Plymouth County is a county located in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. As of 2000, the population was 472,822. Its county seats^[1] are Plymouth and Brockton. The executive authority of the County government is vested in the County Commissioners. The current Commissioners are Chairman Jeffrey M. Welch (D- Abington), John Patrick Riordan, Jr. (D- Marshfield), and Timothy J. McMullen (D- Pembroke). Register of Deeds John R. Buckley, Jr. (D- Brockton) County Treasurer Thomas J. O'Brien (D- Kingston) and Sheriff Joseph D. McDonald (R- Kingston), also serve as elected officials of the county of Plymouth.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,093 square miles (2,832 km˛), of which, 661 square miles (1,712 km˛) of it is land and 433 square miles (1,120 km˛) of it (39.56%) is water.

Adjacent Counties

• Norfolk County (northwest)
• Barnstable County (southeast)
• Bristol County (west)

Plymouth County has no land border with Suffolk County to the north, but the two counties share a water boundary in the middle of Massachusetts Bay.

National protected area

• Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area (part)
• Massasoit National Wildlife Refuge

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 472,822 people, 168,361 households, and 122,398 families residing in the county. The population density was 716 people per square mile (276/km˛). There were 181,524 housing units at an average density of 275 per square mile (106/km˛). The racial makeup of the county was 88.70% White, 4.56% Black or African American, 0.21% Native American, 0.92% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 3.06% from other races, and 2.52% from two or more races. 2.44% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 28.0% were of Irish, 12.8% Italian, 10.6% English and 5.1% American ancestry according to Census 2000. 90.1% spoke English, 2.5% Spanish, 2.3% Portuguese, 1.5% French Creole and 1.0% French as their first language.

There were 168,361 households out of which 36.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.00% were married couples living together, 11.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.30% were non-families. 22.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.23.

In the county the population was spread out with 26.80% under the age of 18, 7.20% from 18 to 24, 30.40% from 25 to 44, 23.90% from 45 to 64, and 11.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 95.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $55,615, and the median income for a family was $65,554. Males had a median income of $45,535 versus $31,389 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,789. About 4.90% of families and 6.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.30% of those under age 18 and 7.90% of those age 65 or over.

The leading ancestry group in Plymouth County is Irish, with 31%. Plymouth County, along with Norfolk County, Massachusetts, claims the highest percentage of people with Irish ancestry in the United States.http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/006328.html

County Seal

The seal was adopted by the Plymouth County Commissioners on March 31, 1931 under the authority of the General Laws, Chapter 34, Section 14, and was designed by Frederic T. Bailey of North Scituate who was, at that time and for many years, Chairman of the county commissioners.

Cities, towns, and villages*

• Abington
• Bridgewater
  • Bridgewater South Village (a village of Bridgewater)
  • Bridgewater Center Green (a village of Bridgewater)
  • Titicut Camp Village Green (a village of Bridgewater)
• Brockton
• Carver
• Duxbury
  • Cedar Crest (a village of Duxbury)
  • South Duxbury (a village of Duxbury)
• East Bridgewater
• Halifax
• Hanover
• Hanson
  • Monponsett (a village of Hanson)
• Hingham
  • Accord (a village of Hingham)
• Hull
• Kingston
• Lakeville
  • North Lakeville (a village of Lakeville)
• Marion
  • Marion Center (a village of Marion)
• Marshfield
  • Brant Rock (a village of Marshfield)
  • Green Harbor (a village of Marshfield)
  • Marshfield Hills (a village of Marshfield)
  • Ocean Bluff (a village of Marshfield)
• Mattapoisett
  • Mattapoisett Center (a village of Mattapoisett)
• Middleborough
  • Middleborough Center (a village of Middleborough)
  • Nemasket Village (a village of Middleborough)
  • Rock Village (a village of Middleborough)
  • South Middleborough (a village of Middleborough)
• Norwell
• Pembroke
  • North Pembroke (a village of Pembroke)
  • Bryantville (a village of Pembroke)
• Plymouth
  • North Plymouth (a village of Plymouth)
  • Manomet (a village of Plymouth)
  • Cedarville (a village of Plymouth)
  • Chiltonville (a village of Plymouth)
  • West Plymouth (a village of Plymouth)
  • South Plymouth (a village of Plymouth)
  • Ellisville (a village of Plymouth)
  • Saquish Neck (a village of Plymouth)
  • White Island Shores (a village of Plymouth)
  • Plymouth Center (a village of Plymouth)
• Plympton
• Rochester
• Rockland
• Scituate
  • Greenbush (a village of Scituate)
  • North Scituate (a village of Scituate)
• Wareham
  • Onset (a village of Wareham)
  • Wareham Center (a village of Wareham)
  • West Wareham (a village of Wareham)
  • Weweantic (a village of Wareham)
• West Bridgewater
• Whitman

* Villages are census division, but have no separate corporate existence from the towns they are in.

References

1. ↑ The term shire town is the statutory term for the Massachusetts town having a county court and administration offices, but county seat is the standard term used in general communications by the Massachusetts government. See, for example: Secretary of the Commonwealth: A Listing of Counties and the Cities and Towns Within http://www.sec.state.ma.us/cis/cisctlist/ctlistcoun.htm.

External links

• National Register of Historic Places listing for Plymouth County, Massachusetts
• Map of cities and towns of Massachusetts
• Plymouth Registry of Deeds
• Brockton Registry of Deeds Satellite Office

• Wall & Gray. 1871 ''Atlas of Massachusetts''. Map of Massachusetts. USA. New England.
• Counties - Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire and Hampden, Worcester, Middlesex, Essex and Norfolk, Boston - Suffolk,
• Plymouth, Bristol, Barnstable, Dukes, and Nantucket (Cape Cod).
• Cities - Springfield, Worcester, Lowell, Lawrence, Haverhill, Newburyport, Salem, Lynn, Taunton, Fall River. New Bedford. These 1871 maps of the Counties and Cities are useful to see the roads and rail lines.
• Beers,D.G. 1872 Atlas of Essex County Map of Massachusetts Plate 5. Click on the map for a very large image.

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