Paoli is a town within Paoli Township and the county seat of Orange County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 3,677 at the 2010 census.

History

Paoli was laid out and platted in 1816. It was named for Pasquale Paoli Ash, the son of North Carolina governor Samuel Ashe. A post office has been in operation at Paoli since 1817. In its first decades, it was noted as a Quaker town that played a role in the Underground Railroad by transporting enslaved people from the South to Canada. In the 1900s, it became known as the site of the Pioneer Mothers Memorial Forest, a surviving fragment of the once-extensive virgin oak forest of southern Indiana.

Geography

According to the 2010 census, Paoli has a total area of 3.75 sqmi, of which 3.74 sqmi (or 99.73%) is land and 0.01 sqmi (or 0.27%) is water.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Paoli has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 3,677 people, 1,484 households, and 923 families living in the town. The population density was 983.2 PD/sqmi. There were 1,645 housing units at an average density of 439.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 97.7% White, 0.3% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.3% of the population. There were 1,484 households, of which 31.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.2% were married couples living together, 15.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.8% were non-families. 32.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.97. The median age in the town was 39.7 years. 23.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.5% were from 25 to 44; 25% were from 45 to 64; and 17.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 48.3% male and 51.7% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 3,844 people, 1,581 households, and 1,013 families living in the town. The population density was 1,016.0 PD/sqmi. There were 1,725 housing units at an average density of 455.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 98.34% White, 0.21% African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.18% from other races, and 0.86% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.70% of the population. There were 1,581 households, out of which 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.7% were married couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.90. In the town, the population was spread out, with 23.7% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 18.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.2 males. The median income for a household in the town was $26,962, and the median income for a family was $34,412. Males had a median income of $28,566 versus $20,110 for females. The per capita income for the town was $14,313. About 12.8% of families and 15.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.2% of those under age 18 and 13.3% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture

Thomas Newby Braxtan House, Orange County Courthouse, and Paoli Historic District are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The town has a lending library, the Paoli Public Library.

Media

The Paoli News-Republican is a newspaper founded in 1875, and published weekly in Paoli.

Notable people