Orleans County, New York facts for kids

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Orleans County

County

County Courthouse in Albion

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

1824

Largest village

Area

• Total

817 sq mi (2,120 km²)

• Land

391 sq mi (1,010 km²)

• Water

426 sq mi (1,100 km²) 52%

Population

(2020)

• Total

40,343

• Density

103/sq mi (40/km²)

Time zone

UTC−5 (Eastern)

• Summer (DST)

UTC−4 (EDT)

Congressional districts

24th, 25th

Orleans County is a county located in the western part of New York State. In 2020, about 40,343 people lived here. The main town, or county seat, is Albion.

Historians aren't completely sure how the county got its name. One idea is that it was named after the French Royal House of Orléans. Another idea is that it honored Andrew Jackson's victory in New Orleans. Orleans County is also part of the beautiful Finger Lakes region of New York. It sits right on the southern shore of Lake Ontario. Since the late 1900s, it has been considered part of the larger Rochester area.

History of Orleans County

When the British first set up counties in New York in 1683, the area that is now Orleans County was part of a huge place called Albany County. This county was enormous! It covered much of what is now New York State, all of Vermont, and even stretched west towards the Pacific Ocean (at least on paper).

Over time, Albany County became smaller. In 1772, it was split into three parts. One of these new parts was Tryon County. This county was also very large, covering much of western New York. It was named after William Tryon, who was the colonial governor of New York at the time. Many Native American groups, like the Onondaga and Oneida, lived in this western area.

During the American Revolutionary War, many people in Tryon County who supported the British (called Loyalists) moved to Canada. After the war ended in 1784, Tryon County's name was changed to Montgomery County. This was to honor General Richard Montgomery, an American hero who died during the war.

As more people moved to western New York from other parts of the state and New England, new counties were created. In 1789, Ontario County was formed from Montgomery County. Then, in 1802, Genesee County was created from Ontario County.

Finally, in 1824, Orleans County was formed by splitting off from Genesee County. There was a small debate about whether to name it after President Andrew Jackson or President John Adams.

Geography of Orleans County

Orleans County covers a total area of about 817 square miles. A big part of this area, about 426 square miles (or 52%), is water. This is because Orleans County extends north into Lake Ontario all the way to the border with Canada. The county has more water than land!

Orleans County is located in western New York State. It's northeast of Buffalo and west of Rochester.

The Erie Canal is a famous waterway that runs through the middle of the county from east to west. When it was finished in 1824, it brought many new settlers to the area. The canal helped local businesses grow by making it easier to transport goods and people.

Neighboring Counties

Monroe County - to the east
Genesee County - to the south
Niagara County - to the west

Protected Natural Areas

Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge (part of it is in Orleans County)
Lakeside Beach State Park
Oak Orchard State Marine Park
Oak Orchard Wildlife Management Area
Tonawanda Wildlife Management Area

Population Information

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1830	17,732	—
1840	25,127	41.7%
1850	28,501	13.4%
1860	28,717	0.8%
1870	27,689	−3.6%
1880	30,128	8.8%
1890	30,803	2.2%
1900	30,164	−2.1%
1910	32,000	6.1%
1920	28,619	−10.6%
1930	28,795	0.6%
1940	27,760	−3.6%
1950	29,832	7.5%
1960	34,159	14.5%
1970	37,305	9.2%
1980	38,496	3.2%
1990	41,846	8.7%
2000	44,171	5.6%
2010	42,883	−2.9%
2020	40,343	−5.9%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2013

In 2010, there were 42,883 people living in Orleans County. About 16,119 households and 10,872 families called the county home. The average number of people in a household was 2.5.

The population was spread out by age. About 19.8% of the people were under 18 years old. About 17.4% were 65 years or older. The average age of people in the county was 41 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $48,731. This means that half of the households earned more than this amount, and half earned less. About 15.2% of the population lived below the poverty line.

2020 Census Data

Orleans County Racial Composition
Race	Num.	Perc.
White (NH)	34,037	84.4%
Black or African American (NH)	1,840	4.6%
Native American (NH)	177	0.5%
Asian (NH)	154	0.4%
Pacific Islander (NH)	12	0.02%
Other/Mixed (NH)	2,036	5.04%
Hispanic or Latino	2,087	5.2%

Education in Orleans County

Orleans County has several schools and colleges.

Public Schools

The county has five main school districts. Some of these districts might also include parts of neighboring counties.

Lyndonville Central School District
Medina Central School District
Albion Central School District
Kendall Central School District
Holley Central School District

These school districts work with larger educational service centers called BOCES.

Private School

There is one private school in the county for students from kindergarten through 12th grade:

Orleans County Christian School

Colleges

One college has campuses in Orleans County:

Genesee Community College - Medina Campus (The Albion campus has moved its operations to Medina).

Fun Things to Do

Orleans County has many interesting places to visit and fun activities. You can find an interactive map of notable places on the county's tourism website.

Lakes and Ponds

There are two main public boating areas created by dams on Oak Orchard Creek:

Waterport Pond (also known as Lake Alice) in Carlton.
Glenwood Lake in Ridgeway and Medina.

Libraries

Orleans County has four public libraries where you can find books and learn new things:

Community Free Library in Holley
Hoag Library in Albion
Lee-Whedon Memorial Library in Medina
Yates Community Library in Lyndonville

Museums

You can explore history and learn about the past at these six museums in Orleans County:

Clarendon Historical Society Museum & Farwell's Settlement
The Cobblestone Museum
Holley Depot Museum
Medina Railroad Museum
Murray-Holley Historical Society
Oak Orchard Lighthouse Museum

Parks

There are two State Parks and many local parks throughout the county for outdoor fun:

Lakeside Beach State Park
Oak Orchard Marine State Park

Getting Around

Orleans County has several small airports and one public airport called Pine Hill Airport (New York) (9G6).

RTS Orleans provides bus service in the county. The county's Department of Public Works helps maintain roads, bridges, and ditches. They also clear snow and ice. Each town and village has its own team for road maintenance.