to independence in 1975, Cape Verdean immigrants were registered as Portuguese immigrants from the overseas province of Port ...

in the United States.

History

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

Spiritualists Spiritualism may refer to: * Spiritual church movement, a group of Spiritualist churches and denominations historically based in the African-American community * Spiritualism (beliefs), a metaphysical belief that the world is made up of at least ...

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

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

Taunton Taunton () is the county town of Somerset, England. It is a market town and has a Minster (church), minster church. Its population in 2011 was 64,621. Its thousand-year history includes a 10th-century priory, monastic foundation, 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 Census-designated places in Massachusetts Census-designated places in Plymouth County, Massachusetts Populated coastal places in Massachusetts Spiritualist communities in the United States Wareham, Massachusetts