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Dorchester, NH


dorchester New Hampshire Community Profile Community Contact Town of Dorchester
Margaret Currier-Lemay, Administrative Assistant
1021 NH Route 118
Dorchester, NH 03266
Telephone (603) 786-5095
Fax (603) 786-9476
E-mail townofdorchester@gmail.com
Web Site www.townofdorchester.org

Municipal Office Hours Select Board: Monday, Tuesday, and Friday, 9-11, Wednesday, 3-6, Thursday, 9-1; Town Clerk/Tax Collector: Monday, 9-11, Wednesday, 3-6, last Saturday each month, 9-11

County Grafton
Labor Market Area Lebanon, NH-VT Micropolitan NECTA, NH part
Tourism Region Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee
Planning Commission Upper Valley Lake Sunapee
Regional Development Grafton County Economic Development Council

Election Districts
US Congress District District 2
Executive Council District District 2
State Senate District District 5
State Representative Grafton County Districts 9, 18

Incorporated: 1761
Origin: First chartered in 1761, Dorchester was probably given its name in honor of ancestors of Governor Benning Wentworth, who held the titles Marquis of Dorchester and Earl of Kingston. Due to the inability of grantees to meet prescribed terms of settlement, the territory was granted twice more, once in 1766 and again in 1772, retaining the name Dorchester throughout. The town's first moderator, Captain John Thompson, was a descendant of David Thompson, who was one of the first settlers in the colony, at Rye's Odiorne Point in 1623.
Villages and Place Names: Bucks Corner, Cheever, North Dorchester
Population, Year of the First Census Taken: 175 residents in 1790
Population Trends: Population change for Dorchester totaled 198 over 50 years, from 141 in 1970 to 339 in 2020. The 2022 Census estimate for Dorchester was 345 residents, which ranked 224th among New Hampshire's incorporated cities and towns.
Population Density and Land Area, 2022 (US Census Bureau): 7.7 persons per square mile of land area. Dorchester contains 44.6 square miles of land area and 0.6 square miles of inland water area.

Municipal Services
Type of Government Selectmen
Budget: Municipal Appropriations, 2021 $531,567
Budget: School Appropriations, 2020-2021 $791,746
Zoning Ordinance 2017
Master Plan 2017
Capitol Improvement Plan No
Industrial Plans Reviewed By Planning Board
Boards and Commissions
Elected:Selectmen; Planning; Cemetery
Appointed:Zoning; Conservation; Historic District
Public Library No Library

Emergency Services
Police Department No
Fire Department Canaan, Rumney, Lyme - Volunteer
Emergency Medical Service Canaan, Warren, Wentworth - Volunteer
Nearest Hospital(s) Distance Staffed Beds
Speare Memorial, Plymouth 18 miles 25
Alice Peck Day Memorial, Lebanon 23 miles 23

Utilities
Electric Supplier NH Electric Coop
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 Consolidated Communications
Cellular Telephone Access Limited
Cable Television Access Limited
Public Access Television Station No
High Speed Internet Service:
BusinessYes
ResidentialYes

(NH Dept. of Revenue Administration) Property Taxes
2022 Total Tax Rate (per $1,000 of value) $23.13
2022 Equalization Ratio 67.0
2022 Full Value Tax Rate (per $1,000 of value) $15.48
2022 Percent of Local Assessed Value by Property Type
Residential Land and Buildings94.6%
Commercial Land and Buildings0.3%
Public Utilities, Current Use, and Other5.1%

(ACS 2017-2021) Housing
Total Housing Units 276
Single-Family Units, Detached or Attached 229
Units in Multiple-Family Structures:  
Two to Four Units in Structure 0
Five or More Units in Structure 3
Mobile Homes and Other Housing Units 44
(US Census Bureau) Population
(1-Year Estimates/Decennial)
Total Population Community County
2022 345 91,126
2020 339 91,118
2010 355 89,118
2000 353 81,826
1990 392 74,998
1980 244 65,806
 
Demographics, American Community Survey (ACS) 2017-2021
Population by Gender
Male:   238 Female:   222
Population by Age Group
Under age 5 9
Age 5 to 19 34
Age 20 to 34 33
Age 35 to 54 123
Age 55 to 64 77
Age 65 and over 184
Median Age 57.2 years
Educational Attainment, population 25 years and over 406
High school graduate or higher 89.4%
Bachelor's degree or higher 30.3%

(ACS 2017-2021) Income, Inflation Adjusted $
Per capita income $34,725
Median family income $71,667
Median household income $45,625
Median Earnings, full-time, year-round workers
Male $64,250
Female $81,250
Individuals below the poverty level 18.0%

(NHES - ELMI) Labor Force
Annual Average 2012 2022
Civilian Labor Force 200 195
Employed 190 190
Unemployed 10 5
Unemployment Rate 5.0% 2.6%

(NHES - ELMI) Employment & Wages
Annual Average Covered Employment 2012 2022
Goods Producing Industries
Average Employment n n
Average Weekly Wage n n
     
Service Providing Industries
Average Employment n n
Average Weekly Wage n n
     
Total Private Industry
Average Employment n 7
Average Weekly Wage n $1,172
     
Government (Federal, State, and Local)
Average Employment 9 6
Average Weekly Wage $233 $453
     
Total, Private plus Government
Average Employment n 13
Average Weekly Wage n $827

If "n" appears, data does not meet disclosure standards.


(NH Dept. of Education) Education and Child Care
Schools students attend: Grades K-12 are part of Mascoma Valley Regional (Canaan, Dorchester, Enfield, Grafton, Orange) SAU 62
Career Technology Center(s): Hartford Area Career & Technology Center (VT)
Educational Facilities (includes Charter Schools) Elementary Middle/Junior High High School Private/Parochial
Number of Schools
Grade Levels 9-12
Total Enrollment
2022 NH Licensed Child Care Facilities (Bureau of Child Care Licensing): Total Facilities: 0 Total Capacity: 0
Nearest Community/Technical College: Lakes Region; River Valley
Nearest Colleges or Universities: Plymouth State; Dartmouth

Largest Businesses Product/Service Employees Established
Town of Dorchester Municipal services 4 1772

Employer Information Supplied by Municipality


(Distance estimated from city/town hall) Transportation
Road Access US Routes
State Routes 118
Nearest Interstate, Exit I-93, Exit 26
Distance 19 miles
Railroad No
Public Transportation No
 
Nearest Public Use Airport, General Aviation
Newfound Valley, BristolRunway1,900 ft. asphalt
Lighted? No Navigational Aids? No
Nearest Airport with Scheduled Service
Lebanon Municipal Distance 27 miles
Number of Passenger Airlines Serving Airport 1
 
Driving distance to selected cities:
Manchester, NH 74 miles
Portland, ME 106 miles
Boston, MA 124 miles
New York City, NY 293 miles
Montreal, Quebec 205 miles

(ACS 2017-2021) Commuting to Work
Workers 16 years and over 170
Drove alone, car/truck/van 67.6%
Carpooled, car/truck/van 20.6%
Public transportation 1.2%
Walked 1.2%
Other Means 1.2%
Worked at home 8.2%
Mean Travel Time to Work 42.5 minutes
 
Percent of Working Residents: (ACS 2017-2021)
Working in community of residence 12.4%
Commuting to another NH community 77.6%
Commuting out-of-state 10.0%
Recreation, Attractions, and Events
X Municipal Parks
YMCA/YWCA
Boys Club/Girls Club
Golf Courses
Swimming: Indoor Facility
Swimming: Outdoor Facility
Tennis Courts: Indoor Facility
Tennis Courts: Outdoor Facility
Ice Skating Rink: Indoor Facility
Bowling Facilities
X Museums
Cinemas
Performing Arts Facilities
Tourist Attractions
Youth Organizations (i.e., Scouts, 4-H)
Youth Sports: Baseball
Youth Sports: Soccer
Youth Sports: Football
Youth Sports: Basketball
Youth Sports: Hockey
Campgrounds
X Fishing/Hunting
Boating/Marinas
X Snowmobile Trails
X Bicycle Trails
X Cross Country Skiing
Beach or Waterfront Recreational Area
Overnight or Day Camps
   
Nearest Ski Area(s): Tenney Mtn
   
Other: Dorchester Going Places Mountain Bike-a-Thon; D'Acres

Economic & Labor Market Information Bureau, NH Employment Security, October 2023. Community Response Received 6/13/23

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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