North Salem is a town in the northeast part of Westchester County, New York, United States. It is a suburb of New York City located approximately 50 miles north of Manhattan. The county ranks second for wealthiest counties in New York State and the seventh wealthiest county nationally. The population of North Salem was 5,104 at the 2010 census.
History
The Union Hall was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.
Geography
The north town line is the border of Putnam County, New York, and the east town line is the border of Connecticut.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 32.9 square miles (85Â km2), of which 31.4 square miles (81Â km2) is land and 1.5 square miles (3.9Â km2), or 6.38%, is water.
Demographics
In 2011 the average income for a household in the town was $147,258, with an average net worth of $1,200,058. The median house value in 2009 was $772,817. The per capita income for the town was $59,403. About 1.5% of families and 2.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.2% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.
As of the census of 2000, there were 5,173 people, 1,764 households, and 1,374 families residing in the town. The population density was 241.5 people per square mile (93.2/km²). There were 1,979 housing units at an average density of 92.4 per square mile (35.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.44% White, 0.75% African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.97% Asian, 1.12% from other races, and 1.64% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.65% of the population.
There were 1,764 households out of which 39.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.1% were married couples living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.1% were non-families. 17.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.17.
In the town the population was spread out with 26.2% under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 27.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 91.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.4 males.
Communities and locations in North Salem
- Croton Falls â€" a hamlet in the northwest corner of the town with its own Metro-North station
- Grants Corner â€" a hamlet southeast of North Salem
- North Salem â€" a hamlet in the west part of the town. The North Salem Town Hall was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
- Salem Center â€" a hamlet at the east end of Titicus Reservoir. The fictitious headquarters of the X-Men Marvel Comics superhero team is located in Salem Center.
- Purdys â€" a hamlet south of Croton Falls with its own Metro-North station. The Joseph Purdy Homestead was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
- Twin Lakes Village â€" a hamlet on the south town line
Education
The North Salem Middle School/High School (or North Salem MSHS), is located at 230 June Road in North Salem. The North Salem School District's border emcompasses the entire town of North Salem, in addition to the Putnam County towns of Southeast (commonly referred to as Brewster) and Carmel. Some Somers residents reside within the district line as well. In 2004, the high school was distinguished as a Blue Ribbon School for high levels of educational achievement by the United States Department of Education. Pequenakonck Elementary School, located 0.3 miles (0.5Â km) away from the middle school/high school, serves grades K-5. The middle school, which shares the same building as the high school, serves grades 6-8.
Notable residents
- Dick Button, Olympic and world champion figure skater
- Alan Menken, eight-time Academy Award-winning film composer and song writer
- David Letterman, talk show host of the Late Show with David Letterman
- David Marks, Original member of the Beach Boys
- Laurence D. Fink, Fortune-500 CEO
- Steven Rattner, financier, in charge of 2008 General Motors auto bailout, owns a horse farm in North Salem.
Fictional
- Professor X, born Charles Francis Xavier, doctor of genetics and founder of the mutant superhero group the X-Men.
