View source for Searsburg, Vermont

{{Use American English|date=June 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Searsburg, Vermont
|settlement_type          = [[New England town|Town]]
|nickname                 =
|motto                    =
|image_skyline            = Picnic Shelter, Searsburg VT.jpg
|imagesize                =
|image_caption            = Picnic shelter
|image_flag               =
|image_seal               =
|image_map                = searsburg_vt_highlight.png
|mapsize                  = 200px
|map_caption              = Searsburg, Vermont
|image_map1               =
|mapsize1                 =
|map_caption1             =
|pushpin_map              = USA
|pushpin_map_caption      = Location in the United States
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = {{USA}}
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = {{flag|Vermont}}
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Vermont|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Bennington County, Vermont|Bennington]]
|government_footnotes     =
|government_type          =
|leader_title             =
|leader_name              =
|leader_title1            =
|leader_name1             =
|established_title        =
|established_date         =
|unit_pref  =  Imperial
|area_footnotes           =
|area_magnitude           =
|area_total_km2           = 55.9
|area_land_km2            = 55.5
|area_water_km2           = 0.3
|area_total_sq_mi         = 
|area_land_sq_mi          = 
|area_water_sq_mi         =
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     =
|population_total         = 126
|population_density_km2   = 2.3
|population_density_sq_mi =
|timezone                 = [[Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
|utc_offset               = -5
|timezone_DST             = EDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -4
|elevation_footnotes      =
|elevation_m              = 670
|elevation_ft             = 2198
|coordinates              = {{coord|42|53|22|N|72|57|48|W|region:US-VT|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 05363
|area_code                = [[Area code 802|802]]
|area_code_type           = [[North American Numbering Plan|Area code]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 50-63175<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 1462202<ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|accessdate=January 31, 2008|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=October 25, 2007}}</ref>
|website                  =
|footnotes                =
}}
'''Searsburg''' is a [[New England town|town]] in [[Bennington County, Vermont|Bennington County]], [[Vermont]], United States. The population was 126 at the [[2020 United States Census|2020 census]].<ref name="Census 2020">{{cite web| url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=0600000US5000363175| title=Census - Geography Profile: Searsburg town, Bennington County, Vermont| publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]| access-date=January 6, 2022}}</ref>

==Energy development==

Searsburg is the home of a six-[[Megawatt hour|megawatt]] [[wind turbine]] farm owned by [[Green Mountain Power]]. The town officers have supported the electrical generating station consisting of 11 towers atop a ridgeline. The project is also an education and research facility for wind generation in the cold, northeast U.S. climate.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.northeastwind.com/what-weve-done/projects/22-searsburg |title=Searsburg Wind Power Facility &#124; Northeast Wind |access-date=January 25, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120627052849/http://www.northeastwind.com/what-weve-done/projects/22-searsburg |archive-date=June 27, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> There is a new wind project planned near the existing Searsburg Wind Energy Facility. [[Iberdrola Renewables]] proposed a 30 megawatt project, which consists of 15 turbines in Searsburg and [[Readsboro, Vermont|Readsboro]], on U.S. Forest Service land.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vermontbiz.com/news/september/central-vermont-public-service-purchase-deerfield-wind-power|title=Central Vermont Public Service to purchase Deerfield Wind power|website=Vermont Business Magazine|accessdate=September 7, 2018}}</ref>

==Geography==
Searsburg is located in southeastern Bennington County in the [[Green Mountains]] of Vermont. It is bordered to the north and east by [[Windham County, Vermont|Windham County]]. The town is traversed by [[Vermont Route 9]], also known as the [[Molly Stark]] Trail. The highway leads east {{convert|24|mi}} to [[Brattleboro, Vermont|Brattleboro]] and west {{convert|15|mi}} to [[Bennington, Vermont|Bennington]].

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|55.9|sqkm|disp=flip}}, of which {{convert|55.5|sqkm|disp=flip}} is land and {{convert|0.3|sqkm|disp=flip|2}}, or 0.59%, is water.<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/0600000US5000363175| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212161833/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/0600000US5000363175| url-status=dead| archive-date=February 12, 2020| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Searsburg town, Bennington County, Vermont| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| accessdate=April 30, 2014}}</ref> The town is drained by the [[Deerfield River]], a tributary of the [[Connecticut River]].

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1820= 9
|1830= 40
|1840= 120
|1850= 201
|1860= 262
|1870= 235
|1880= 232
|1890= 173
|1900= 161
|1910= 142
|1920= 133
|1930= 103
|1940= 135
|1950= 84
|1960= 73
|1970= 84
|1980= 72
|1990= 85
|2000= 96
|2010= 109
|2020= 126
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=May 16, 2015}}</ref>
}}
As of the census<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 96 people, 40 households, and 24 families residing in the town. The population density was 4.5 people per square mile (1.7/km<sup>2</sup>). There were 87 housing units at an average density of 4.0 per square mile (1.6/km<sup>2</sup>). The racial makeup of the town was 100.00% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]].

There were 40 households, out of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.5% were married couples living together, 2.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.0% were non-families. 37.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.21.

In the town, the age distribution of the population shows 27.1% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 25.0% from 25 to 44, 33.3% from 45 to 64, and 9.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 152.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 133.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $17,500, and the median income for a family was $31,667. Males had a median income of $28,333 versus $25,250 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $10,472. There were 10.0% of families and 17.5% of the population living below the [[poverty line]], including 12.9% of under eighteens and 35.7% of those over 64.

==Electoral history==

* In [[1992 United States presidential election|1992]], Searsburg was one of four Vermont towns to support Reform candidate [[H. Ross Perot]], who received 14 votes. Democrat [[Bill Clinton]] and Republican [[George H. W. Bush]] tied with 12 votes, with Marxist [[New Alliance Party]] member [[Lenora Fulani]] receiving one vote.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://vermont-elections.org/elections1/1992GEUsPres.pdf| title=DETAILED 1992 GENERAL ELECTION RESULTS For President| year=1992| publisher=Vermont Secretary of State| page=2| accessdate=February 6, 2012}}</ref>
* In [[1996 United States presidential election|1996]], the town gave 45 percent to Clinton, with Perot polling at a significantly above-average 39 percent, and with Republican [[Bob Dole]] coming in a distant third.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://vermont-elections.org/elections1/1996GEUsPres.pdf|title=DETAILED 1996 GENERAL ELECTION RESULTS For President|year=1996|publisher=Vermont Secretary of State|page=2|accessdate=February 6, 2012}}</ref>
* In [[2000 United States presidential election|2000]], Libertarian [[Harry Browne]] won Searsburg with 51%. Democrat [[Al Gore]] received 40%, and [[Ralph Nader]] received 9%. Republican [[George W. Bush]] received no votes. Browne's victory was particularly unusual, because he polled at under half a percent statewide.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://vermont-elections.org/elections1/2000GEUsPres.pdf|title=DETAILED 2000 GENERAL ELECTION RESULTS For President|year=2000|publisher=Vermont Secretary of State|page=2|accessdate=February 6, 2012}}</ref>
* In [[2004 United States presidential election|2004]], however, third-party candidates received only 4 percent (one vote each for Nader and Libertarian [[Michael Badnarik]]). Democrat [[John Kerry]] defeated Bush, 30 votes to 22.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://vermont-elections.org/elections1/2004GEUSPres.pdf|title=DETAILED 2004 GENERAL ELECTION RESULTS For President|year=2004|publisher=Vermont Secretary of State|page=2|accessdate=February 6, 2012}}</ref>
* In [[2008 United States presidential election|2008]], Searsburg was one of only three towns in Vermont to vote in favor of [[John McCain]] over [[Barack Obama]] (32–26).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://vermont-elections.org/elections1/2008GEUSPres.pdf|title=DETAILED 2008 GENERAL ELECTION RESULTS For President|year=2008|publisher=Vermont Secretary of State|page=2|accessdate=February 6, 2012}}</ref>

{{Election box begin | title=[[US Presidential election, 2000]]: Searsburg, Vermont}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Libertarian Party (US)
  |candidate  = [[Harry Browne]]
  |votes      = 24
  |percentage = 51.06%
  |change     = 
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Democratic Party (US)
  |candidate  = [[Al Gore]]
  |votes      = 19
  |percentage = 40.43%
  |change     = 
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Green Party of the United States
  |candidate  = [[Ralph Nader]]
  |votes      = 4
  |percentage = 8.51%
  |change     = 
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
  |party      = Republican Party (US)
  |candidate  = [[George W. Bush]]
  |votes      = 0
  |percentage = 0.00%
  |change     = 
}}
{{Election box majority|
  |votes      = 5
  |percentage = 10.64%
  |change     = 
}}
{{Election box turnout|
  |votes      = 47
  |percentage = 
  |change     =
}}
{{Election box gain with party link|
  |winner    = Libertarian Party (US)
  |loser     = Democratic Party (US)
  |swing     = 
}}
{{Election box end}}

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/19990822141922/http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/2068/searsburg1.html History of Searsburg Vermont]

{{Bennington County, Vermont}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Searsburg, Vermont| ]]
[[Category:Towns in Vermont]]
[[Category:Towns in Bennington County, Vermont]]