| Orleans County is a county located in the | | | | population density was 44/km2 (113/mi2). |
| U.S. state of New York. As of 2000, the | | | | There were 17,347 housing units at an average |
| population was 44,171. The county seat is | | | | density of 17/km2 (44/mi2). The racial makeup |
| Albion. The name is in honor of the French | | | | of the county was 89.12% White, 7.31% Black |
| Royal House of Orleans. | | | | or African American, 0.46% Native American, |
| | | | 0.32% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.54% |
| History | | | | from other races, and 1.21% from two or more |
| | | | races. 3.89% of the population were Hispanic |
| When counties were established in New York | | | | or Latino of any race. |
| State in 1683, the present Orleans County was | | | | |
| part of Albany County. This was an enormous | | | | There were 15,363 households out of which |
| county, including the northern part of New | | | | 35.0% had children under the age of 18 living |
| York State as well as all of the present | | | | with them, 54.3% were married couples living |
| State of Vermont and, in theory, extending | | | | together, 11.2% had a female householder with |
| westward to the Pacific Ocean. This county | | | | no husband present, and 29.4% were |
| was reduced in size on July 3, 1766 by the | | | | non-families. 23.7% of all households were |
| creation of Cumberland County, and further on | | | | made up of individuals and 10.7% had someone |
| March 16, 1770 by the creation of Gloucester | | | | living alone who was 65 years of age or |
| County, both containing territory now in | | | | older. The average household size was 2.65 |
| Vermont. | | | | and the average family size was 3.13. |
| | | | |
| On March 12, 1772, what was left of Albany | | | | In the county the population was spread out |
| County was split into three parts, one | | | | with 26.2% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 |
| remaining under the name Albany County. One | | | | to 24, 31.3% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to |
| of the other pieces, Tryon County, contained | | | | 64, and 12.40% who were 65 years of age or |
| the western portion (and thus, since no | | | | older. The median age was 36 years. For every |
| western boundary was specified, theoretically | | | | 100 females there were 98.3 males. For every |
| still extended west to the Pacific). The | | | | 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.2 |
| eastern boundary of Tryon County was | | | | males. |
| approximately five miles west of the present | | | | |
| city of Schenectady, and the county included | | | | The median income for a household in the |
| the western part of the Adirondack Mountains | | | | county was $37,972, and the median income for |
| and the area west of the West Branch of the | | | | a family was $42,830. Males had a median |
| Delaware River. The area then designated as | | | | income of $32,450 versus $22,605 for females. |
| Tryon County now includes 37 counties of New | | | | The per capita income for the county was |
| York State. The county was named for William | | | | $16,457. About 7.7% of families and 10.8% of |
| Tryon, colonial governor of New York. | | | | the population were below the poverty line, |
| | | | including 15.0% of those under age 18 and |
| In the years prior to 1776, most of the | | | | 5.2% of those age 65 or over. |
| Loyalists in Tryon County fled to Canada. In | | | | |
| 1784, following the peace treaty that ended | | | | Towns and villages |
| the American Revolutionary War, the name of | | | | |
| Tryon County was changed to Montgomery County | | | | Albion (village) |
| in order to honor the general, Richard | | | | |
| Montgomery, who had captured several places | | | | Albion (town) |
| in Canada and died attempting to capture the | | | | |
| city of Quebec, replacing the name of the | | | | Barre (town) |
| hated British governor. | | | | |
| | | | Carlton (town) |
| In 1789, Ontario County was split off from | | | | |
| Montgomery. | | | | Clarendon (town) |
| | | | |
| In 1802, Genesee County was created by a | | | | Gaines (town) |
| splitting of Ontario County . This was much | | | | |
| larger than the present Genesee County, | | | | Holley (village) |
| however, containing the present Allegany, | | | | |
| Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Niagara, | | | | Kendall (town) |
| Orleans, and Wyoming Counties, and parts of | | | | |
| Livingston and Monroe Counties. | | | | Lyndonville (village) |
| | | | |
| In 1806, Genesee County was reduced in size | | | | Medina (village) |
| by the splitting off of Allegany County. In | | | | |
| 1808, Genesee County was further reduced in | | | | Murray (town) |
| size by the splitting off of Cattaraugus, | | | | |
| Chautauqua, and Niagara Counties. Niagara | | | | Ridgeway (town) |
| County at that time also included the present | | | | |
| Erie County. | | | | Shelby (town) |
| | | | |
| In 1821, Genesee County was reduced in size | | | | Yates (town) |
| by the splitting off of portions which were | | | | |
| combined with portions of Ontario County to | | | | label in parentheses refers to official |
| create Livingston and Monroe Counties. By | | | | category of political entity. |
| this time Genesee County had been reduced | | | | |
| considerably in size from its original area | | | | Educational institutions |
| of 1802, still containing the present Orleans | | | | |
| and Wyoming Counties in addition to its | | | | The county is considered to have five school |
| present area, however. | | | | districts, although the actual district |
| | | | boundaries can extend into neighboring |
| In 1824, Orleans County was created from what | | | | counties, and the same is true for |
| was left of Genesee County. | | | | neighboring counties' districts. The five |
| | | | districts, from west to east, are: |
| Geography | | | | |
| | | | Lyndonville Central School District (northern |
| According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the | | | | half of western third, roughly covering |
| county has a total area of 2,117 km2 (817 | | | | Lyndonville village and the towns of Yates |
| mi2). 1,014 km2 (391 mi2) of it is land and | | | | and Ridgeway) |
| 1,104 km2 (426 mi2) of it (52.12%) is water. | | | | |
| The high proportion of water is due to the | | | | Medina Central School District (southern half |
| extension of Orleans County north into Lake | | | | of western third, roughly covering Medina |
| Ontario to the Canadian border (a line of | | | | village and the towns of Ridgeway and Shelby) |
| latitude running through the middle of the | | | | |
| lake). The distance from the Orleans shore | | | | |
| north to the international border is greater | | | | Albion Central School District (middle third, |
| than the distance from the shore south to the | | | | roughly covering Albion village and the towns |
| Genesee County line, meaning the area of | | | | of Carlton, Gaines, Albion, and Barre) |
| Orleans underwater is actually greater than | | | | |
| that above water. | | | | Kendall Central School District (northern |
| | | | half of eastern third, roughly covering the |
| Orleans County is in western New York State, | | | | towns of Kendall and Murray) |
| northeast of Buffalo and west of Rochester, | | | | |
| on the southern shore of Lake Ontario. | | | | Holley Central School District (southern half |
| | | | of eastern third, roughly covering Holley |
| The Erie Canal passes (east-west) through the | | | | village and the towns of Murray and |
| middle of the county. | | | | Clarendon) |
| | | | |
| Adjacent Counties | | | | The only post-secondary education available |
| | | | in the county is a branch of Genesee |
| Lake Ontario and Canada - north | | | | Community College located in Albion. |
| | | | |
| Monroe County, New York - east | | | | Additional information |
| | | | |
| Genesee County, New York - south | | | | When the county was formed, a dispute arose |
| | | | about naming it after Andrew Jackson or John |
| Niagara County, New York - west | | | | Adams; the conflict was ended by choosing the |
| | | | name Orleans. |
| Demographics | | | | |
| | | | The Erie Canal Culvert near Medina is the |
| As of the census2 of 2000, there were 44,171 | | | | only roadway that passes under the Erie |
| people, 15,363 households, and 10,846 | | | | Canal. |
| families residing in the county. The | | | | |