Ontario County, New York facts for kids

Ontario County is a county located in the U.S. State of New York. In 2020, about 112,458 people lived here. The main town, or county seat, is Canandaigua. Ontario County is part of the beautiful Finger Lakes region in New York.

Quick facts for kids Ontario County
County
Ontario County Courthouse in Canandaigua, 2014
Flag Seal
Location within the U.S. state of New York
New York's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	New York
Founded	1789
Named for	Lake Ontario
Seat	Canandaigua
Largest city	Geneva
Area
• Total	663 sq mi (1,720 km2)
• Land	644 sq mi (1,670 km2)
• Water	18 sq mi (50 km2)  2.8%
Population  (2020)
• Total	112,458
• Density	169/sq mi (65/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	24th

Ontario County is also part of the larger Rochester area. In 2006, a magazine called Progressive Farmer named Ontario County the "Best Place to Live" in the U.S. They liked its good schools, low crime, great health care, and its closeness to Rochester.

History of Ontario County

This land was originally home to the Seneca people. They were one of the Five Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy, also known as the Haudenosaunee. After the American Revolutionary War, they had to give up most of their land to the United States.

When the English first created counties in New York in 1683, Albany County was huge. It covered most of northern New York and even parts of what is now Vermont. However, the Iroquois people actually controlled much of central and western New York until after the Revolutionary War.

After the war, many settlers from New England moved into western New York. Millions of acres of new land became available. This was because the Iroquois tribes, who had sided with the British, had to give up their lands.

Ontario County officially became a county in 1789. It was formed from the lands of the Phelps and Gorham Purchase. At first, Ontario County was much larger than it is today. It stretched south from Lake Ontario. As more people settled, new counties were created from its territory.

Over the years, many new counties were formed from parts of Ontario County. These included Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara, Orleans, Steuben, Wyoming, and Yates counties. Parts of Schuyler and Wayne counties were also formed from this area.

Religious Movements and History

This area was important during the Second Great Awakening in the early 1800s. This was a time when many religious revivals happened. Preachers from different churches, like Baptist and Methodist, traveled around. They held large meetings to share their beliefs. New religious groups also started in this part of New York.

The Latter Day Saint Movement

Home of the Joseph Smith, Sr. family in Manchester, known as the "frame home".

Joseph Smith, who started the Latter Day Saint movement, lived in Manchester in the 1820s. This town is right on the border with Palmyra. Many important events in the early history of his movement happened in Ontario County.

One key place is Hill Cumorah in Manchester. Joseph Smith said he found the Golden plates there. These plates contained the writings that later became the Book of Mormon. Smith said he visited the hill every year on September 22nd from 1823 to 1827. He claimed an Angel Moroni gave him instructions. He finally took the plates on September 22, 1827. The Book of Mormon was published in Palmyra in 1830.

The hill is about 110 feet (34 meters) tall. It is located on the main road between Palmyra and Canandaigua (now State Route 21). It was only a few miles from Joseph Smith's home.

Since the 1930s, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has held a large outdoor play called the Hill Cumorah Pageant here every year. Thousands of people come to watch it. The church also has a visitors' center at the hill. They also maintain the Palmyra New York Temple and Joseph Smith's former property. This property is on the border of Ontario and Wayne counties.

Geography of Ontario County

Ontario County covers a total area of 663 square miles (1,717 square kilometers). About 644 square miles (1,668 square kilometers) is land, and 18 square miles (47 square kilometers) is water.

The county is in western New York State. It is located east of Buffalo, southeast of Rochester, and northwest of Ithaca. As mentioned, it is part of the beautiful Finger Lakes Region.

Neighboring Counties

Ontario County shares borders with several other counties:

• Wayne County - to the north
• Seneca County - to the east
• Yates County - to the south
• Steuben County - to the southwest
• Livingston County - to the west
• Monroe County - to the northwest

Main Roads and Highways

Economy and Agriculture

Ontario County has a strong farming community. In 2022, it was ranked fourth in New York State for the number of acres used to grow berries. Farmers in the county reported growing berries on 220 acres that year.

Population and People

In 2000, there were 100,224 people living in Ontario County. These people lived in 38,370 households, with 26,360 being families. The population density was about 156 people per square mile.

Most people in the county identified as White (95.04%). Other groups included African American (2.06%), Native American (0.22%), and Asian (0.69%). About 2.14% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

The average household had 2.53 people, and the average family had 3.03 people. About 32.80% of households had children under 18 living with them. The median age in the county was 38 years old.

The median income for a household was $44,579. For families, the median income was $52,698. About 7.30% of all people, including 9.10% of those under 18, lived below the poverty line.

2020 Census Data

Communities in Ontario County

Ontario County has several cities, towns, and villages.

Larger Settlements

† - County Seat

‡ - Not Wholly in this County

Towns in Ontario County

Hamlets in Ontario County

• Border City
• Centerfield
• Cheshire
• Fishers
• Hall
• Hopewell Center
• Ionia
• Orleans
• Seneca Castle
• Stanley

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Ontario (Nueva York) para niños