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Byron, Maine
Byron, Maine
	— Town —
	; Byron, Maine Location within the state of Maine
	Coordinates: 44°43′37″N 70°38′52″W / 44.72694°N 70.64778°W
Country	United States
State	Maine
County	Oxford
Incorporated	1833
	Area
- Total	52.5 sq mi (136.0 km2)
- Land	51.8 sq mi (134.1 km2)
- Water	0.7 sq mi (1.9 km2)
Elevation	948 ft (289 m)
	Population (2000)
- Total	121
- Density	2.3/sq mi (0.9/km2)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code	04275
Area code(s)	207
FIPS code	23-09550
GNIS feature ID	0582381

Byron is a town in Oxford County, Maine, United States. The population was 121 at the 2000 census. Home to Coos Canyon on the Swift River, Byron includes the village of Houghton.

[edit] History

It was settled as Township No. 8, then incorporated on January 24, 1833 as Byron, named for the English poet Lord Byron. Nicknamed Hop City, agriculture was the principal occupation. Crops included wheat, corn, potatoes and oats. Lumbering was extensive in winter, with two sawmills operating. The Rumford Falls & Rangeley Lakes Railroad was completed in 1896, carrying freight, tourists and "rusticators" from Rumford up the Swift River valley through Byron and Houghton to Mooselookmeguntic Lake.

The Swift River is a popular place to either pan for gold or swim at Coos Canyon, a 32 foot (10 meter) high gorge where the water depth occasionally exceeds 20 feet (6 meters).

[edit] Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 52.5 square miles (136.0 km²), of which, 51.8 square miles (134.1 km²) of it is land and 0.7 square miles (1.9 km²) of it (1.39%) is water. Set on either side of a narrow, uneven intervale in the Western Maine Mountains, Byron is drained by the Swift River.

The town is crossed by state route 17. It borders the towns of Roxbury to the south, Andover to the west, and unincorporated townships to the north and east.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^[1] of 2000, there were 121 people, 50 households, and 38 families residing in the town. The population density was 2.3 people per square mile (0.9/km²). There were 199 housing units at an average density of 3.8/sq mi (1.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.87% White and 4.13% Asian.

There were 50 households out of which 26.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.0% were married couples living together, 12.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.0% were non-families. 18.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 2.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.79.

In the town the population was spread out with 21.5% under the age of 18, 4.1% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 31.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 105.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 111.1 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $34,375, and the median income for a family was $34,375. Males had a median income of $41,875 versus $16,250 for females. The per capita income for the town was $20,334. There were 12.1% of families and 9.3% of the population living below the poverty line, including 14.3% of under eighteens and none of those over 64.