Freetown, New York
Encyclopedia
For an area of the same name in East Hampton, New York see: Freetown (East Hampton)
Freetown is a town
in Cortland County
, New York
, United States
. The population was 789 at the 2000 census.
The Town of Freetown is in the southeast part of the county and is southeast of the City of Cortland
.
within a tract township called "Cincinnatus."
The region was first settled around 1800.
Freetown was formed from part of the Town of Cincinnatus
in 1818. In 1820, the town was increased in size by an addition from the Town of Virgil
.
, the town has a total area of 25.6 square miles (66.3 km²), of which, 25.5 square miles (66 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.31%) is water.
Interstate 81
, a north-south divided highway, crosses the southwest corner of Freetown. New York State Route 41
crosses the northeast part of Freetown. The Otselic River
flows past the east town line, and the Tioughnioga River
flows past the west town line, but both rivers are outside the town boundaries.
of 2000, there were 789 people, 267 households, and 206 families residing in the town. The population density
was 30.9 people per square mile (11.9/km²). There were 321 housing units at an average density of 12.6 per square mile (4.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.35% White, 0.13% African American, 0.13% Native American, and 1.39% from two or more races.
There were 267 households out of which 39.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.8% were married couples
living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.5% were non-families. 14.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.96 and the average family size was 3.20.
In the town the population was spread out with 31.4% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 8.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 116.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $34,327, and the median income for a family was $36,477. Males had a median income of $26,339 versus $14,946 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $12,969. About 10.0% of families and 13.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.2% of those under age 18 and 12.8% of those age 65 or over.
Freetown (East Hampton)
Freetown is an area in East Hampton , New York originally inhabited by freed slaves and Native Americans.East Hampton in the early 19th century was lightly populated and one of the biggest slave holders were descendents of Lion Gardiner who owned Gardiner's Island...
Freetown is a town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in Cortland County
Cortland County, New York
Cortland County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, named after Federico Van Cortlandt, president of the convention at Kingston that wrote the first New York State Constitution in 1777, and first lieutenant governor of the state. The county seat is Cortland...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 789 at the 2000 census.
The Town of Freetown is in the southeast part of the county and is southeast of the City of Cortland
Cortland, New York
Cortland is a city in Cortland County, New York, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a population of 18,740. It is the county seat of Cortland County.The City of Cortland, near the west border of the county, is surrounded by the Town of Cortlandville....
.
History
Freetown was in the former Central New York Military TractCentral New York Military Tract
The Military Tract of Central New York, also called the New Military Tract, consisted of nearly two million acres of bounty land set aside to compensate New York’s soldiers after their participation in the Revolutionary War....
within a tract township called "Cincinnatus."
The region was first settled around 1800.
Freetown was formed from part of the Town of Cincinnatus
Cincinnatus, New York
Cincinnatus is a town in Cortland County, New York, U.S. The population was 1,051 at the 2000 census. The town is named after an important Roman general, Cincinnatus....
in 1818. In 1820, the town was increased in size by an addition from the Town of Virgil
Virgil, New York
Virgil is a town in Cortland County, New York, United States. The population was 2,287 at the 2000 census. The name is from the Roman poet Virgil...
.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 25.6 square miles (66.3 km²), of which, 25.5 square miles (66 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.31%) is water.
Interstate 81
Interstate 81
Interstate 81 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern part of the United States. Its southern terminus is at Interstate 40 in Dandridge, Tennessee; its northern terminus is on Wellesley Island at the Canadian border, where the Thousand Islands Bridge connects it to Highway 401, the main freeway...
, a north-south divided highway, crosses the southwest corner of Freetown. New York State Route 41
New York State Route 41
New York State Route 41 is a north–south state highway in Central New York, United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an interchange with NY 17 in the town of Sanford. Its northern terminus is at an intersection with U.S. Route 20 in the village of Skaneateles...
crosses the northeast part of Freetown. The Otselic River
Otselic River
The Otselic River is a tributary of the Tioughnioga River in central New York in the United States. It drains a mountainous area, mostly forested and agricultural, east of the Finger Lakes at the northern edge of the Susquehanna River watershed....
flows past the east town line, and the Tioughnioga River
Tioughnioga River
The Tioughnioga River is a tributary of the Chenango River in central New York in the United States. It drains a dissected plateau area east of the Finger Lakes at the northernmost edge of the watershed of the Susquehanna River....
flows past the west town line, but both rivers are outside the town boundaries.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 789 people, 267 households, and 206 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 30.9 people per square mile (11.9/km²). There were 321 housing units at an average density of 12.6 per square mile (4.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.35% White, 0.13% African American, 0.13% Native American, and 1.39% from two or more races.
There were 267 households out of which 39.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.8% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.5% were non-families. 14.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.96 and the average family size was 3.20.
In the town the population was spread out with 31.4% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 8.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 116.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $34,327, and the median income for a family was $36,477. Males had a median income of $26,339 versus $14,946 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $12,969. About 10.0% of families and 13.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.2% of those under age 18 and 12.8% of those age 65 or over.
Communities and locations in Freetown
- East Freetown – A hamletHamlet (place)A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
on NY Route 41New York State Route 41New York State Route 41 is a north–south state highway in Central New York, United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an interchange with NY 17 in the town of Sanford. Its northern terminus is at an intersection with U.S. Route 20 in the village of Skaneateles...
in the northeast part of the town. - Freetown Corners – A hamlet near the center of the town.
- Galatia – A hamlet at the south town line, south of Freetown Corners.
- Texas Valley – A hamlet near the southeast part of the town at the town line.