Townshend, Vermont

Townshend is a town in Windham County, Vermont, United States. The town was named for the Townshend family, powerful figures in British politics. The population was 1,149 at the 2000 census.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 42.8 square miles (110.8 km2), of which 42.7 square miles (110.6 km2) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.2 km2) (0.14%) is water. The West River flows through the town.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,149 people, 469 households, and 319 families residing in the town. The population density was 26.9 people per square mile (10.4/km2). There were 668 housing units at an average density of 15.6 per square mile (6.0/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.82% White, 0.26% African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 0.78% from other races, and 0.70% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.70% of the population.

There were 469 households out of which 30.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.4% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.8% were non-families. 25.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.8% 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 2.84.

In the town the population was spread out with 23.8% under the age of 18, 4.3% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 26.7% from 45 to 64, and 16.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 89.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.4 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $39,286, and the median income for a family was $41,759. Males had a median income of $31,667 versus $22,313 for females. The per capita income for the town was $19,431. About 7.9% of families and 8.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.0% of those under age 18 and 4.1% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

 * Peter W. Galbraith, ambassador to Croatia and the author of The End of Iraq
 * Clarina I. H. Nichols, journalist and lobbyist involved in temperance, abolition, and women's movement
 * Alphonso Taft, Attorney General and Secretary of War under President Ulysses S. Grant
 * Marshall H. Twitchell, Union Army captain and Reconstruction figure
 * Attila Zoller, guitarist

Townshend in popular culture
H. P. Lovecraft's story "The Whisperer in Darkness" is set near Townshend.

Funny Farm with Chevy Chase was filmed in Townshend. The film crew accidentally killed all but one of the trees on the Townshend Common when they colored the leaves to make it look as if it was mid-autumn, resulting in the re-planting of the trees. Today, the one tree that survived the damage sits in the middle of the Common, surrounded by much shorter, newer trees.

Jodi Picoult's novel House Rules is set in Townshend.

The band Phish played a three-set show with Giant Country Horns in Townshend at the Family Park on July 14, 1991.