Essex County, New York

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Essex County, New York
Location in the state of New York (state)
New York's location in the U.S.
Founded	1799
Seat	Elizabethtown
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	1,916 sq mi (4,962 km²) 120 sq mi (311 km²), 6.25%
Population  - (2020)  - Density	37,381 21/sq mi (8/km²)

Essex County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 37,381. Its name is from the English county of Essex. Its county seat is Elizabethtown. Along with Hamilton County, Essex is entirely within the Adirondack Park.

History

When counties were established in New York State in 1683, the present Essex County was part of Albany County. This was an enormous county, including the northern part of New York State as well as all of the present State of Vermont and, in theory, extending westward to the Pacific Ocean. This county was reduced in size on July 3, 1766 by the creation of Cumberland County, and further on March 16, 1770 by the creation of Gloucester County, both containing territory now in Vermont. On March 12, 1772, what was left of Albany County was split into three parts, one remaining under the name Albany County. One of the other pieces, Charlotte County, contained the eastern portion.

In 1784, the name "Charlotte County" was changed to Washington County to honor George Washington, the American Revolutionary War general and later President of the United States of America.

In 1788, Clinton County was split off from Washington County. This was a much larger area than the present Clinton County, including several other counties or county parts of the present New York State. (near Clunes)

Essex County was split from Clinton County in 1799.

Notable people, past and present

• Vincent Colyer (1825-1888), a successful Nineteenth-century artist and humanitarian, was born in Bloomingdale.
• James Renwick (1818-1895), a successful Nineteenth-century architect, was born in Bloomingdale.
• Johnny Podres (1932- ), Pitcher for Brooklyn Dodgers and 1955 World Series MVP, was born in Witherbee.

Geography

Essex County is in the northeastern part of New York State, just west of Vermont along the eastern boundary of the State. The eastern boundary of Essex County is Lake Champlain, which serves as the New York-Vermont border. The highest point in New York, Mount Marcy is in the Town of Keene.

The Ausable River forms a partial northern boundary for the county.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 4,964 km² (1,916 sq mi). 4,654 km² (1,797 sq mi) of it is land and 310 km² (120 sq mi) of it (6.25%) is water.

Adjacent Counties

• Clinton County - north
• Chittenden County - northeast
• Addison County - east
• Washington County - south
• Warren County - south
• Hamilton County - southwest
• Franklin County - northwest

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there were 38,851 people, 15,028 households, and 9,828 families residing in the county. The population density was 8/km² (22/sq mi). There were 23,115 housing units at an average density of 5/km² (13/sq mi). The racial makeup of the county was 94.84% White, 2.81% Black or African American, 0.31% Native American, 0.41% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0.69% from other races, and 0.86% from two or more races. 2.19% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 15,028 households out of which 29.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.20% were married couples living together, 8.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.60% were non-families. 28.30% 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 2.39 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the county the population was spread out with 22.80% under the age of 18, 6.90% from 18 to 24, 29.80% from 25 to 44, 24.50% from 45 to 64, and 16.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 107.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 108.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $34,823, and the median income for a family was $41,927. Males had a median income of $30,952 versus $22,205 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,194. 11.60% of the population and 7.80% of families were below the poverty line. 14.50% of those under the age of 18 and 8.60% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Politics

Essex County is a swing county. It voted for George W. Bush in the 2000 and 2004 elections, switched to Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012 and then flipped to Donald Trump in 2016, then to Joe Biden in 2020. Before 1996, however, Essex, like most of the North Country, was powerfully Republican. Until Bill Clinton won it in 1996, it had voted for a Democratic presidential candidate only once since the Civil War, when Barry Goldwater lost every county in New York State in 1964.

United States presidential election results for Essex County, New York

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	8,982	46.59%	9,950	51.61%	348	1.80%
2016	7,958	46.22%	7,762	45.08%	1,498	8.70%
2012	6,647	39.76%	9,784	58.53%	286	1.71%
2008	7,913	42.55%	10,390	55.88%	292	1.57%
2004	9,869	51.72%	8,768	45.95%	445	2.33%
2000	8,822	49.18%	7,927	44.19%	1,189	6.63%
1996	6,379	37.55%	7,893	46.47%	2,714	15.98%
1992	8,278	43.63%	6,717	35.40%	3,978	20.97%
1988	10,350	60.48%	6,623	38.70%	140	0.82%
1984	12,114	69.94%	5,119	29.56%	87	0.50%
1980	9,025	53.16%	6,443	37.95%	1,510	8.89%
1976	10,194	60.59%	6,556	38.97%	74	0.44%
1972	11,763	70.22%	4,955	29.58%	34	0.20%
1968	9,377	61.07%	5,218	33.98%	760	4.95%
1964	5,837	35.19%	10,739	64.75%	9	0.05%
1960	11,557	64.56%	6,334	35.38%	10	0.06%
1956	13,930	82.11%	3,035	17.89%	0	0.00%
1952	12,800	75.53%	4,130	24.37%	16	0.09%
1948	10,287	69.90%	4,088	27.78%	342	2.32%
1944	10,128	68.44%	4,637	31.34%	33	0.22%
1940	11,868	68.01%	5,545	31.77%	38	0.22%
1936	11,599	67.88%	5,447	31.88%	42	0.25%
1932	10,062	63.74%	5,597	35.46%	127	0.80%
1928	10,462	66.34%	5,291	33.55%	17	0.11%
1924	8,553	73.96%	2,639	22.82%	373	3.23%
1920	8,042	77.48%	2,218	21.37%	119	1.15%
1916	4,643	65.39%	2,373	33.42%	84	1.18%
1912	3,127	44.20%	2,070	29.26%	1,878	26.54%
1908	5,167	69.09%	2,033	27.18%	279	3.73%
1904	5,385	70.88%	2,028	26.69%	184	2.42%
1900	5,064	70.31%	1,994	27.69%	144	2.00%
1896	5,356	74.24%	1,760	24.40%	98	1.36%
1892	4,636	60.39%	2,710	35.30%	331	4.31%
1888	5,043	62.28%	2,930	36.19%	124	1.53%
1884	4,551	61.06%	2,776	37.25%	126	1.69%

Cities, Towns, Villages, and other locations

The bridge at Crown Point

Lake Placid

Harris Lake in Newcomb.

• Chesterfield (town)
• Crown Point (town)
• Elizabethtown (town)
• Elizabethtown
• Essex (town)
• Jay (town)
• Keene (town)
• Keeseville (village)
• Lake Placid (village)
• Lewis (town)
• Minerva (town)
• Mineville-Witherbee
• Moriah (town)
• Newcomb (town)
• North Elba (town)
• North Hudson (town)
• Port Henry (village)
• Saranac Lake (village)
• Schroon (town)
• St. Armand (town)
• Ticonderoga (town)
• Ticonderoga
• Westport (town)
• Willsboro (town)
• Wilmington (town)

Note: Designation in parentheses is the official political level.

Education

• Post-Secondary Education
  • North Country Community College

• Private secondary schools:
  • Mountain Lake Academy
  • National Sports Academy
  • North Country School
  • Northwood School
  • St. Agnes School

External links

• Essex County
• Historical informaton on Essex County
• Essex County history pages
• North Country Community College
• Essex County Philatelic Cancellations
• Essex County at the Open Directory Project