Belmont, Massachusetts

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Belmont is a town located in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 24,194.

Table of contents

1 About the Town
2 Geography
3 Demographics
4 Education
5 Famous Residents
6 External Links

About the Town

The Town Seal, created in 1882 by Henry Mitchell

Belmont was founded on March 18, 1859 by former citizens of, and land from, the bordering towns of Watertown (to the south), Waltham (to the west) and West Cambridge (to the east). The town was named after Bellmont, the 200 acre estate of one of the leading advocates of, and largest donor to, its creation, John Perkins Cushing. There are three major commercial centers in Belmont: Belmont Center in the center, Cushing Square in the south, and Waverly Square in the west. Town Hall is located in Belmont Center. Belmont is most famous for the mansion filled Belmont Hill neighborhood, but most of the residents live in more densly settled, low-lying areas at its base. The major roads in the town are Concord Avenue, which bisects the town from east to west, Common Street and Pleasant Street (Route 60) which travel north-south through Belmont, and Trapelo Road and Belmont Street which run along the southern edge of the town. Massachusetts Route 2 runs along the northern border of the town. Belmont is also served by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's Fitchburg Commuter Rail line and several bus lines. The town is home to McLean Hospital, a mental hospital and research center, and the Boston Massachusetts Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 12.2 km² (4.7 mi²). 12.1 km² (4.7 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.1 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 1.06% water.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there are 24,194 people, 9,732 households, and 6,452 families residing in the town. The population density is 2,004.6/km² (5,190.2/mi²). There are 9,980 housing units at an average density of 826.9 persons/km² (2,141.0 persons/mi²). The racial makeup of the town is 91.19% White, 1.10% African American, 0.13% Native American, 5.76% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.41% from other races, and 1.41% from two or more races. 1.82% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 9,732 households out of which 31.0% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.9% are married couples living together, 8.8% have a woman whose husband does not live with her, and 33.7% are non-families. 25.9% of all households are made up of individuals and 11.9% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.45 and the average family size is 3.01.

In the town the population is spread out with 22.7% under the age of 18, 4.5% from 18 to 24, 31.0% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 16.7% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 40 years. For every 100 females there are 87.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 82.8 males.

The median income for a household in the town is $80,295, and the median income for a family is $95,057. Males have a median income of $64,579 versus $45,505 for females. The per capita income for the town is $42,485. 4.4% of the population and 3.6% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 3.9% are under the age of 18 and 5.3% are 65 or older.

Education

There are four public elementary schools in Belmont, the Burbank, Butler, Winn Brook, and Wellington schools. One public junior high (or middle) school is in Belmont, the Chenery Middle School. Additionally, there is one public high school, Belmont High School. The Chenery Middle School's teams are all the Panthers, and Belmont High School's teams are all the Marauders.

Famous Residents

Painter Winslow Homer
Landscape Architect Frederick Law Olmsted
Composer Walter Piston
Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney
Author/Journalist Sebastian Junger