Lenox, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia : L : LE : LEN : Lenox, Massachusetts
Lenox is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,077 at the 2000 census.
For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Lenox, please see the article Lenox (CDP), Massachusetts.
Tanglewood Music Center, summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, is located in Lenox.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 55.6 km² (21.5 mi²). 55.0 km² (21.2 mi²) of it is land and 0.7 km² (0.3 mi²) of it (1.26%) is water.Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there are 5,077 people, 2,212 households, and 1,291 families residing in the town. The population density is 92.4/km² (239.3/mi²). There are 2,713 housing units at an average density of 49.4/km² (127.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the town is 96.57% White, 1.30% Black or African American, 0.08% Native American, 1.02% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.41% from other races, and 0.57% from two or more races. 1.91% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.There are 2,212 households out of which 22.6% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.7% are married couples living together, 6.8% have a female householder with no husband present, and 41.6% are non-families. 36.3% of all households are made up of individuals and 20.8% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.17 and the average family size is 2.84.
In the town the population is spread out with 20.8% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 22.8% from 25 to 44, 26.9% from 45 to 64, and 24.4% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 46 years. For every 100 females there are 84.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 79.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town is $45,581, and the median income for a family is $61,413. Males have a median income of $41,226 versus $35,063 for females. The per capita income for the town is $23,263. 8.9% of the population and 5.6% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 10.3% of those under the age of 18 and 5.8% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
History
Lenox is a town with a rich cultural history. Lenox really became a town in 1762 when the local government set up an auction for ten townships in Berkshire County. A man name Josiah Dean bought Township #8 for 2,250 pounds (Wood, David H. Lenox Massachusetts Shire Town. Published by the town of Lenox, 1969), but after a squabble the land went to Samuel Brown Jr., who had bought the land from the Mahican chief, on the condition that he pay 650 pounds extra.Founded as the town of Yokum after Yokum creek (and an Indian chief of the Mahaiwe tribe, it originally incorporated the town of Richmond, Massachusetts (then Mt. Ephraim). Lenox was then intended to be re-named Lennox, after the Duke of Lennox (an anglicization of the Scotch Gaelic "Levenax"), but the town name was mis-spelled on the deed. Throughout its history, Lenox has been home to many cultural figures, including Edith Wharton, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and, more recently, Yo-Yo Ma.Points of interest
- The Mount, Edith Wharton's estate
- Tanglewood
- Kripalu
External link
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