Schenectady County, New York - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Schenectady County is a county located in the U.S. state

U.S. state

A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

of 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...

. As of the 2010 census, the population was 154,727. It is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy

Capital District

New York's Capital District, also known as the Capital Region, is a region in upstate New York that generally refers to the four counties surrounding Albany, the capital of the state: Albany County, Schenectady County, Rensselaer County, and Saratoga County...

Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county seat

County seat

A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....

is Schenectady

Schenectady, New York

Schenectady is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 66,135...

. The name is from a Mohawk

Mohawk nation

Mohawk are the most easterly tribe of the Iroquois confederation. They call themselves Kanien'gehaga, people of the place of the flint...

Indian word meaning "on the other side of the pine lands" and is pronounced skəˈnɛktədi.

History

Schenectady County was formed in 1809. When counties were established in New York

Province of New York

The Province of New York was an English and later British crown territory that originally included all of the present U.S. states of New York, New Jersey, Delaware and Vermont, along with inland portions of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Maine, as well as eastern Pennsylvania...

in 1683, the present Schenectady County was included in Albany County

Albany County, New York

Albany County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, and is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area. The name is from the title of the Duke of York and Albany, who became James II of England . As of the 2010 census, the population was 304,204...

. Albany County was an enormous county, including the northern part of New York State as well as all of the present State of Vermont

Vermont

Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...

and, in theory, extending westward to the Pacific Ocean

Pacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...

. This county was reduced in size on July 3, 1766, by the creation of Cumberland County

Cumberland County, New York

Cumberland County, New York was a county in the Province of New York that became part of the state of Vermont. It was divided out of Albany County in New York in 1766, but eventually became part of Vermont in 1777...

, and further on March 16, 1770, by the creation of Gloucester County

Gloucester County, New York

Gloucester County, New York is a former county in New York that became part of the state of Vermont. It was a part of Albany County in the Province of New York until 1770 and was lost to Vermont in 1777. At that time, Vermont was holding itself out as the Republic of Vermont and did not become a...

, both containing territory now in Vermont

Vermont

.

On March 12, 1772, Albany County was divided into the counties of Albany, Tryon

Tryon County, New York

Tryon County, New York was a county in the colonial Province of New York in the British American colonies. It was created from Albany County on March 24, 1772. It was named for William Tryon, the last provincial governor of New York. Its boundaries extended far further than any current county...

(now Montgomery

Montgomery County, New York

As of the census of 2000, there were 49,708 people, 20,038 households, and 13,104 families residing in the county. The population density was 123 people per square mile . There were 22,522 housing units at an average density of 56 per square mile...

), and Charlotte

Charlotte County, Province of New York

Charlotte County was a county in the colonial Province of New York in the British American colonies. It was created from Albany County on March 24, 1772. The county was named for Charlotte, Princess Royal, oldest daughter and fourth child of George III of the United Kingdom. Its boundaries extended...

(now Washington

Washington County, New York

Washington County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the Glens Falls, New York, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 63,216. It was named for the Revolutionary War general George Washington...

).

From 1772 to 1786 Albany County included, besides the present territory of Albany County, all of the present Columbia

Columbia County, New York

Columbia County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 63,096. The county seat is Hudson. The name comes from the Latin feminine form of the name of Christopher Columbus, which was at the time of the formation of the county a popular proposal...

, Rensselaer

Rensselaer County, New York

Rensselaer County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 159,429. Its name is in honor of the family of Kiliaen van Rensselaer, the original Dutch owner of the land in the area. Its county seat is Troy...

, Saratoga

Saratoga County, New York

Saratoga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 219,607. It is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county seat is Ballston Spa...

, and Schenectady Counties, parts of the present Greene

Greene County, New York

Greene County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Its name is in honor of the American Revolutionary War general Nathanael Greene. Its county seat is Catskill...

and Washington Counties

Washington County, New York

, and a piece of what is now southwestern Vermont.

Albany County was reduced in size in 1786 by the splitting off of Columbia County

Columbia County, New York

; again in 1791 by the splitting off of Rensselaer

Rensselaer County, New York

and Saratoga Counties

Saratoga County, New York

and the transfer of the Town of Cambridge

Cambridge (town), New York

Cambridge is a town in Washington County, New York, USA. It is part of the Glens Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area. The town population was 2,158 at the 2005 census.The town of Cambridge contains part of a village, also called Cambridge.- History :...

to Washington County

Washington County, New York

. It was further reduced in size in 1795 by the splitting off of a part that was combined with a portion of Otsego County

Otsego County, New York

Otsego County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. The 2010 population was 62,259. The county seat is Cooperstown. The name Otsego is from a Mohawk word meaning "place of the rock."-History:...

to create Schoharie County

Schoharie County, New York

As of the census of 2000, there were 31,582 people, 11,991 households and 8,177 families residing in the county. The population density was 51 people per square mile . There were 15,915 housing units at an average density of 26 per square mile...

. It was further reduced in size in 1800 by the splitting off of a part that was combined with a portion of Ulster County

Ulster County, New York

Ulster County is a county located in the state of New York, USA. It sits in the state's Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 182,493. Recent population estimates completed by the United States Census Bureau for the 12-month period ending July 1 are at...

to create Greene County

Greene County, New York

Greene County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Its name is in honor of the American Revolutionary War general Nathanael Greene. Its county seat is Catskill...

.

In 1809, Schenectady County was split from Albany County.

Geography

Schenectady County is located in east central New York State, north of Albany

Albany, New York

Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...

.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau

United 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 county has a total area of 543 km² (210 sq mi). 534 km² (206 sq mi) of it is land and 9 km² (4 sq mi) of it (1.68%) is water. Unlike many of the upstate New York

Upstate New York

Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...

counties, Schenectady County is small in area.

Adjacent Counties

Saratoga County, New York
Saratoga County, New York
Saratoga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 219,607. It is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county seat is Ballston Spa...

- east
Albany County, New York
Albany County, New York
Albany County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, and is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area. The name is from the title of the Duke of York and Albany, who became James II of England . As of the 2010 census, the population was 304,204...

- south
Schoharie County, New York
Schoharie County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 31,582 people, 11,991 households and 8,177 families residing in the county. The population density was 51 people per square mile . There were 15,915 housing units at an average density of 26 per square mile...

- southwest
Montgomery County, New York
Montgomery County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 49,708 people, 20,038 households, and 13,104 families residing in the county. The population density was 123 people per square mile . There were 22,522 housing units at an average density of 56 per square mile...

- west

Demographics

As of the census

Census

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 146,555 people, 59,684 households, and 38,018 families residing in the county. 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 275/km² (711/sq mi). There were 65,032 housing units at an average density of 122/km² (316/sq mi). The racial makeup of the county was 87.77% White

Race (United States Census)

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, 6.79% Black

Race (United States Census)

or African American

Race (United States Census)

, 0.23% Native American

Race (United States Census)

, 1.97% Asian

Race (United States Census)

, 0.03% Pacific Islander

Race (United States Census)

, 1.21% from other races

Race (United States Census)

, and 2.00% from two or more races. 3.17% of the population were Hispanic

Race (United States Census)

or Latino

Race (United States Census)

of any race. 22.3% were of Italian

Italian people

The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...

, 13.7% Irish

Irish people

The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...

, 10.7% German, 8.4% Polish and 7.0% English

English people

The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...

ancestry according to Census 2000 http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/DTTable?_bm=y&-context=dt&-ds_name=DEC_2000_SF3_U&-mt_name=DEC_2000_SF3_U_PCT016&-CONTEXT=dt&-tree_id=. 90.6% spoke English

English language

English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...

, 2.7% Spanish

Spanish language

Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...

and 2.1% Italian

Italian people

as their first language.

There were 59,684 households out of which 30.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.50% 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, 12.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.30% were non-families. 30.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.97.

In the county the population was spread out with 24.30% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 28.10% from 25 to 44, 23.00% from 45 to 64, and 16.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 92.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $41,739, and the median income for a family was $45,670. Males had a median income of $38,840 versus $27,339 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 county was $21,992. About 7.80% of families and 10.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.70% of those under age 18 and 6.50% of those age 65 or over.

Politics and Government

Schenectady County typically leans Democratic, it has given small to moderate leads to Democrats since 1988 in presidential elections. The congressman Paul Tonko

Paul Tonko

Paul David Tonko is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district is located in the heart of the Capital District...

is a Democrat.
Legislative authority is vested in the County Legislature, which consists of 15 members representing 8 different communities, separated into four districts. The current composition of the Legislature is as follows (12 Democrats, 2 Republicans and 1 Conservative who caucuses with the Democrats):

District 1, Schenectady:

Vincent DiCerbo (D), Deputy Chair

Karen B. Johnson (D)

Michael Petta (D)

District 2, Schenectady:

Philip Fields (D)

Gary Hughes (D), Majority Leader

Jeffrey M. McDonald (D)

District 3, Glenville

Glenville, Schenectady County, New York

Glenville is a town in Schenectady County, New York, United States. It was incorporated in 1821. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 28,183....

, Niskayuna, and Scotia

Scotia, New York

Scotia is a village in Schenectady County, New York, United States, incorporated in 1904. The population was 7,957 at the 2000 census.The Village of Scotia is part of the Town of Glenville, partly contiguous with Schenectady, New York and is connected by the Western Gateway Bridge over the Mohawk...

:

James Buhrmaster (R)

Robert T. Farley (R), Minority Leader

Martin Finn (D)

Cathy Gatta (D)

Brian Gordon (D)

District 4, Duanesburg, Princetown

Princetown, New York

Princetown is a town in Schenectady County, New York, United States. The population was 2,132 at the 2000 census.The Town of Princetown is in the central part of the county, west of the City of Schenectady.-Geography:...

, and Rotterdam:

Judith Dagostino (D), Chair

Anthony Jasenski (D)

Angelo Santabarbara (D)

Holly Vellano (C)

County services

The county operates the Schenectady County Public Library that consists of a central library and nine branches.

External links

Official Schenectady County government site

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.

History

Geography

Adjacent Counties

Demographics

Politics and Government

County services

See also

External links