▁was ▁ 4 8 . 6 % ▁male ▁and ▁ 5 1 . 4 % ▁female . ▁ ▁Cl imate ▁Fer nd ale ▁experiences ▁a ▁m ild ▁climate , ▁with ▁no ▁average ▁month ly ▁temper atures ▁above ▁. ▁Although ▁Fer nd ale ▁has ▁slightly ▁higher ▁average ▁wind ▁spe eds ▁for ▁much ▁of ▁the ▁year , ▁average ▁temper atures , ▁cloud ▁cover ▁and ▁ra inf all ▁are ▁similar ▁to ▁other ▁low land ▁communities ▁in ▁western ▁What com ▁County , ▁such ▁as ▁B elling ham ▁and ▁Ly nd en . ▁Fer nd ale ▁aver ages ▁slightly ▁less ▁snow ▁than ▁Ly nd en . ▁ ▁Econom y ▁ ▁Origin ally , ▁Fer nd ale ' s ▁economy ▁was ▁based ▁on ▁tim ber , ▁and ▁shortly ▁after , ▁agricult ure ▁of ▁the ▁surrounding ▁land . ▁D air y ▁processing ▁was ▁a ▁significant ▁employ er ▁for ▁the ▁town , ▁and ▁the ▁old ▁Car n ation ▁da iry ▁plant ▁has ▁since ▁been ▁converted ▁to ▁offices . ▁The ▁construction ▁of ▁the ▁Fer nd ale ▁Re fin ery ▁west ▁of ▁town ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s ▁caused ▁a ▁population ▁bo om ▁in ▁the ▁town . ▁The ▁Cher ry ▁Point ▁Re fin ery ▁was ▁constructed ▁to ▁the ▁north west ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s . ▁A ▁sh oe ▁manufact uring ▁plant ▁for ▁Bro oks ▁Sports , ▁capable ▁of ▁producing ▁ 5 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁pairs ▁annual , ▁res ides ▁in ▁the ▁city . ▁The ▁city ▁also ▁serves ▁as ▁a ▁bed room ▁community ▁for