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. Thomas Newby Braxtan House, Orange County Courthouse, and Paoli Historic District are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Geography Paoli is located at (38.557681, -86.469209). According to the 2010 census, Paoli has a total area of , of which (or 99.73%) is land and (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 . There were 1,645 housing units at an average density of . 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