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Clinton County, New York

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Clinton County is the northeastern most county in the northeastern corner of the state of New York, in the United States and bordered by the Canadian province of Quebec. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 79,843.[1] Its county seat is the city of Plattsburgh.[2] The county lies just south of the border with the Canadian province of Quebec and to the west of the State of Vermont. The county is named for George Clinton, the first Governor of New York, who later was elected as Vice President. He had been a Founding Father who represented New York in the Continental Congress. Clinton County comprises the Plattsburgh, New York Micropolitan statistical area. The county is part of the North Country region of the state.

Clinton County
County
Clinton County Courthouse
Clinton County Courthouse
Flag of Clinton County
Flag
Official seal of Clinton County
Seal
Map of New York highlighting Clinton County
Location within the U.S. state of New York
Map of the United States highlighting New York
New York's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 44°44′N 73°41′W / 44.74°N 73.68°W / 44.74; -73.68
Country United States
State New York
Founded1788
Named forGeorge Clinton
SeatPlattsburgh
Largest cityPlattsburgh
Area
 • Total1,117.53 sq mi (2,894.4 km2)
 • Land1,037.85 sq mi (2,688.0 km2)
 • Water80 sq mi (200 km2)  7.1%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total79,843 Decrease
 • Density71/sq mi (27/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district21st
Websitewww.clintoncountygov.com

History

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George Clinton, namesake of Clinton County. First Governor of New York, Vice President under Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, and representative of New York in the Continental Congress

When counties were established in New York State in 1683, the present Clinton County was part of Albany County. This was an enormous county, including the northern part of New York State as well as all of the present state of Vermont and, in theory, extending westward to the Pacific Ocean. This county was reduced in size on July 3, 1766, by the creation of Cumberland County, and further on March 16, 1770, by the creation of Gloucester County, both containing territory now in Vermont. On March 12, 1772, what was left of Albany County was split into three parts, one remaining under the name Albany County. One of the other pieces, Charlotte County, contained the eastern portion.

In 1784, the name "Charlotte County" was changed to Washington County to honor George Washington, the American Revolutionary War General and later the first President of the United States of America.

In 1788, Clinton County split off from Washington County.

In 1799, Essex County split from Clinton County.

In 1802, parts of Clinton, Herkimer, and Montgomery counties formed the new St. Lawrence County.

In 1808, Franklin County split from Clinton County.[3]

Geography

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Clinton County lies at the northeast corner of New York state. Its northern border abuts the Canadian province of Quebec. Its eastern border abuts the state of Vermont (across Lake Champlain). The encompassing region is referred to as the Adirondack Coast.[4]

The Saranac River flows easterly through the central part of the county, discharging into Lake Champlain at Plattsburgh, and the Great Chazy River flows northeastward through the upper part of the county, discharging into Lake Champlain at Coopersville. The Ausable River forms a large part of the southern county line.[5] The county's highest point is Lyon Mountain, in the town of Dannemora, at 3,830 ft (1,170 m) ASL.[6] According to the US Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,117.53 square miles (2,894.4 km2), of which 1,037.85 square miles (2,688.0 km2) is land and 79.67 square miles (206.3 km2) (7.1%) is water.[7]

Adjacent counties and municipalities

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Protected areas

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Lakes

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  • Chazy Lake[5]
  • Fern Lake
  • Lake Champlain (along east border)
  • Mead Reservoir
  • Military Pond
  • Miner Lake
  • Mud Pond
  • Newberry Pond
  • Patterson Reservoir
  • Silver Lake
  • Slush Pond
  • Taylor Pond
  • Union Falls Pond (part)
  • Upper Chateaugay Lake

Government and politics

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United States presidential election results for Clinton County, New York[9]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 17,741 50.80% 16,930 48.48% 249 0.71%
2020 16,514 46.60% 18,364 51.82% 559 1.58%
2016 14,449 45.01% 15,059 46.91% 2,597 8.09%
2012 11,115 36.26% 18,961 61.85% 580 1.89%
2008 12,579 37.73% 20,216 60.64% 542 1.63%
2004 15,330 45.44% 17,624 52.24% 782 2.32%
2000 13,274 43.44% 15,542 50.86% 1,743 5.70%
1996 9,759 33.58% 15,386 52.95% 3,915 13.47%
1992 13,455 42.06% 12,881 40.27% 5,652 17.67%
1988 15,702 54.97% 12,670 44.36% 191 0.67%
1984 19,549 64.22% 10,804 35.49% 90 0.30%
1980 13,120 48.79% 11,498 42.76% 2,272 8.45%
1976 15,433 56.94% 11,555 42.63% 115 0.42%
1972 17,048 63.60% 9,703 36.20% 53 0.20%
1968 11,951 51.58% 10,153 43.82% 1,064 4.59%
1964 6,078 24.82% 18,398 75.12% 16 0.07%
1960 11,154 44.70% 13,782 55.24% 15 0.06%
1956 16,295 70.46% 6,833 29.54% 0 0.00%
1952 14,535 64.50% 7,963 35.34% 37 0.16%
1948 9,694 49.07% 9,357 47.37% 704 3.56%
1944 8,775 46.66% 9,996 53.15% 35 0.19%
1940 10,369 47.56% 11,378 52.19% 53 0.24%
1936 10,521 48.85% 10,898 50.60% 119 0.55%
1932 8,263 42.67% 11,027 56.94% 75 0.39%
1928 7,824 41.68% 10,888 58.00% 59 0.31%
1924 7,918 57.80% 5,138 37.51% 642 4.69%
1920 9,062 67.70% 4,110 30.71% 213 1.59%
1916 4,986 53.68% 4,130 44.47% 172 1.85%
1912 3,903 44.74% 3,323 38.09% 1,497 17.16%
1908 5,474 55.54% 3,866 39.22% 516 5.24%
1904 6,327 59.06% 3,988 37.23% 397 3.71%
1900 6,326 58.81% 4,287 39.86% 143 1.33%
1896 6,005 65.35% 3,074 33.45% 110 1.20%
1892 5,135 50.60% 4,773 47.03% 241 2.37%
1888 6,271 56.72% 4,724 42.73% 61 0.55%
1884 5,973 53.44% 5,151 46.08% 54 0.48%

Like much of the North Country region, Clinton County has historically been a Republican county. However, it has voted for Democratic candidates at the state and national level in recent times. Since 1996, it has voted for the Democratic candidate for president in every election until 2024. In the 2008 U.S. presidential election, Barack Obama carried the county by a 22.9% margin over John McCain (Obama won every municipality in the county), and won by a 26.9% margin over McCain statewide.[10] In 2006, both Eliot Spitzer and Hillary Clinton carried the county, winning 63% and 64% of vote, respectively. In 2010, Governor Andrew Cuomo, and Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand won the county, each receiving more than 60% of the vote. In the 2024 U.S. presidential election, Donald Trump flipped the county by a 2.3% margin over Kamala Harris, despite previously losing the county to Joe Biden by a 5.2% margin in the 2020 U.S. presidential election.

Republicans continue to win most local races. The county's Congressional district did not elect a Democrat to Congress until 2009 when Bill Owens defeated Doug Hoffman in the special election to replace John McHugh, who resigned to serve as the Obama Administration's Secretary of the Army. The special election received nationwide attention due to Hoffman, a third-party candidate and Tea Party favorite, polling higher than the Republican nominee, Dede Scozzafava, which ultimately led to her dropping out of the race and supporting Owens. It had not elected a Democrat to the State Senate or State Assembly in over a half-century until Billy Jones was elected to the State Assembly in 2016.

The Clinton County Legislature is the lawmaking body of the county. It consists of 10 members, each elected from single member districts.[11] As of 2021, the County Legislature consists of five Republicans and four Democrats and a vacancy.[12]

Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
17901,615—
18008,514427.2%
18108,002−6.0%
182012,07050.8%
183019,34460.3%
184028,15745.6%
185040,04742.2%
186045,73514.2%
187047,9474.8%
188050,8976.2%
189046,437−8.8%
190047,4302.1%
191048,2301.7%
192043,898−9.0%
193046,6876.4%
194054,00615.7%
195053,622−0.7%
196072,72235.6%
197072,9340.3%
198080,75010.7%
199085,9696.5%
200079,894−7.1%
201082,1282.8%
202079,843−2.8%
US Decennial Census[13]
1790-1960[14] 1900-1990[15]
1990-2000[16] 2010-2020[1]

2020 census

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Clinton County Racial Composition[17]
Race Num. Perc.
White (NH) 69,251 86.73%
Black or African American (NH) 2,753 3.45%
Native American (NH) 238 0.3%
Asian (NH) 957 1.2%
Pacific Islander (NH) 24 0.03%
Other/Mixed (NH) 3,764 4.71%
Hispanic or Latino 2,856 3.6%

2000 census

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As of the 2000 United States Census,[18] there were 79,894 people, 29,423 households, and 19,272 families in the county. The population density was 77.0 people per square mile (29.7 people/km2). There were 33,091 housing units at an average density of 31.9 units per square mile (12.3/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 93.33% White, 3.58% Black or African American, 0.36% Native American, 0.67% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.10% from other races, and 0.93% from two or more races. 2.46% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 23.7% were of French, 15.0% French Canadian, 12.5% American, 11.8% Irish, 7.6% English and 5.5% German ancestry according to Census 2000. 94.1% spoke English, 2.8% French and 1.7% Spanish as their first language.

There were 29,423 households, out of which 32.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.00% were married couples living together, 10.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.50% were non-families. 26.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.98.

The county population contained 23.00% under the age of 18, 12.40% from 18 to 24, 30.60% from 25 to 44, 22.10% from 45 to 64, and 11.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 104.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.60 males.

The median household income was $37,028, and the median income for a family was $45,732. Males had a median income of $33,788 versus $25,520 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,946. About 9.40% of families and 13.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.30% of those under age 18 and 11.40% of those age 65 or over.

Education

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School districts include:[19]

The State University of New York at Plattsburgh is located in the City of Plattsburgh. The county is also served by Clinton Community College, which is located in the Town of Plattsburgh.

Infrastructure

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Clinton Correctional Facility, a maximum-security prison is located in the village of Dannemora. Altona Correctional Facility is a medium-security prison in the town of Altona.

Transportation

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Highways

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Airports

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Rail

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Amtrak's Adirondack Train travels through the county, connecting Montreal to New York City. Two trains a day (one north and one south) stop in the county in Plattsburgh and Rouses Point.[22]

Mass transit

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The Clinton County Public Transit runs bus routes that branch from Plattsburgh to towns in the county.[23]

Communities

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Larger settlements

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# Location Population Type Area
1 †Plattsburgh 19,989 City Champlain Shore
2 Dannemora 3,936 Village Mainland
3 Rouses Point 2,209 Village Champlain Shore
4 ‡Keeseville 1,815 CDP Adirondack Park
5 Cumberland Head 1,627 CDP Champlain Shore
6 Peru 1,591 CDP Adirondack Park
7 Morrisonville 1,545 CDP Mainland
8 Plattsburgh West 1,364 CDP Mainland
9 Champlain 1,101 Village Mainland
10 Altona 730 CDP Mainland
11 Chazy 565 CDP Champlain Shore
12 Au Sable Forks 559 CDP Adirondack Park
13 West Chazy 529 CDP Mainland
14 Cadyville 479 CDP Mainland
15 Redford 477 CDP Adirondack Park
16 ††Mooers 442 CDP Mainland
17 Lyon Mountain 423 CDP Adirondack Park
18 Parc 254 CDP Champlain Shore

† - County seat

†† - Former village

‡ - Not wholly in this county

Towns

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Hamlets

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "U.S.Census Bureau QuickFacts: Clinton County, New York". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ A Gazetteer of New York State, Horace Spafford, first edition, 1814, p. 78
  4. ^ "GoAdirondack.com-About The Adirondack Coast". goadirondack.com. Archived from the original on July 21, 2018. Retrieved July 6, 2019.
  5. ^ a b Clinton County NY - Google Maps (accessed 6 July 2019)
  6. ^ Lyon Mountain, New York. PeakBagger.com (accessed 6 July 2019)
  7. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on May 19, 2014. Retrieved July 6, 2010.
  8. ^ Miner Lake State Park. stateparks.com (accessed 6 July 2019)
  9. ^ Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved October 22, 2018.
  10. ^ US Election Atlas
  11. ^ Legislative District Maps
  12. ^ (accessed 6 July 2019)
  13. ^ "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
  14. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
  15. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
  16. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
  17. ^ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Clinton County, New York".
  18. ^ "U.S. Census website". US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  19. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Clinton County, NY" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved October 16, 2024. - Text list
  20. ^ I-87 Multimodal Corridor Study Archived September 8, 2015, at the Wayback Machine, New York State Department of Transportation, Retrieved June 13, 2016.
  21. ^ Clinton County Public and Private Airports, New York. Retrieved June 13, 2013.
  22. ^ AMTRAK/Plattsburgh, New York station (accessed 6 July 2019)
  23. ^ Welcome to Clinton County Public Transit (accessed 6 July 2019)

Further reading

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Clinton County, New York.

44°44′N 73°41′W / 44.74°N 73.68°W / 44.74; -73.68

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