Rome, Maine facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rome, Maine
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Street scene, c. 1916
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Location in Kennebec County and the state of Maine.
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| Country | United States |
| State | Maine |
| County | Kennebec |
| Incorporated | 1804 |
| Villages |
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| Area | |
| • Total | 31.72 sq mi (82.15 km2) |
| • Land | 25.41 sq mi (65.81 km2) |
| • Water | 6.31 sq mi (16.34 km2) |
| Elevation | 249 ft (76 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,148 |
| • Density | 45/sq mi (17.4/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Code |
04963
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| Area code(s) | 207 |
| FIPS code | 23-63835 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0582700 |
Rome is a town in Kennebec County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,148 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Belgrade Lakes resort area, and is included in the Augusta, Maine, micropolitan New England City and Town Area.
Contents
History
Originally a part of West Pond Plantation, Rome was first settled about 1780 by Richard Furbush from Lebanon. The town was incorporated on March 7, 1804, and named after Rome in Italy. Although farmers found the surface broken and uneven, the hills and valleys offered excellent grazing. By 1839, when the population was 1,074, it was described as "a beautiful farming town," with "a pleasant and flourishing village." In 1837, its wheat crop was 4,117 bushels.
The ponds abounded in trout, perch and pickerel. By 1859, Rome had one sawmill, one gristmill, and one shingle mill, although agriculture remained the principal occupation. By 1870, when the population was 725, it had two post offices: Rome and Belgrade Mills.
On April 4, 2013, 47-year-old Christopher Knight was arrested on suspicion of over a thousand burglaries. He was reported to have lived, on stolen supplies, in forests near Rome for 27 years with no intentional human contact.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 31.72 square miles (82.15 km2), of which, 25.41 square miles (65.81 km2) is land and 6.31 square miles (16.34 km2) is water. Rome includes the northern portions of Long Pond and Great Pond.
The town is serviced by state routes 8, 27, 137 and 225. It borders the towns of Vienna to the west, Mount Vernon to the west and south, Belgrade to the south and east, a portion of Smithfield to the northeast, Mercer to the north, and New Sharon to the northwest.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1810 | 585 | — | |
| 1820 | 533 | −8.9% | |
| 1830 | 883 | 65.7% | |
| 1840 | 987 | 11.8% | |
| 1850 | 830 | −15.9% | |
| 1860 | 864 | 4.1% | |
| 1870 | 725 | −16.1% | |
| 1880 | 606 | −16.4% | |
| 1890 | 500 | −17.5% | |
| 1900 | 420 | −16.0% | |
| 1910 | 440 | 4.8% | |
| 1920 | 436 | −0.9% | |
| 1930 | 398 | −8.7% | |
| 1940 | 418 | 5.0% | |
| 1950 | 420 | 0.5% | |
| 1960 | 367 | −12.6% | |
| 1970 | 362 | −1.4% | |
| 1980 | 627 | 73.2% | |
| 1990 | 758 | 20.9% | |
| 2000 | 980 | 29.3% | |
| 2010 | 1,010 | 3.1% | |
| 2020 | 1,148 | 13.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 1,010 people, 439 households, and 299 families living in the town. The population density was 39.7 inhabitants per square mile (15.3/km2). There were 1,038 housing units at an average density of 40.9 per square mile (15.8/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.5% White, 0.2% African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.7% from other races, and 0.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.6% of the population.
There were 439 households, of which 25.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.3% were married couples living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 31.9% were non-families. 24.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.67.
The median age in the town was 46.2 years. 19.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.9% were from 25 to 44; 37.4% were from 45 to 64; and 14% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 51.5% male and 48.5% female.
See also
In Spanish: Rome (Maine) para niños
