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