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Alstead, NH


Alstead New Hampshire Community Profile Community Contact Alstead Board of Selectmen
Linda Christie, Administrative Assistant
PO Box 60
Alstead, NH 03602
Telephone (603) 835-2986
Fax (603) 835-2178
E-mail townofalstead@comcast.net
Web Site www.alsteadnh.org

Municipal Office Hours Monday through Wednesday, 8 am - 4 pm, Thursday 8 am - 5:45 pm, closed Friday

County Cheshire
Labor Market Area Keene NH Micro-NECTA
Tourism Region Monadnock
Planning Commission Southwest Region
Regional Development Monadnock Economic Development Corp.

Election Districts
US Congress District 2
Executive Council District 2
State Senate District 10
State Representative Cheshire County District 2

Incorporated: 1763
Origin: Alstead began in 1735 as the fourth in a line of nine forts intended to protect southwestern New Hampshire from Indian attacks. The town was named for Johann Heinrich Alsted, a German professor whose Encyclopaedia (1630) was popular at Harvard, where Governor Benning Wentworth had been a student. According to the Town of Alstead municipal website, Alstead was one of the towns that wavered in its allegiance after the Revolutionary War. In April 1781 the citizens decided to join Vermont, but returned to New Hampshire authority early the next year. Alstead was the location of New Hampshire's first paper mill, established in 1793 on the Cold River.
Villages and Place Names: Alstead Center, East Alstead, Mill Hollow
Population, Year of the First Census Taken: 1,111 residents in 1790
Population Trends: Population change for Alstead totaled 1,089 over 51 years, from 843 in 1960 to 1,932 in 2011. The largest decennial percent change was a 41 percent increase between 1960 and 1970, close to one-third of the total numeric change. The 2011 Census estimate for Alstead was 1,932 residents, which ranked 141st among New Hampshire's incorporated cities and towns.
Population Density and Land Area, 2010 (US Census Bureau): 49.9 persons per square mile of land area. Alstead contains 38.8 square miles of land area and 0.6 square miles of inland water area.

MUNICIPAL SERVICES
Type of Government Selectmen
Budget: Municipal Appropriations, 2011 $1,721,145
Budget: School Appropriations, 2010-2011 $2,549,179
Zoning Ordinance 1987/10
Master Plan 2007
Capitol Improvement Plan Yes
Industrial Plans Reviewed By Planning Board
Boards and Commissions
Elected:Selectmen; Library
Appointed:Planning; Zoning; Conservation
Public Library Shedd-Porter Memorial

EMERGENCY SERVICES
Police Department Full-time
Fire Department Part-time & volunteer
Emergency Medical Service Volunteer
Nearest Hospital(s) Distance Staffed Beds
Cheshire Medical Center, Keene 17 miles 140
Valley Regional, Claremont 22 miles 25

UTILITIES
Electric Supplier PSNH; Granite State; NE Power
Natural Gas Supplier None
Water Supplier Private wells
Sanitation Private septic
Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant No
Solid Waste Disposal
Curbside Trash PickupNone
Pay-As-You-Throw ProgramNo
Recycling ProgramMandatory
Telephone Company Fairpoint
Cellular Telephone Access Yes
Cable Television Access Yes
Public Access Television Station No
High Speed Internet Service:
BusinessLimited
ResidentialLimited

(NH Dept. of Revenue Adminstration)PROPERTY TAXES
2011 Total Tax Rate (per $1,000 of value) $20.94
2011 Equalization Ratio 112.5
2011 Full Value Tax Rate (per $1,000 of value) $23.51
2011 Percent of Local Assessed Value by Property Type
Residential Land and Buildings94.7%
Commercial Land and Buildings2.8%
Public Utilities, Current Use, and Other2.5%

(ACS 2007-2011)HOUSING
Total Housing Units 971
Single-Family Units, Detached or Attached 824
Units in Multiple-Family Structures:  
Two to Four Units in Structure 38
Five or More Units in Structure 21
Mobile Homes and Other Housing Units 88
(US Census Bureau)DEMOGRAPHICS
Total Population Community County
2011 1,932 76,918
2010 1,937 77,117
2000 1,948 73,993
1990 1,724 70,223
1980 1,461 62,116
1970 1,185 52,364
 
Demographics, American Community Survey (ACS) 2007-2011
Population by Gender
Male:   949 Female:   977
Population by Age Group
Under age 5 115
Age 5 to 19 447
Age 20 to 34 282
Age 35 to 54 547
Age 55 to 64 286
Age 65 and over 249
Median Age 40.0 years
Educational Attainment, population 25 years and over
High school graduate or higher 95.5%
Bachelor's degree or higher 32.8%

(ACS 2007-2011)INCOME, 2011 INFLATION ADJUSTED $
Per capita income $26,941
Median family income $70,757
Median household income $54,500
Median Earnings, full-time, year-round workers
Male $46,719
Female $35,156
Families below the poverty level 1.3%

(NHES - ELMI)LABOR FORCE
Annual Average 2001 2011
Civilian Labor Force 1,144 1,094
Employed 1,113 1,042
Unemployed 31 52
Unemployment Rate 2.7% 4.8%

(NHES - ELMI)EMPLOYMENT & WAGES
Annual Average Covered Employment 2001 2011
Goods Producing Industries
Average Employment 86 70
Average Weekly Wage $557 $579
     
Service Providing Industries
Average Employment 82 61
Average Weekly Wage $409 $644
     
Total Private Industry
Average Employment 168 131
Average Weekly Wage $485 $609
     
Government (Federal, State, and Local)
Average Employment 28 24
Average Weekly Wage $245 $524
     
Total, Private plus Government
Average Employment 196 155
Average Weekly Wage $450 $596
n = indicates that the data does not meet disclosure standards

(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): Cheshire Center of Applied Science, Keene; Fall Mountain High School, Langdon Region: 13
Educational Facilities Elementary Middle/Junior High High School Private/Parochial
Number of Schools 1 1
Grade Levels P K 1-4 5-8
Total Enrollment 99 125
2012 NH Licensed Child Care Facilities (Bureau of Child Care Licensing): Total Facilities: 1 Total Capacity: 45
Nearest Community/Technical College: River Valley
Nearest Colleges or Universities: Keene State; Antioch New England

LARGEST BUSINESSES PRODUCT/SERVICE EMPLOYEES ESTABLISHED
Blanceflower Lumber Retail, wholesale lumber 15 1953
Fuller Machine Company Job machine shop 5
Benson's Woodworking Company Timber frame houses 10 1972

(Distance estimated from city/town hall)TRANSPORTATION
Road Access US Routes
State Routes 12A, 123, 123A
Nearest Interstate, Exit I-91 (VT), Exit 6
Distance 10 miles
Railroad No
Public Transportation No
 
Nearest Public Use Airport, General Aviation
Claremont Municipal
Runway 3,100 ft. asphalt
Lighted? Yes Navigational Aids? Yes
Nearest Airport with Scheduled Service
Lebanon Municipal Distance 42 miles
Number of Passsenger Airlines Serving Airport 1
 
Driving distance to selected cities:
Manchester, NH 70 miles
Portland, ME 162 miles
Boston, MA 120 miles
New York City, NY 232 miles
Montreal, Quebec 225 miles

(ACS 2007-2011)COMMUTING TO WORK
Workers 16 years and over
Drove alone, car/truck/van 79.3%
Carpooled, car/truck/van 6.5%
Public transportation 0.0%
Walked 1.4%
Other Means 1.7%
Worked at home 11.1%
Mean Travel Time to Work 30.1 minutes
 
Percent of Working Residents: (ACS 2007-2011)
Working in community of residence 71.0%
Commuting to another NH community 12.9%
Commuting out-of-state 16.1%
RECREATION, ATTRACTIONS, AND EVENTS
Municipal Parks
YMCA/YWCA
Boys Club/Girls Club
Golf Courses
Swimming: Indoor Facility
Swimming: Outdoor Facility
Tennis Courts: Indoor Faclity
Tennis Courts: Outdoor Facility
Ice Skating Rink: Indoor Facility
Bowling Facilities
Museums
Cinemas
Performing Arts Facilities
Tourists Attractions
X Youth Organizations (i.e., Scouts, 4-H)
X Youth Sports: Baseball
X Youth Sports: Soccer
Youth Sports: Football
X Youth Sports: Basketball
Youth Sports: Hockey
Campgrounds
X Fishing/Hunting
Boating/Marinas
X Snowmobile Trails
Bicycle Trails
Cross Country Skiing
Beach or Waterfront Recreational Area
Overnight or Day Camps
   
Nearest Ski Area(s): Okemo
   
Other:

Economic & Labor Market Information Bureau, NH Employment Security, 2013.
Community Response Received 09/16/11

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.

 

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