Chelsea, Vermont

Chelsea is a town in and the shire town (county seat) of Orange County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,250 at the 2000 census.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 39.9 square miles (103.4 km²), of which 39.9 square miles (103.4 km²) is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1 km²) (0.05%) is water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,250 people, 495 households, and 324 families residing in the town. The population density was 31.3 people per square mile (12.1/km²). There were 657 housing units at an average density of 16.5 per square mile (6.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.08% White, 0.16% African American, 0.72% Native American, 0.08% Asian, 0.32% from other races, and 0.64% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.40% of the population.

There were 495 households out of which 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.9% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.5% were non-families. 27.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the town the population was spread out with 25.1% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 19.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 101.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $32,024, and the median income for a family was $40,625. Males had a median income of $27,446 versus $22,841 for females. The per capita income for the town was $16,164. About 9.0% of families and 15.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.4% of those under age 18 and 18.5% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

 * John L. Bacon, Chelsea and Hartford banker and State Treasurer
 * Daniel Azro Ashley Buck, raised in Chelsea, US representative for Vermont in the 18th and 20th United States Congress
 * William Hebard, resided in Chelsea, US representative for Vermont in the 31st and 32nd United States Congress
 * F. Ray Keyser, Sr., Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court
 * F. Ray Keyser, Jr., born and raised in Chelsea, 72nd governor of Vermont
 * William A. Palmer, resided in Chelsea, US senator in the 15th and 16th United States Congress, 13th governor of Vermont
 * William Freeman Vilas, born in Chelsea, United States Postmaster General, United States Secretary of the Interior, US senator for Wisconsin
 * Stanley C. Wilson, resided in Chelsea, 62nd governor of Vermont
 * John Young, born in Chelsea, US congressman in the 24th and 27th United States Congress, 15th governor of New York