NHES and ELMI agency logos
New Hampshire Employment Security - an official New Hampshire Government web site
Smaller text size Reset text size Larger text size
link to website translation page

ELMI Home > Products > Community Profiles >

Community Profiles

Stark, NH


stark New Hampshire Community Profile Community Contact Stark Board of Selectmen
Douglas Shannon, Chair
1189 Stark Highway
Stark, NH 03582
Telephone (603) 636-2118
Fax (603) 636-6199
E-mail patty@townofstark.com
Web Site http://townofstark.com

Municipal Office Hours Selectmen: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, 8-4, Wednesday, Friday, 8-12; Town Clerk: Tuesday, Thursday, 8-3:45; Tax Collector: Thursday, 9-4

County Coos
Labor Market Area Berlin, NH Micropolitan NECTA
Tourism Region Great North Woods
Planning Commission North Country Council
Regional Development Coos Economic Development Corp.

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

Incorporated: 1795
Origin: This town was chartered in 1774 as Percy, the family name of the Duke of Northumberland. At the time of the charter, a member of that family, Thomas Percy, was the king's chaplain. The town was incorporated as Piercy in 1795. In 1832 the name was changed to Stark in honor of General John Stark, hero of Bunker Hill and the Battle of Bennington. New Hampshire owes its motto, Live Free or Die, to General Stark, who was the first to carry the new thirteen-star American flag into battle. He wrote those words in July 1809, in commemoration of the Battle of Bennington. Stark is the location of the Stark Bridge, one of New Hampshire's scenic covered bridges, built in 1862.
Villages and Place Names: Crystal, Percy
Population, Year of the First Census Taken: 48 residents in 1790
Population Trends: Population change for Stark totaled 121 over 50 years, from 343 in 1970 to 464 in 2020. The 2022 Census estimate for Stark was 474 residents, which ranked 217th among New Hampshire's incorporated cities and towns.
Population Density and Land Area, 2022 (US Census Bureau): 8.0 persons per square mile of land area. Stark contains 59.2 square miles of land area and 0.5 square miles of inland water area.

Municipal Services
Type of Government Selectmen
Budget: Municipal Appropriations, 2023 $641,345
Budget: School Appropriations, 2022-2023 $771,199
Zoning Ordinance No Board
Master Plan No
Capitol Improvement Plan No
Industrial Plans Reviewed By Planning Board
Boards and Commissions
Elected:Selectmen; Planning
Appointed:None
Public Library Stark Public

Emergency Services
Police Department No
Fire Department Volunteer
Emergency Medical Service Groveton Ambulance
Nearest Hospital(s) Distance Staffed Beds
Weeks Medical Center, Lancaster 19 miles 25

Utilities
Electric Supplier Eversource Energy
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 No
Public Access Television Station No
High Speed Internet Service:
BusinessYes
ResidentialLimited

(NH Dept. of Revenue Administration) Property Taxes
2022 Total Tax Rate (per $1,000 of value) $16.36
2022 Equalization Ratio 54.3
2022 Full Value Tax Rate (per $1,000 of value) $8.74
2022 Percent of Local Assessed Value by Property Type
Residential Land and Buildings74.2%
Commercial Land and Buildings2.9%
Public Utilities, Current Use, and Other22.8%

(ACS 2017-2021) Housing
Total Housing Units 447
Single-Family Units, Detached or Attached 379
Units in Multiple-Family Structures:  
Two to Four Units in Structure 6
Five or More Units in Structure 8
Mobile Homes and Other Housing Units 54
(US Census Bureau) Population
(1-Year Estimates/Decennial)
Total Population Community County
2022 474 31,504
2020 478 31,268
2010 556 33,055
2000 516 33,156
1990 519 34,879
1980 470 35,014
 
Demographics, American Community Survey (ACS) 2017-2021
Population by Gender
Male:   216 Female:   288
Population by Age Group
Under age 5 44
Age 5 to 19 89
Age 20 to 34 37
Age 35 to 54 70
Age 55 to 64 128
Age 65 and over 136
Median Age 57.7 years
Educational Attainment, population 25 years and over 356
High school graduate or higher 94.7%
Bachelor's degree or higher 11.8%

(ACS 2017-2021) Income, Inflation Adjusted $
Per capita income $24,318
Median family income $69,375
Median household income $47,500
Median Earnings, full-time, year-round workers
Male $52,500
Female $33,750
Individuals below the poverty level 15.7%

(NHES - ELMI) Labor Force
Annual Average 2012 2022
Civilian Labor Force 255 194
Employed 225 187
Unemployed 30 7
Unemployment Rate 11.8% 3.6%

(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 n
Average Weekly Wage n n
     
Government (Federal, State, and Local)
Average Employment 11 10
Average Weekly Wage $126 $197
     
Total, Private plus Government
Average Employment n n
Average Weekly Wage n n

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


(NH Dept. of Education) Education and Child Care
Schools students attend: Stark operates grades K-6; grades 7-12 are tuitioned to Northumberland SAU 58
Career Technology Center(s): Hugh J. Gallen Career & Technical Center; White Mountains RHS
Educational Facilities (includes Charter Schools) Elementary Middle/Junior High High School Private/Parochial
Number of Schools 1
Grade Levels K 1-6 9-12
Total Enrollment 29
2022 NH Licensed Child Care Facilities (Bureau of Child Care Licensing): Total Facilities: 0 Total Capacity: 0
Nearest Community/Technical College: White Mountains
Nearest Colleges or Universities:

Largest Businesses Product/Service Employees Established
Town of Stark Municipal services 23

Employer Information Supplied by Municipality


(Distance estimated from city/town hall) Transportation
Road Access US Routes
State Routes 110
Nearest Interstate, Exit I-93, Exit 41
Distance 35 miles
Railroad St. Lawrence & Atlantic
Public Transportation No
 
Nearest Public Use Airport, General Aviation
Berlin MunicipalRunway5,200 ft. asphalt
Lighted? Yes Navigational Aids? Yes
Nearest Airport with Scheduled Service
Lebanon Municipal Distance 104 miles
Number of Passenger Airlines Serving Airport 1
 
Driving distance to selected cities:
Manchester, NH 131 miles
Portland, ME 120 miles
Boston, MA 181 miles
New York City, NY 364 miles
Montreal, Quebec 154 miles

(ACS 2017-2021) Commuting to Work
Workers 16 years and over 165
Drove alone, car/truck/van 81.8%
Carpooled, car/truck/van 9.7%
Public transportation 1.2%
Walked 0.6%
Other Means 0.6%
Worked at home 6.1%
Mean Travel Time to Work 40.1 minutes
 
Percent of Working Residents: (ACS 2017-2021)
Working in community of residence 12.1%
Commuting to another NH community 66.7%
Commuting out-of-state 21.2%
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
Museums
Cinemas
Performing Arts Facilities
X Tourist Attractions
X 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
X Boating/Marinas
X Snowmobile Trails
X Bicycle Trails
Cross Country Skiing
X Beach or Waterfront Recreational Area
Overnight or Day Camps
   
Nearest Ski Area(s): Wildcat
   
Other: Covered Bridge; Nash Stream Forest; John Stark Statue; Heritage Center

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

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.

 

Translation Resources and Disclaimer

New Hampshire Employment Security (NHES)
45 South Fruit Street  |  Concord NH 03301  |  603-224-3311  |  1-800-852-3400
TDD Access: Relay NH 1-800-735-2964