| Orangetown | |
| Settlement Type: | Town |
| Pushpin Map: | New York |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location within the state of New York |
| Mapsize: | 260px |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | New York |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Rockland |
| Leader Title: | Supervisor |
| Leader Name: | Teresa M. Kenny (R) |
| Established Title: | Settled |
| Established Date: | 1680 |
| Established Title1: | Established |
| Established Date1: | March 7, 1788 |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 81.15 |
| Area Land Km2: | 62.32 |
| Area Water Km2: | 18.83 |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 31.33 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 24.06 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 7.27 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Total: | 48655 |
| Timezone: | Eastern (EST) |
| Utc Offset: | −5 |
| Timezone Dst: | EDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | −4 |
| Elevation M: | 29 |
| Elevation Ft: | 95 |
| Coordinates: | 41.0586°N -73.9617°W |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank Info: | 36-55211 |
| Blank1 Name: | GNIS feature ID |
| Blank1 Info: | 0979316 |
| Website: | www.orangetown.com |
Orangetown is a town in Rockland County, New York, United States, located in the southeastern part of the county. It is northwest of New York City, north of New Jersey, east of the town of Ramapo, south of the town of Clarkstown, and west of the Hudson River. The population was 48,655 at the 2020 census.[2]
Orangetown was first settled around 1680. The first settlers were Dutch men who purchased a tract of land from the Tappan Indians in 1686; their patent of the same year called the place Orange, but it was also known as Orangetown and Tappan (after the first village).[3] When the state's first twelve counties were established in 1683, the territory that would become Orangetown lay within Orange County. It became part of Rockland County when that county was created in 1798.
Historical material from the Gazetteer of New York, 1860 & 1861:[4]
ORANGETOWN—was formed March 7, 1788, and was named from Orange co., of which itthen formed a part. It lies upon the Hudson, in the S. angle of the co. Its surface is broken byabrupt and rocky hills in the E. ; but in the center and W. it spreads out into a rolling or moderatelyhilly region. The Nyack Hills, extending along the river, are 300 to 500 feet high, with steep,rocky declivities upon the E., but more gradual slopes upon the W. Their summits are rocky andcovered with a light growth of forest trees. Snake Hill, in the N.E. corner, upon the line of Clarks-town, is one of the principal peaks. The principal stream is Hackensack River, flowing S. throughthe W. part. Pascack Creek flows through the extreme W. angle, and Spar Kil is a tributaryof the Hudson. Near the N. line are several bog or peat meadows, generally well drainedand under cultivation. The red sandstone which crops out on the E. declivities of the hills, withina few rods of the river, between Piermont and Nyack, is extensively quarried and exported forbuilding stone. The soil is a reddish, sandy loam intermixed with clay. Fruit growing andfurnishing milk for the New York market have become leading pursuits. Nyack, (p.v.,) uponthe Hudson, in the N.E. corner of the town, contains 5 churches, 5 shoe manufactories, a steamtub and pail factory, the Rockland Female Institute, and a private academy. Pop. 1,458.Piermont, (p.v.,) upon the Hudson, in the S. part, was incorp. May 21, 1850. It is the E.terminus of the Piermont Branch of the N. Y. & Erie R. R.,—the one over which the freight iscarried. Nearly the whole business of the place is connected with the R.R. establishment. A pier1 mi. long has been built into the river, where the freight is transferred to and from the cars andbarges in the river. Upon each end of the pier are extensive offices for the transaction of the busi-ness of the road. At this place the R.R. co. also have a large iron foundery and extensive repairshops. Pop. 2,204. Tappantown, (p.v.,) near the N. J. line, contains 2 churches and 30dwellings. This place was the scene of the trial of Andre, and for a time in 1780 was the head-quarters of Gen. Washington. Rockland, (Palisades p.o.,) upon the Hudson, in the S. partof the town, contains 3 churches and 40 dwellings. Orange Mills, Middletown, andBlauveltville, (p. o.,) a station on the N. Y. & E. R. R., are hamlets. The first settlement issupposed to have been made by the Dutch, as early as 1680. The first church (Ref. Prot. D.) wasformed Oct. 24, 1694; and the first preacher was Rev. Guilllam Bartholf. The first church edificewas erected in 1716. There are 16 churches in town.
The Orangetown Resolutions, a protest of the imposition of duties and the closing of the port of Boston by the British Parliament, were passed in Tappan on July 4, 1774, a precursor of the American Revolution.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 31.4sqmi, of which 24.2sqmi is land and 7.2sqmi, or 22.92%, is water.
The eastern border is defined by the Hudson River, and the southern border is New Jersey. The town is bordered to the north by the town of Clarkstown and to the northwest by the town of Ramapo.[5]
As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 47,711 people, 17,330 households, and 11,940 families residing in the town. The population density was 1973.1sp=usNaNsp=us. There were 17,827 housing units at an average density of 737.3sp=usNaNsp=us. The racial makeup of the town was 83.97% White, 5.88% African American, 0.11% Native American, 6.42% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.66% from other races, and 1.93% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.02% of the population.
There were 17,330 households, out of which 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.1% were married couples living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.1% were non-families. 25.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.18.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 22.5% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 15.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $70,477, and the median income for a family was $87,341 (these figures had risen to $91,497 and $111,742 respectively as of a 2007 estimate. Males had a median income of $53,596 versus $39,886 for females. The per capita income for the town was $33,170. About 2.4% of families and 4.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.2% of those under age 18 and 8.0% of those age 65 or over.
As of the 2020 Census, there were 48,655 people residing in the Town of Orangetown.[7]
Education in the city is provided by the South Orangetown Central School District.
Orangetown has a Town Supervisor, presently Teresa Kenny (R). Orangetown is represented by the council-form of government, with four councilmen elected alternating years for four year terms. Presently the Orangetown Town Council consists of Gerald "Jerry" Bottari (D), Paul Valentine (R), Thomas F. Diviny (R), and Brian Donohue (R). Orangetown is part of New York’s 17th Congressional District represented in the United States House of Representatives by Mike Lawler.[8] In state government, it is represented by Senator Bill Weber and Assemblyman John McGowan.
Pearl River station in Pearl River gives commuter rail service from Spring Valley south to Hoboken Terminal, on New Jersey Transit's Pascack Valley Line.
The New York Thruway carries I-87 through the town. The highway continues to the east, on the Tappan Zee Bridge, over the Hudson River, to Westchester County.