Buckfield, Maine | |
|---|---|
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| Motto: "Where good people live"[1] | |
  Buckfield  Buckfield | |
| Coordinates:44°17′43″N70°22′2″W / 44.29528°N 70.36722°W /44.29528; -70.36722 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Maine |
| County | Oxford |
| Incorporated | 1793 |
| Area | |
• Total | 37.77 sq mi (97.82 km2) |
| • Land | 37.53 sq mi (97.20 km2) |
| • Water | 0.24 sq mi (0.62 km2) |
| Elevation | 374 ft (114 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 1,983 |
| • Density | 53/sq mi (20.4/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code | 04220 |
| Area code | 207 |
| FIPS code | 23-08710 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0582376 |
| Website | Town of Buckfield, Maine |
Buckfield is atown inOxford County, Maine, United States. Buckfield is included in theLewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitanNew England City and Town Area. It is a member of Regional School Unit 10 along with nearbyHartford andSumner. The town had a population of 1,983 as of the2020 census.[3]
It was first settled in 1776 by Benjamin Spaulding fromChelmsford, Massachusetts, afur trapper. Abijah Buck and Thomas Allen settled in the area in spring of 1777 with their families. In 1785, the inhabitants procured a survey of the town and purchased it fromMassachusetts for 2shillings per acre. Originally called Bucktown Plantation (or Plantation No. 5), in 1793 theMassachusetts General Court incorporated it as Buckfield, named for Abijah Buck.[4]
The surface of the town is uneven, but has deep, dark soil that yielded good crops ofgrain,corn andapples. The east and west branches of theNezinscot River join at Buckfield Village, supplyingwater power formills. Products includedlumber,roof shingles,barrel staves, box boards,shovel handles, snow-shovels, handsleds, drag-rakes, brushes, brush blocks, powder-kegs,leather harness, cutting-blocks and men'sboots.[citation needed] In 1870, the population of the town was 1,494. TheRumford Falls and Buckfield Railroad passed through the town. Its depot was at Buckfield Village, the business center for the area.[citation needed]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 37.77 square miles (97.82 km2), of which 37.53 square miles (97.20 km2) is land and 0.24 square miles (0.62 km2) is water.[2] Buckfield is drained by theNezinscot River, a tributary of theAndroscoggin River.
The town is served by state routes117 and140. It borders the towns ofSumner andHartford to the north,Turner to the east,Hebron to the south, andParis to the west andWest Paris to the northwest.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1800 | 1,002 | — | |
| 1810 | 1,251 | 24.9% | |
| 1820 | 1,501 | 20.0% | |
| 1830 | 1,514 | 0.9% | |
| 1840 | 1,629 | 7.6% | |
| 1850 | 1,657 | 1.7% | |
| 1860 | 1,705 | 2.9% | |
| 1870 | 1,494 | −12.4% | |
| 1880 | 1,379 | −7.7% | |
| 1890 | 1,200 | −13.0% | |
| 1900 | 1,139 | −5.1% | |
| 1910 | 1,087 | −4.6% | |
| 1920 | 957 | −12.0% | |
| 1930 | 972 | 1.6% | |
| 1940 | 903 | −7.1% | |
| 1950 | 899 | −0.4% | |
| 1960 | 982 | 9.2% | |
| 1970 | 929 | −5.4% | |
| 1980 | 1,333 | 43.5% | |
| 1990 | 1,566 | 17.5% | |
| 2000 | 1,723 | 10.0% | |
| 2010 | 2,009 | 16.6% | |
| 2020 | 1,983 | −1.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[5] | |||
As of thecensus[6] of 2010, there were 2,009 people, 821 households, and 547 families living in the town. Thepopulation density was 53.5 inhabitants per square mile (20.7/km2). There were 890 housing units at an average density of 23.7 per square mile (9.2/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.7%White, 0.2%African American, 0.3%Native American, 0.4%Asian, 0.1% fromother races, and 1.3% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 0.5% of the population.
There were 821 households, of which 29.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.0% weremarried couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 33.4% were non-families. 25.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.88.
The median age in the town was 41.2 years. 23.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.1% were from 25 to 44; 32.9% were from 45 to 64; and 11.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 51.0% male and 49.0% female.
As of thecensus[7] of 2000, there were 1,723 people, 668 households, and 476 families living in the town. The population density was 45.7 inhabitants per square mile (17.6/km2). There were 715 housing units at an average density of 19.0 per square mile (7.3/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 100% [98.49%White, 0.17%Native American, 0.35%Asian, 0.12% fromother races, and 0.87% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 0.41% of the population.
There were 668 households, out of which 35.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.5% weremarried couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.7% were non-families. 20.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.8% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 30.9% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 9.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 96.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $36,821, and the median income for a family was $40,078. Males had a median income of $28,472 versus $22,262 for females. Theper capita income for the town was $17,503. About 5.6% of families and 8.3% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 9.5% of those under age 18 and 9.9% of those age 65 or over.
Voter registration
| Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of June 2014[8] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Total Voters | Percentage | |||
| Unenrolled | 749 | 54.4% | |||
| Republican | 348 | 25.3% | |||
| Democratic | 266 | 19.3% | |||
| Green Independent | 15 | 1.1% | |||
| Total | 1,378 | 100% | |||
Municipalities and communities ofOxford County, Maine,United States | ||
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| Towns |  | |
| Plantations | ||
| Unorganized territories | ||
| CDPs | ||
| Other villages | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county | |
| International | |
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| National | |
44°17′22″N70°21′55″W / 44.28944°N 70.36528°W /44.28944; -70.36528
