Sharon, New York Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Sharon, New York
Town
US 20 westbound in the town and hamlet of Sharon
Location in Schoharie County and the state of New York.
Country	United States
State	New York
County	Schoharie
Area
• Total	39.16 sq mi (101.43 km²)
• Land	39.06 sq mi (101.17 km²)
• Water	0.10 sq mi (0.25 km²)
Elevation	1,470 ft (448 m)
Population (2020)
• Total	1,697
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
FIPS code	36-66641
GNIS feature ID	0979485

Sharon is a small town in Schoharie County, New York, United States. In 2020, about 1,697 people lived here. The town got its name from a place in Connecticut, where some of its first settlers came from. Sharon is located in the northwestern part of Schoharie County. It is southwest of a city called Amsterdam.

History of Sharon
Geography of Sharon
Population and People
Communities and Places in Sharon
See also

History of Sharon

Early Settlements

People first started settling in the area around 1780. The town was first called "New Dorlach." This name came from a place in Germany that the early settlers knew well. At that time, the area was part of Otsego County.

The American Revolution

In 1781, during the American Revolution, a battle took place in Sharon. It was called the Battle of Sharon. Small groups of colonial forces fought against Tories, who supported the British.

Becoming a Town

Sharon officially became a town in 1797. It was formed from a part of the town of Schoharie. This happened during the early days of Schoharie County's organization.

Changes in Travel

The opening of the Erie Canal in 1825 changed things for Sharon. The canal made it easier to transport goods by water. This meant less road traffic on a main east-west road that went through Sharon. Because of this, some of the early communities in the town started to decline.

Sharon Springs Village

In 1871, the area known as Sharon Springs became its own separate village. It was officially made a village through a process called incorporation.

Geography of Sharon

Land and Water

Sharon covers a total area of about 39.2 square miles (101.4 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 39.1 square miles (101.17 square kilometers), is land. A small part, about 0.1 square miles (0.25 square kilometers), is water.

County Borders

The northern edge of Sharon borders Montgomery County. The western edge of the town borders Otsego County.

Major Roads

Several important roads run through Sharon:

U.S. Route 20 is a highway that goes from east to west through the town.
New York State Route 10 is a highway that goes from north to south. It crosses US-20 in Sharon Springs.
New York State Route 145 starts in the hamlet of Sharon. Its northern end is at US-20.

Population and People

Population Over Time

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1820	3,982	—
1830	4,247	6.7%
1840	2,520	−40.7%
1850	2,632	4.4%
1860	2,754	4.6%
1870	2,048	−25.6%
1880	2,591	26.5%
1890	2,202	−15.0%
1900	2,058	−6.5%
1910	1,825	−11.3%
1920	1,494	−18.1%
1930	1,319	−11.7%
1940	1,476	11.9%
1950	1,463	−0.9%
1960	1,405	−4.0%
1970	1,566	11.5%
1980	1,915	22.3%
1990	1,892	−1.2%
2000	1,843	−2.6%
2010	1,846	0.2%
2020	1,697	−8.1%
U.S. Decennial Census

The population of Sharon has changed over many years. The chart above shows how many people lived in the town during different census years. In 2020, the population was 1,697 people.

Who Lives in Sharon?

Based on the 2000 census, there were 1,843 people living in Sharon. These people lived in 678 households, and 484 of these were families. Most people in Sharon (98.21%) were White. A small number were African American, Native American, or Asian. About 1.25% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

Households and Families

Out of the 678 households, about 33% had children under 18 living there. More than half (57.2%) were married couples living together. About 9% of households had a female head with no husband present. The average household had 2.64 people, and the average family had 3.10 people.

Age Groups

The population in Sharon is spread across different age groups:

27.4% were under 18 years old.
6.8% were between 18 and 24.
27.0% were between 25 and 44.
22.5% were between 45 and 64.
16.3% were 65 years old or older.

The average age in the town was 38 years.

Income Levels

In 2000, the average income for a household in Sharon was $36,413. For families, the average income was $40,417. About 15.1% of all people and 10.8% of families lived below the poverty line. This included 20.8% of those under 18 and 10.2% of those 65 or older.

Communities and Places in Sharon

Sharon has several smaller communities and interesting locations:

Argusville – This is a small hamlet located northeast of Sharon village. You can find it on County Roads 5A and 5B.
Beekman Corners – This place is near the southern border of the town, at County Road 5 and NY-10. It was an important community in Sharon's early history. The St. John's Lutheran Church here is a historic building.
Engleville – This location is in the southwestern part of the town. It used to be called "Engles Mills."
Engleville Pond – A small lake located north of Engleville.
Gilbert Corners – A hamlet in the northeastern part of the town, located on County Road 34.
Leesville – This place is west of Sharon Springs, on US-20. It used to be a major business center in the town.
Rockville – This used to be a hamlet, but now it's part of Sharon Springs.
Sharon Springs – This is a village located on NY-10. It's north of where NY-10 crosses US-20 in the western part of the town.
Sharon – This is a hamlet near the eastern border of the town. It's where US-20 and NY-145 meet. It was once known as "Moaks Hollow."
Sharon Airport (K31) – A small airport with a grass runway. It's used for general aviation and is located near Sharon Center.
Sharon Center – A hamlet southeast of Sharon Springs. It's at the meeting point of US-20 and County Road 34.
Staleyville – A location north of Sharon Springs, on NY-10.

Sharon, New York facts for kids

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