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Lancaster, NH


Lancaster New Hampshire Community Profile Community Contact Town of Lancaster
Edward Samson, Town Manager
25 Main Street
Lancaster, NH 03584
Telephone (603) 788-3391
Fax (603) 788-2114
E-mail info@lancasternh.org
Web Site www.lancasternh.org

Municipal Office Hours Monday through Thursday, 8:30 am - 5 pm, Friday, 8:30 am - 4:30 pm

County Coos
Labor Market Area Littleton NH-VT LMA, NH Portion
Tourism Region Great North Woods
Planning Commission North Country Council
Regional Development Coos Economic Development Corp.

Election Districts
US Congress District 2
Executive Council District 1
State Senate District 1
State Representative Coos County Districts 4, 7

Incorporated: 1763
Origin: Lancaster was first granted to Captain David Page and others in 1763, an early settlement on the northern portion of the Connecticut River. The town was subject to many Indian troubles, and a grant renewal was issued in 1769. The town was named for Lancaster, Massachusetts, hometown of Joseph Wilder, an early settler. Reverend Joshua Weeks, also a grantee, was among the group of explorers who named the mountains in the Presidential Range. Another resident was Benjamin Sawyer, who, with Timothy Nash, discovered the White Mountain Notch, making a shorter route to Portland possible.
Villages and Place Names: Coos Junction, Grange, Lost Nation, South Lancaster
Population, Year of the First Census Taken: 161 residents in 1790
Population Trends: Population change for Lancaster totaled 331 over 51 years, from 3,138 in 1960 to 3,469 in 2011. The largest decennial percent change a seven percent increase between 1970 and 1980. The 2011 Census estimate for Lancaster was 3,469 residents, which ranked 104th among New Hampshire's incorporated cities and towns.
Population Density and Land Area, 2010 (US Census Bureau): 70.4 persons per square mile of land area. Lancaster contains 49.9 square miles of land area and 0.9 square miles of inland water area.

MUNICIPAL SERVICES
Type of Government Selectmen
Budget: Municipal Appropriations, 2012 $5,509,298
Budget: School Appropriations, 2012-2013 $6,185,916
Zoning Ordinance 1908/05
Master Plan 2011
Capitol Improvement Plan Yes
Industrial Plans Reviewed By Planning Board
Boards and Commissions
Elected:Selectmen; Library; Town Clerk
Appointed:Planning; Zoning; Conservation; Tax Collector
Public Library Weeks Memorial

EMERGENCY SERVICES
Police Department Full-time
Fire Department Municipal
Emergency Medical Service Municipal
Nearest Hospital(s) Distance Staffed Beds
Weeks Medical Center, Lancaster Local 25

UTILITIES
Electric Supplier PSNH
Natural Gas Supplier None
Water Supplier Lancaster Water Department
Sanitation Municipal
Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant Yes
Solid Waste Disposal
Curbside Trash PickupMunicipal & private
Pay-As-You-Throw ProgramYes
Recycling ProgramVoluntary
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
2011 Total Tax Rate (per $1,000 of value) $18.53
2011 Equalization Ratio 118.7
2011 Full Value Tax Rate (per $1,000 of value) $21.89
2011 Percent of Local Assessed Value by Property Type
Residential Land and Buildings71.7%
Commercial Land and Buildings22.3%
Public Utilities, Current Use, and Other6.0%

(ACS 2007-2011)HOUSING
Total Housing Units 1,729
Single-Family Units, Detached or Attached 1,107
Units in Multiple-Family Structures:  
Two to Four Units in Structure 102
Five or More Units in Structure 336
Mobile Homes and Other Housing Units 184
(US Census Bureau)DEMOGRAPHICS
Total Population Community County
2011 3,469 32,688
2010 3,507 33,055
2000 3,285 33,156
1990 3,532 34,879
1980 3,401 35,014
1970 3,166 34,189
 
Demographics, American Community Survey (ACS) 2007-2011
Population by Gender
Male:   1,640 Female:   1,865
Population by Age Group
Under age 5 116
Age 5 to 19 918
Age 20 to 34 396
Age 35 to 54 1,057
Age 55 to 64 388
Age 65 and over 630
Median Age 41.6 years
Educational Attainment, population 25 years and over
High school graduate or higher 87.3%
Bachelor's degree or higher 21.8%

(ACS 2007-2011)INCOME, 2011 INFLATION ADJUSTED $
Per capita income $28,245
Median family income $53,542
Median household income $40,455
Median Earnings, full-time, year-round workers
Male $48,438
Female $30,000
Families below the poverty level 10.4%

(NHES - ELMI)LABOR FORCE
Annual Average 2001 2011
Civilian Labor Force 1,731 1,761
Employed 1,671 1,663
Unemployed 60 98
Unemployment Rate 3.5% 5.6%

(NHES - ELMI)EMPLOYMENT & WAGES
Annual Average Covered Employment 2001 2011
Goods Producing Industries
Average Employment 209 246
Average Weekly Wage $530 $686
     
Service Providing Industries
Average Employment 1,324 1,240
Average Weekly Wage $487 $705
     
Total Private Industry
Average Employment 1,533 1,486
Average Weekly Wage $493 $702
     
Government (Federal, State, and Local)
Average Employment 213 240
Average Weekly Wage $451 $661
     
Total, Private plus Government
Average Employment 1,746 1,726
Average Weekly Wage $488 $696
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 White Mountains Regional (Carroll, Dalton, Jefferson, Lancaster, Whitefield) SAU 36
Career Technology Center(s): Gallen Regional Voc. Center, Littleton; White Mountain Regional High, Whitefield Region: 3
Educational Facilities Elementary Middle/Junior High High School Private/Parochial
Number of Schools 1 1
Grade Levels P K 1-8 5-12
Total Enrollment 428 13
2012 NH Licensed Child Care Facilities (Bureau of Child Care Licensing): Total Facilities: 2 Total Capacity: 69
Nearest Community/Technical College: White Mountains
Nearest Colleges or Universities: Granite State College-Littleton or Berlin

LARGEST BUSINESSES PRODUCT/SERVICE EMPLOYEES ESTABLISHED
Weeks Memorial Hospital Health care services 320
Country Village Health Care Health care services 112
Lancaster School Education 70
Pak 2000 Four color shopping bags 53 1987
Shaw's Supermarket Supermarket 48
Town of Lancaster Municipal services 40
North Country Ford Sales & Service Car dealership 21
PJ Noyes Company, Inc. Pharmaceutical 30 1868
PSNH Utility 25
Salmon Press, LLC Newspaper 21

(Distance estimated from city/town hall)TRANSPORTATION
Road Access US Routes 2, 3
State Routes
Nearest Interstate, Exit I-93, Exit 41
Distance 20 miles
Railroad Boston & Maine
Public Transportation NCT
 
Nearest Public Use Airport, General Aviation
Mt Washington Reg, Whitefield
Runway 4,001 ft. asphalt
Lighted? Yes Navigational Aids? Yes
Nearest Airport with Scheduled Service
Lebanon Municipal Distance 82 miles
Number of Passsenger Airlines Serving Airport 1
 
Driving distance to selected cities:
Manchester, NH 119 miles
Portland, ME 116 miles
Boston, MA 169 miles
New York City, NY 352 miles
Montreal, Quebec 167 miles

(ACS 2007-2011)COMMUTING TO WORK
Workers 16 years and over
Drove alone, car/truck/van 81.4%
Carpooled, car/truck/van 8.2%
Public transportation 0.7%
Walked 2.3%
Other Means 1.9%
Worked at home 5.5%
Mean Travel Time to Work 26.0 minutes
 
Percent of Working Residents: (ACS 2007-2011)
Working in community of residence 68.5%
Commuting to another NH community 25.4%
Commuting out-of-state 6.2%
RECREATION, ATTRACTIONS, AND EVENTS
X Municipal Parks
YMCA/YWCA
Boys Club/Girls Club
Golf Courses
Swimming: Indoor Facility
X Swimming: Outdoor Facility
Tennis Courts: Indoor Faclity
X Tennis Courts: Outdoor Facility
Ice Skating Rink: Indoor Facility
Bowling Facilities
Museums
X Cinemas
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
Youth Sports: Hockey
X 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): Bretton Woods
   
Other: Lancaster Fair; Weeks Historic Site; Farmers Market

Economic & Labor Market Information Bureau, NH Employment Security, 2013.
Community Response Received 07/10/12

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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