Onset, Massachusetts facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Onset, Massachusetts
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Onset Beach
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| Nickname(s):
'Tesno' '0 Block'
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Location in Plymouth County in Massachusetts
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| Country | United States |
| State | Massachusetts |
| County | Plymouth |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.29 sq mi (3.35 km2) |
| • Land | 1.08 sq mi (2.79 km2) |
| • Water | 0.22 sq mi (0.56 km2) |
| Elevation | 10 ft (3 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,617 |
| • Density | 1,500.00/sq mi (579.01/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Code |
02558
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| Area code(s) | 508 |
| FIPS code | 25-51160 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0615548 |
Onset is a small community located in the town of Wareham, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is known as a census-designated place (CDP), which means it's a special area defined for gathering population information. In 2020, about 1,617 people lived there. Onset is a popular spot, especially in the summer, because of its beautiful beach and fun activities.
Contents
Where is Onset?
Onset is located in Massachusetts, a state in the northeastern United States. Its exact location is at coordinates 41.746424 degrees North and 70.663251 degrees West.
Land and Water Area
According to the United States Census Bureau, Onset covers a total area of about 3.4 square kilometers (1.3 square miles). Most of this area, about 2.8 square kilometers (1.1 square miles), is land. The rest, about 0.6 square kilometers (0.2 square miles), is water. This means that about 17% of Onset's total area is covered by water.
Who Lives in Onset?
In 2000, there were 1,292 people living in Onset. These people lived in 568 households, and 323 of these were families.
Population Details
The population density in 2000 was about 462 people per square kilometer (1,193 people per square mile). There were also 910 housing units.
The people living in Onset come from many different backgrounds. In 2000, the community was made up of:
- 74.46% African American
- 7.74% White
- 0.23% Native American
- 1.24% Asian
- 13.08% from other backgrounds
- 3.25% from two or more backgrounds
About 1.78% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.
Households and Families
Of the 568 households in 2000:
- 22.9% had children under 18 living with them.
- 34.2% were married couples living together.
- 17.3% had a female head of household with no husband present.
- 43.0% were not families.
About 35.0% of households were made up of one person. About 13.9% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household had 2.27 people, and the average family had 2.93 people.
Age Groups
The ages of people in Onset in 2000 were spread out like this:
- 22.4% were under 18 years old.
- 5.6% were between 18 and 24 years old.
- 28.6% were between 25 and 44 years old.
- 24.8% were between 45 and 64 years old.
- 18.6% were 65 years or older.
The average age in Onset was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were about 93.4 males.
Cape Verdean American Community
Onset is special because it has the highest percentage of Cape Verdean American people in the United States. This means many people in Onset have family roots in the Cape Verde islands.
History of Onset
Onset was first developed in the 1880s. It started as a summer gathering place for people who believed in Spiritualism. Spiritualists believed they could communicate with spirits of the dead through mediums.
Early Cottages
Many of the old cottages you can still see in Onset today were built as second homes. People from cities like Boston, Taunton, and Brockton would come to Onset for their summer vacations. They gathered there to listen to mediums. When it was run by the Spiritualists, the village was known as Onset Bay Grove.
Modern Onset
Over time, Onset became less focused on religion. Today, it is known as a non-religious area. It has a large, beautiful beachfront and many attractions that bring in summer vacationers. It's a popular spot for people looking for a fun getaway.
