The location was formerly called Payne's Corners. The Town of Hamilton was established in 1795, before the county was formed, from the Town of Paris in Oneida County.[4] The original town was reduced to create new towns in the county.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 41.5 square miles (107.4 km2), of which 41.4 square miles (107.1 km2) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.3 km2) (0.28%) is water.
At the 2000 census there were 5,733 people, 1,546 households, and 935 families in the town. The population density was 138.6 inhabitants per square mile (53.5/km2). There were 1,725 housing units at an average density of 41.7 per square mile (16.1/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 93.65% White, 1.99% Black or African American, 0.07% Native American, 2.46% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.45% from other races, and 1.34% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.83%.[8]
Of the 1,546 households 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.1% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.5% were non-families. 29.6% of households were one person and 12.4% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.96.
The age distribution was 15.7% under the age of 18, 40.8% from 18 to 24, 16.8% from 25 to 44, 15.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.0% 65 or older. The median age was 22 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.5 males.
The median household income was $38,917 and the median family income was $50,565. Males had a median income of $31,500 versus $26,643 for females. The per capita income for the town was $15,564. About 5.1% of families and 14.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.4% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over.
Communities and locations in Hamilton
Beekman Corners – A location between Hamilton village and East Hamilton.
Brooks Corners – A hamlet[9] in the south part of the town on Route 12.
Darts Corner – A location between Hamilton village and East Hamilton.
Earlville – Part of the Village of Earlville is located on the southern town line.
East Hamilton – A hamlet on Route 12, east of Hamilton village.
Excell Corners – A location northeast of South Hamilton.
Hamilton – The Village of Hamilton is in the northwestern part of the town.
Hamilton Center – A hamlet southeast of Hamilton village.
Hubbardsville – A hamlet north of East Hamilton village.
Loomis Corners – A location northwest of South Hamilton.
Poolville – A hamlet north of Brooks Corners.
Shores Corners – A location between Hamilton village and East Hamilton.
South Hamilton – A hamlet in the southeastern part of the town.
^Though the term "hamlet" is not defined under the Administrative divisions of New York law, many people in the state use the term hamlet to refer to a community within a town that is not incorporated as a village. Because a hamlet has no government of its own, it depends upon the town that contains it for municipal services and government. Hamlets often have names corresponding to the names of a local school district, post office, or fire district - though the boundaries are often not identical. Many hamlets are served, at least in part, by post offices and school districts with the names of adjacent hamlets, villages, towns, or cities. Though hamlets do not have official boundaries, the New York State Department of Transportation does put hamlet names on rectangular green signs with white lettering at locations of its choosing. The NYSDOT also provides community identification signs on some scenic byways to be placed at the boundaries of hamlets, as decided by the byway.
