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Durham, NH


Durham New Hampshire Community Profile Community Contact Town of Durham
Michael Behrendt, Director of Planning
15 Newmarket Road
Durham, NH 03824-2898
Telephone (603) 868-8064
Fax (603) 868-8033
E-mail mbehrendt@ci.durham.nh.us
Web Site http://ci.durham.nh.us

Municipal Office Hours Monday through Friday, 8 am - 5 pm

County Strafford
Labor Market Area Rochester-Dover NH-ME Metro-NECTA, NH Portion
Tourism Region Seacoast
Planning Commission Strafford Regional
Regional Development Southeast Economic Development Corp.

Election Districts
US Congress District 1
Executive Council District 2
State Senate District 21
State Representative Strafford County District 6

Incorporated: 1732
Origin: Durham started as a parish of Dover called Oyster River Plantation, first settled in 1669. Durham was incorporated in 1732, probably to honor the first Puritan bishop, Richard Barnes, Bishop of Durham. Durham included what is now Lee until 1766, when that town was incorporated. Benjamin Thompson, descendent of an early settler, bequeathed the family estate, the Warner Farm, to be used for establishment of an agricultural college. The state agricultural school, originally set up in Hanover in 1866, was moved to Durham in 1890, becoming the University of New Hampshire in 1923.
Villages and Place Names: Oyster River
Population, Year of the First Census Taken: 1,247 residents in 1790
Population Trends: Population change for Durham, including resident students, totaled 9,180 over 51 years, from 5,504 in 1960 to 14,684 in 2011. The largest decennial percent change was a 61 percent increase between 1960 and 1970. The 2011 Census estimate for Durham was 14,684 residents, which ranked 18th among New Hampshire's incorporated cities and towns.
Population Density and Land Area, 2010 (US Census Bureau): 654.1 persons per square mile of land area. Durham contains 22.4 square miles of land area and 2.4 square miles of inland water area.

MUNICIPAL SERVICES
Type of Government Administrator & Council
Budget: Municipal Appropriations, 2011 $11,277,208
Budget: School Appropriations, Not Available
Zoning Ordinance 1935/12
Master Plan 2000
Capitol Improvement Plan Yes
Industrial Plans Reviewed By Town Planner/Planning Board
Boards and Commissions
Elected:Town Council
Appointed:Planning; Zoning; Conservation; Library; Cemetery; Historic; Economic Development
Public Library Durham Public; UNH Library

EMERGENCY SERVICES
Police Department Full-time
Fire Department Municipal
Emergency Medical Service Municipal
Nearest Hospital(s) Distance Staffed Beds
Wentworth-Douglass, Dover 6 miles 128

UTILITIES
Electric Supplier PSNH; NH Electric Coop
Natural Gas Supplier Unitil
Water Supplier UNH/Durham Water System
Sanitation Municipal
Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant Yes
Solid Waste Disposal
Curbside Trash PickupMunicipal
Pay-As-You-Throw ProgramNo
Recycling ProgramMandatory
Telephone Company Fairpoint
Cellular Telephone Access Yes
Cable Television Access Yes
Public Access Television Station Yes
High Speed Internet Service:
Businessunknown
Residentialunknown

(NH Dept. of Revenue Adminstration)PROPERTY TAXES
2011 Total Tax Rate (per $1,000 of value) $28.20
2011 Equalization Ratio 100.0
2011 Full Value Tax Rate (per $1,000 of value) $28.17
2011 Percent of Local Assessed Value by Property Type
Residential Land and Buildings86.9%
Commercial Land and Buildings11.6%
Public Utilities, Current Use, and Other1.5%

(ACS 2007-2011)HOUSING
Total Housing Units 3,633
Single-Family Units, Detached or Attached 2,232
Units in Multiple-Family Structures:  
Two to Four Units in Structure 161
Five or More Units in Structure 1,227
Mobile Homes and Other Housing Units 13
(US Census Bureau)DEMOGRAPHICS
Total Population Community County
2011 14,684 123,857
2010 14,638 123,143
2000 12,684 112,676
1990 11,816 104,348
1980 10,652 85,324
1970 8,869 70,431
 
Demographics, American Community Survey (ACS) 2007-2011
Population by Gender
Male:   6,259 Female:   8,249
Population by Age Group
Under age 5 332
Age 5 to 19 5,544
Age 20 to 34 4,661
Age 35 to 54 2,157
Age 55 to 64 883
Age 65 and over 931
Median Age 20.7 years
Educational Attainment, population 25 years and over
High school graduate or higher 96.5%
Bachelor's degree or higher 72.9%

(ACS 2007-2011)INCOME, 2011 INFLATION ADJUSTED $
Per capita income $24,336
Median family income $113,240
Median household income $69,333
Median Earnings, full-time, year-round workers
Male $77,284
Female $56,700
Families below the poverty level 5.3%

(NHES - ELMI)LABOR FORCE
Annual Average 2001 2011
Civilian Labor Force 6,403 7,634
Employed 6,227 7,258
Unemployed 176 376
Unemployment Rate 2.7% 4.9%

(NHES - ELMI)EMPLOYMENT & WAGES
Annual Average Covered Employment 2001 2011
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 2,067 1,818
Average Weekly Wage $771 $848
     
Government (Federal, State, and Local)
Average Employment 4,388 4,236
Average Weekly Wage $747 $1,170
     
Total, Private plus Government
Average Employment 6,455 6,054
Average Weekly Wage $754 $1,073
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 Oyster River Cooperative (Durham, Lee, Madbury) SAU 5
Career Technology Center(s): Dover Voc. Center; Somersworth Reg. Voc. Center; Creteau Voc. Center, Rochester Region: 15
Educational Facilities Elementary Middle/Junior High High School Private/Parochial
Number of Schools 1 1
Grade Levels 5-8 9-12
Total Enrollment 611 673
2012 NH Licensed Child Care Facilities (Bureau of Child Care Licensing): Total Facilities: 5 Total Capacity: 291
Nearest Community/Technical College: Great Bay
Nearest Colleges or Universities: University of NH

LARGEST BUSINESSES PRODUCT/SERVICE EMPLOYEES ESTABLISHED
University of New Hampshire Education 4,231
Goss International Printing press 475
Town of Durham Municipal services 78

(Distance estimated from city/town hall)TRANSPORTATION
Road Access US Routes 4
State Routes 108, 155, 155A
Nearest Interstate, Exit I-95, Exit 5
Distance 8 miles
Railroad Amtrak Downeaster
Public Transportation COAST; Wildcat Transit
 
Nearest Public Use Airport, General Aviation
Pease International
Runway 11,321 ft. asphalt/concrete
Lighted? Yes Navigational Aids? Yes
Nearest Airport with Scheduled Service
Manchester-Boston Regional Distance 40 miles
Number of Passsenger Airlines Serving Airport 4
 
Driving distance to selected cities:
Manchester, NH 37 miles
Portland, ME 61 miles
Boston, MA 64 miles
New York City, NY 277 miles
Montreal, Quebec 282 miles

(ACS 2007-2011)COMMUTING TO WORK
Workers 16 years and over
Drove alone, car/truck/van 51.2%
Carpooled, car/truck/van 6.5%
Public transportation 6.9%
Walked 29.5%
Other Means 2.1%
Worked at home 3.8%
Mean Travel Time to Work 17.6 minutes
 
Percent of Working Residents: (ACS 2007-2011)
Working in community of residence 61.6%
Commuting to another NH community 27.7%
Commuting out-of-state 10.7%
RECREATION, ATTRACTIONS, AND EVENTS
X Municipal Parks
YMCA/YWCA
Boys Club/Girls Club
X Golf Courses
Swimming: Indoor Facility
X Swimming: Outdoor Facility
Tennis Courts: Indoor Faclity
Tennis Courts: Outdoor Facility
X Ice Skating Rink: Indoor Facility
Bowling Facilities
Museums
Cinemas
X Performing Arts Facilities
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
X Youth Sports: Hockey
Campgrounds
X Fishing/Hunting
X Boating/Marinas
Snowmobile Trails
X Bicycle Trails
X Cross Country Skiing
Beach or Waterfront Recreational Area
Overnight or Day Camps
   
Nearest Ski Area(s): Gunstock
   
Other: Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve

Economic & Labor Market Information Bureau, NH Employment Security, 2013.
Community Response Received 07/06/12

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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