Charlestown New Hampshire Town Information

charlestown New Hampshire Community Profile Community Contact Charlestown Selectboard
Brenda Ferland, Chair
PO Box 385
Charlestown, NH 03603
Telephone (603) 826-4400
Fax (603) 826-3709
E-mail dedkins@charlestown-nh.gov
Web Site www.charlestown-nh.gov

Municipal Office Hours Monday through Friday, 8 am - 4 pm; Selectmen: Monday, Wednesday, 8 am - 6 pm, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, 8 am - 4 pm; Town Clerk, Tax Collector: Monday, 8 am - 1 pm, 1:30 pm - 6 pm, Tuesday through Friday, 8 am - 1 pm, 1:30 pm - 4 pm

County Sullivan
Labor Market Area Charlestown NH LMA
Tourism Region Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee
Planning Commission Upper Valley Lake Sunapee
Regional Development Capital Regional Development Council

Election Districts
US Congress District District 2
Executive Council District District 2
State Senate District District 5
State Representative Sullivan County Districts 8, 11

Incorporated: 1753
Origin: Charlestown was originally the site of Number Four, the fourth in a line of forts on the Connecticut River border established as trading posts by Massachusetts Governor Belcher in 1735. In 1753, Governor Benning Wentworth named the town in honor of his friend, Admiral Sir Charles Knowles of the British Navy, who was then governor of Jamaica. A reproduction of Old Fort Number Four is now a historical site and museum. A historical marker commemorating the fort was erected in 1958ùthe second marker in the NH Historical Marker Program.
Villages and Place Names: Hemlock Center, North Charlestown, Snumshire, South Charlestown, South Hemlock, Springfield Junction, Trapshire
Population, Year of the First Census Taken: 1,093 residents in 1790
Population Trends: Population change for Charlestown totaled 2,405 over 53 years, from 2,576 in 1960 to 4,981 in 2013. The largest decennial percent change was a 35 percent increase between 1970 and 1980; after that, decennial percent change was seven percent or less. The 2013 Census estimate for Charlestown was 4,981 residents, which ranked 69th among New Hampshire's incorporated cities and towns.
Population Density and Land Area, 2013 (US Census Bureau): 139.1 persons per square mile of land area. Charlestown contains 35.8 square miles of land area and 2.2 square miles of inland water area.

MUNICIPAL SERVICES
Type of Government Selectmen
Budget: Municipal Appropriations, 2014 $4,793,879
Budget: School Appropriations, 2014-2015 $17,030,560
Zoning Ordinance 1951/12
Master Plan 2007
Capitol Improvement Plan No
Industrial Plans Reviewed By Planning Board
Boards and Commissions
Elected:Selectboard; Planning; Finance; Library; Cemetery; Highway Advisory; Recreation
Appointed:Zoning; Conservation; Heritage
Public Library Silsby Free Public

EMERGENCY SERVICES
Police Department Full-time
Fire Department On-Call
Emergency Medical Service On-Call
Nearest Hospital(s) Distance Staffed Beds
Valley Regional, Claremont 13 miles 25
Mt. Ascutney Hospital, Windsor VT 19 miles 33

UTILITIES
Electric Supplier PSNH; National Grid; NH Electric Coop
Natural Gas Supplier None
Water Supplier Charlestown Municipal Water Department
Sanitation Municipal
Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant Yes
Solid Waste Disposal
Curbside Trash PickupNone
Pay-As-You-Throw ProgramNo
Recycling ProgramMandatory: glass, cardboard only & voluntary for other recyclables
Telephone Company Fairpoint
Cellular Telephone Access Yes
Cable Television Access Yes
Public Access Television Station No
High Speed Internet Service:
BusinessYes
ResidentialYes

(NH Dept. of Revenue Adminstration) PROPERTY TAXES
2013 Total Tax Rate (per $1,000 of value) $32.28
2013 Equalization Ratio 107.7
2013 Full Value Tax Rate (per $1,000 of value) $34.38
2013 Percent of Local Assessed Value by Property Type
Residential Land and Buildings83.3%
Commercial Land and Buildings13.2%
Public Utilities, Current Use, and Other3.5%

(ACS 2008-2012) HOUSING
Total Housing Units 2,452
Single-Family Units, Detached or Attached 1,336
Units in Multiple-Family Structures:  
Two to Four Units in Structure 144
Five or More Units in Structure 195
Mobile Homes and Other Housing Units 777
(US Census Bureau) DEMOGRAPHICS
Total Population Community County
2013 5,009 43,074
2010 5,114 43,742
2000 4,761 40,560
1990 4,637 38,652
1980 4,417 36,063
1970 3,274 30,949
 
Demographics, American Community Survey (ACS) 2008-2012
Population by Gender
Male:   2,440 Female:   2,641
Population by Age Group
Under age 5 258
Age 5 to 19 800
Age 20 to 34 807
Age 35 to 54 1,635
Age 55 to 64 782
Age 65 and over 799
Median Age 47 years
Educational Attainment, population 25 years and over
High school graduate or higher 86.4%
Bachelor's degree or higher 12.9%

(ACS 2008-2012) ANNUAL INCOME, 2012
(Inflation Adjusted Dollars)
Per capita income $24,250
Median family income $58,802
Median household income $49,688
Median Earnings, full-time, year-round workers
Male $42,049
Female $36,158
Individuals below the poverty level 9%

(NHES - ELMI) LABOR FORCE
Annual Average 2003 2013
Civilian Labor Force 2,387 2,733
Employed 2,292 2,590
Unemployed 95 143
Unemployment Rate 4% 5.2%

(NHES - ELMI) EMPLOYMENT & WAGES
Annual Average Covered Employment 2003 2013
Goods Producing Industries
Average Employment 801 1,005
Average Weekly Wage $625 $938
     
Service Providing Industries
Average Employment 565 684
Average Weekly Wage $605 $678
     
Total Private Industry
Average Employment 1,365 1,688
Average Weekly Wage $617 $833
     
Government (Federal, State, and Local)
Average Employment 454 221
Average Weekly Wage $585 $631
     
Total, Private plus Government
Average Employment 1,819 1,909
Average Weekly Wage $609 $809

(NH Dept. of Education) EDUCATION/CHILD CARE FACILITIES
Schools students attend: Grades K-12 are part of Fall Mountain Regional (Acworth, Alstead, Charlestown, Langdon, Walpole) SAU 60
Career Technology Center(s): The Cheshire Career Center, Keene; Fall Mountain Regional High School - CTE, Langdon; Windham Regional Career Center, Brattleboro, VT Region: 13
Educational Facilities Elementary Middle/Junior High High School Private/Parochial
Number of Schools 2 1
Grade Levels K 1-5 8-Jun
Total Enrollment 305 143
2014 NH Licensed Child Care Facilities (Bureau of Child Care Licensing): Total Facilities: 6 Total Capacity: 107
Nearest Community/Technical College: River Valley
Nearest Colleges or Universities: Keene State; Antioch New England

LARGEST BUSINESSES PRODUCT/SERVICE EMPLOYEES ESTABLISHED
Whelen Engineering Emergency lights 800 1952
Bomar, Inc. Marine hardware 80 1974
Design Standards, Inc Medical instruments 93 1979
Connecticut River Bank Banking services 45 1864
G K N Aerospace Aircraft engine parts 55 1979
Airgas, Inc Welding equip., industrial & medical gases 60 1982
Town of Charlestown Municipal services 130 1753
Student Conservation Association Non-Profit youth conservation agency 84 1964
Fall Mountain Regional School District Education 125 1964

(Distance estimated from city/town hall) TRANSPORTATION
Road Access US Routes
State Routes 11, 12, 12A
Nearest Interstate, Exit I-91 (VT), Exit 7
Distance 2 miles
Railroad Boston & Maine
Public Transportation Community Alliance
 
Nearest Public Use Airport, General Aviation
Claremont Municipal
Runway 3,098 ft. asphalt
Lighted? Yes Navigational Aids? Yes
Nearest Airport with Scheduled Service
Lebanon Municipal Distance 32 miles
Number of Passsenger Airlines Serving Airport 1
 
Driving distance to selected cities:
Manchester, NH 82 miles
Portland, ME 174 miles
Boston, MA 132 miles
New York City, NY 238 miles
Montreal, Quebec 214 miles

(ACS 2008-2012) COMMUTING TO WORK
Workers 16 years and over
Drove alone, car/truck/van 79.8%
Carpooled, car/truck/van 12.3%
Public transportation 1.9%
Walked 1.3%
Other Means 1.1%
Worked at home 3.7%
Mean Travel Time to Work 25.7 minutes
 
Percent of Working Residents: (ACS 2008-2012)
Working in community of residence 31.1%
Commuting to another NH community 50.7%
Commuting out-of-state 18.2%
RECREATION, ATTRACTIONS, AND EVENTS
X Municipal Parks
YMCA/YWCA
Boys Club/Girls Club
Golf Courses
Swimming: Indoor Facility
X Swimming: Outdoor Facility
X Tennis Courts: Indoor Faclity
Tennis Courts: Outdoor Facility
Ice Skating Rink: Indoor Facility
Bowling Facilities
X Museums
Cinemas
X Performing Arts Facilities
X Tourists Attractions
X Youth Organizations (i.e., Scouts, 4-H)
X Youth Sports: Baseball
X Youth Sports: Soccer
X Youth Sports: Football
X Youth Sports: Basketball
Youth Sports: Hockey
Campgrounds
X Fishing/Hunting
X Boating/Marinas
X Snowmobile Trails
X Bicycle Trails
X Cross Country Skiing
Beach or Waterfront Recreational Area
X Overnight or Day Camps
   
Nearest Ski Area(s): Mount Sunapee, Mount Ascutney (VT)
   
Other: Fort at No. 4 Museum; Morningside Flight Park

Economic & Labor Market Information Bureau, NH Employment Security, November 2014.
Community Response Received 5/29/2014

All information regarding the communities is from sources deemed reliable and is submitted subject to errors, omissions, modifications, and withdrawals without notice. No warranty or representation is made as to the accuracy of the information contained herein. Specific questions regarding individual cities and towns should be directed to the community contact.