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Rye, NH


rye New Hampshire Community Profile Community Contact Town of Rye
Matt Scruton, Town Administrator
10 Central Road
Rye, NH 03870
Telephone (603) 964-5523
Fax (603) 964-1516
E-mail mscruton@town.rye.nh.us
Web Site www.town.rye.nh.us/

Municipal Office Hours Town Hall, Town Administrator: Monday to Friday, 8-4:30; Town Clerk/Tax Collector: Monday to Thursday, 8-4:30, Friday, 8-12

County Rockingham
Labor Market Area Portsmouth, NH-ME Metropolitan NECTA
Tourism Region Seacoast
Planning Commission Rockingham
Regional Development Coastal Economic Development Corp.

Election Districts
US Congress District District 1
Executive Council District District 3
State Senate District District 24
State Representative Rockingham County Districts 24, 38

Incorporated: 1726
Origin: Rye was the site of the first New Hampshire settlement, established by David Thompson in 1623 at Odiorne's Point and named Pannaway. Originally a part of Portsmouth called Sandy Beach, it was incorporated as a parish of New Castle in 1693 when that town separated from Portsmouth. In 1726, it was separated from New Castle, and incorporated as Rye, after the borough of Rye, on the English Channel. Rye's eight-mile length of coastline is dotted with old names such as Wallis Sands, Jenness Beach, Locke's Neck, Ragged Neck, Rye Harbor, and Odiorne Point. In 1876, the thriving village of Gosport on Star Island in the Isles of Shoals was annexed to the town. Rye is the only New Hampshire town with Atlantic islands, having annexed four of the Isles of Shoals; the remaining five islands belong to Maine.
Villages and Place Names: Jenness Beach, Odiorne Point, Foyes Corner, Langs Corner, Rye Beach, Rye Harbor, Rye North Beach, Wallis Sands, West Rye, Foss Beach
Population, Year of the First Census Taken: 958 residents in 1790
Population Trends: Population change for Rye totaled 1,457 over 50 years, from 4,083 in 1970 to 5,540 in 2020. The 2022 Census estimate for Rye was 5,602 residents, which ranked 66th among New Hampshire's incorporated cities and towns.
Population Density and Land Area, 2022 (US Census Bureau): 443.2 persons per square mile of land area. Rye contains 12.6 square miles of land area and 0.5 square miles of inland water area.

Municipal Services
Type of Government Selectmen
Budget: Municipal Appropriations, 2023 $14,046,483
Budget: School Appropriations, 2023-2024 $17,832,795
Zoning Ordinance 1953/18
Master Plan 2016
Capitol Improvement Plan Yes
Industrial Plans Reviewed By Planning Board
Boards and Commissions
Elected:Selectmen; Planning; Budget; Zoning; Sewer
Appointed:Conservation; Historic District; Mosquito; Heritage; Recreation
Public Library Rye Public

Emergency Services
Police Department Full & part-time
Fire Department Municipal
Emergency Medical Service Municipal
Nearest Hospital(s) Distance Staffed Beds
Portsmouth Regional, Portsmouth 6 miles 173

Utilities
Electric Supplier Eversource Energy
Natural Gas Supplier None
Water Supplier Rye Water District; Aquarion Water
Sanitation Rye Sewer Commission & private septic
Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant No
Solid Waste Disposal
Curbside Trash PickupNone
Pay-As-You-Throw ProgramNo
Recycling ProgramMandatory
Telephone Company Bay Ring; Consolidated
Cellular Telephone Access Yes
Cable Television Access Yes
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) $6.98
2022 Equalization Ratio 85.0
2022 Full Value Tax Rate (per $1,000 of value) $5.92
2022 Percent of Local Assessed Value by Property Type
Residential Land and Buildings96.3%
Commercial Land and Buildings3.1%
Public Utilities, Current Use, and Other0.6%

(ACS 2017-2021) Housing
Total Housing Units 3,059
Single-Family Units, Detached or Attached 2,613
Units in Multiple-Family Structures:  
Two to Four Units in Structure 170
Five or More Units in Structure 127
Mobile Homes and Other Housing Units 149
(US Census Bureau) Population
(1-Year Estimates/Decennial)
Total Population Community County
2022 5,602 319,424
2020 5,543 314,176
2010 5,298 295,223
2000 5,197 278,748
1990 4,461 246,744
1980 4,508 190,345
 
Demographics, American Community Survey (ACS) 2017-2021
Population by Gender
Male:   2,826 Female:   2,685
Population by Age Group
Under age 5 257
Age 5 to 19 727
Age 20 to 34 456
Age 35 to 54 1,207
Age 55 to 64 1,092
Age 65 and over 1,772
Median Age 55.9 years
Educational Attainment, population 25 years and over 4,391
High school graduate or higher 96.9%
Bachelor's degree or higher 62.7%

(ACS 2017-2021) Income, Inflation Adjusted $
Per capita income $86,232
Median family income $171,728
Median household income $116,332
Median Earnings, full-time, year-round workers
Male $116,250
Female $65,772
Individuals below the poverty level 4.8%

(NHES - ELMI) Labor Force
Annual Average 2012 2022
Civilian Labor Force 3,236 3,486
Employed 3,102 3,422
Unemployed 134 64
Unemployment Rate 4.1% 1.8%

(NHES - ELMI) Employment & Wages
Annual Average Covered Employment 2012 2022
Goods Producing Industries
Average Employment n 17
Average Weekly Wage n $2,443
     
Service Providing Industries
Average Employment n 1,105
Average Weekly Wage n $1,253
     
Total Private Industry
Average Employment 1,038 1,122
Average Weekly Wage $702 $1,271
     
Government (Federal, State, and Local)
Average Employment 219 195
Average Weekly Wage $834 $1,160
     
Total, Private plus Government
Average Employment 1,256 1,317
Average Weekly Wage $725 $1,254

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


(NH Dept. of Education) Education and Child Care
Schools students attend: Rye operates grades K-8; grades 9-12 are tuitioned to Portsmouth SAU 50
Career Technology Center(s): Portsmouth Career Technical Center #19
Educational Facilities (includes Charter Schools) Elementary Middle/Junior High High School Private/Parochial
Number of Schools 1 1 1
Grade Levels P K 1-4 5-8 9-12
Total Enrollment 200 199 59
2022 NH Licensed Child Care Facilities (Bureau of Child Care Licensing): Total Facilities: 1 Total Capacity: 99
Nearest Community/Technical College: Great Bay
Nearest Colleges or Universities: University of NH

Largest Businesses Product/Service Employees Established
Town of Rye Municipal services 83 1726
Petey's Restaurant Seasonal restaurant
Wentworth by the Sea Country Club Golf course
Benchmark at Rye Assisted Living
Partners Bank Banking services
Rye Public Schools Education
Sagamore Veterinary Clinic Animal health care services
Abenaqui Country Club Golf course
Webster at Rye Rehabilitation & assisted living

Employer Information Supplied by Municipality


(Distance estimated from city/town hall) Transportation
Road Access US Routes 1
State Routes 1A
Nearest Interstate, Exit I-95, Exit 3
Distance 5 miles
Railroad No
Public Transportation No
 
Nearest Public Use Airport, General Aviation
Hampton AirfieldRunway2,100 ft. turf
Lighted? Yes Navigational Aids? No
Nearest Airport with Scheduled Service
Manchester-Boston Regional Distance 43 miles
Number of Passenger Airlines Serving Airport 4
 
Driving distance to selected cities:
Manchester, NH 40 miles
Portland, ME 59 miles
Boston, MA 57 miles
New York City, NY 268 miles
Montreal, Quebec 294 miles

(ACS 2017-2021) Commuting to Work
Workers 16 years and over 2,671
Drove alone, car/truck/van 76.8%
Carpooled, car/truck/van 1.0%
Public transportation 0.0%
Walked 0.9%
Other Means 0.6%
Worked at home 20.7%
Mean Travel Time to Work 22.5 minutes
 
Percent of Working Residents: (ACS 2017-2021)
Working in community of residence 32.8%
Commuting to another NH community 55.0%
Commuting out-of-state 12.2%
Recreation, Attractions, and Events
X Municipal Parks
YMCA/YWCA
Boys Club/Girls Club
X 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
X Tourist 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
X Boating/Marinas
Snowmobile Trails
X Bicycle Trails
X Cross Country Skiing
X Beach or Waterfront Recreational Area
Overnight or Day Camps
   
Nearest Ski Area(s): McIntyre, Gunstock
   
Other: Whale Watches, Odiorne Point; Wallis Sands; Jenness & Rye State Parks; State Harbor

Economic & Labor Market Information Bureau, NH Employment Security, October 2023. Community Response Received 6/14/23

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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