|
Community Contact |
Town of Amherst
Dean Shankle, Town Administrator
2 Main Street
Amherst, NH
03031-0960
|
Telephone |
(603) 673-6041 |
Fax |
(603) 673-6794 |
E-mail |
dshankle@amherstnh.gov |
Web Site |
www.amherstnh.gov/
|
Municipal Office Hours |
Town Hall, Town Administrator: Monday to Friday, 8-4; Town Clerk: Monday to Friday, 9-3, plus Tuesday, 4:30-6:30; Tax Collector: Monday to Friday, 9-3
|
County |
Hillsborough |
Labor Market Area |
Nashua, NH-MA NECTA Division |
Tourism Region |
Merrimack Valley |
Planning Commission |
Nashua Regional |
Regional Development |
Capital Regional Development Council
|
Election Districts |
|
US Congress |
District District 2 |
Executive Council |
District District 5 |
State Senate |
District District 11 |
State Representative |
Hillsborough County Districts 34, 37 |
Incorporated: 1760 |
Origin: This area was first granted in 1728 as Narragansett Number 3, settled by the families of soldiers who had fought at Narragansett, Rhode Island. In 1760, the town was named Amherst in honor of Lord Jeffrey Amherst (1717-1797), commander-in-chief of the colonial forces in the French and Indian War. Amherst was the birthplace of Horace Greeley (1811-1872), founder of the New York Tribune, a founder of the Republican Party, and 1872 Presidential candidate. For a brief time, Amherst was the county seat for Hillsborough County. |
Villages and Place Names: Cricket Corner, Ponemah, Baboosic Lake
|
Population, Year of the First Census Taken: 2,369 residents in 1790 |
Population Trends: Population change for Amherst totaled 7,174 over 50 years, from 4,605 in 1970 to 11,779 in 2020. The 2022 Census estimate for Amherst was 11,898 residents, which ranked 26th among New Hampshire's incorporated cities and towns. |
Population Density and Land Area, 2022 (US Census Bureau): 350.7 persons per square mile of land area. Amherst contains 33.9 square miles of land area and 0.5 square miles of inland water area. |
Municipal Services |
Type of Government |
Selectmen |
Budget: Municipal Appropriations, 2023 |
$16,810,950 |
Budget: School Appropriations, 2022-2023 |
$31,819,908 |
Zoning Ordinance |
1946/23 |
Master Plan |
2023 |
Capitol Improvement Plan |
Yes |
Industrial Plans Reviewed By |
Planning Board |
Boards and Commissions | |
Elected: | Selectmen; Cemetery; Library; Trust Funds; Zoning; Planning |
Appointed: | Communications Infrastructure; Conservation; Heritage; Historic District; Recreation; Capital Improvement; Solid Waste |
Public Library |
Amherst Town |
Emergency Services |
Police Department |
Full-time |
Fire Department |
On Call |
Emergency Medical Service |
Part-time |
Nearest Hospital(s) |
Distance |
Staffed Beds |
Southern NH Medical Center, Nashua |
12 miles |
163 |
St. Joseph Hospital, Nashua |
13 miles |
159 |
Catholic Medical Center, Manchester |
13 miles |
262 |
Utilities |
Electric Supplier |
Eversource Energy |
Natural Gas Supplier |
Liberty Utilities |
Water Supplier |
Pennichuck Water Works |
Sanitation |
Private septic |
Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant |
No |
Solid Waste Disposal |
Curbside Trash Pickup | None |
Pay-As-You-Throw Program | No |
Recycling Program | Voluntary |
Telephone Company |
Consolidated Communications |
Cellular Telephone Access |
Yes |
Cable Television Access |
Yes |
Public Access Television Station |
Yes |
High Speed Internet Service: |
Business | Yes |
Residential | Yes |
(NH Dept. of Revenue Administration) Property Taxes |
2022 Total Tax Rate (per $1,000 of value) |
$21.13 |
2022 Equalization Ratio |
77.6 |
2022 Full Value Tax Rate (per $1,000 of value) |
$16.28 |
2022 Percent of Local Assessed Value by Property Type |
Residential Land and Buildings | 86.9% |
Commercial Land and Buildings | 10.3% |
Public Utilities, Current Use, and Other | 2.8% |
(ACS 2017-2021) Housing |
Total Housing Units |
4,524 |
Single-Family Units, Detached or Attached |
4,222 |
Units in Multiple-Family Structures: |
|
Two to Four Units in Structure |
199 |
Five or More Units in Structure |
91 |
Mobile Homes and Other Housing Units |
12 |
(US Census Bureau) Population (1-Year Estimates/Decennial) |
Total Population |
Community |
County |
2022 |
11,898 |
426,594 |
2020 |
11,753 |
422,937 |
2010 |
11,201 |
400,721 |
2000 |
10,834 |
382,384 |
1990 |
9,057 |
336,549 |
1980 |
8,243 |
276,608 |
|
Demographics, American Community Survey (ACS) 2017-2021 |
Population by Gender |
Male: 5,748 |
|
Female: 5,964 |
Population by Age Group |
Under age 5 |
|
656 |
Age 5 to 19 |
|
2,308 |
Age 20 to 34 |
|
1,300 |
Age 35 to 54 |
|
3,171 |
Age 55 to 64 |
|
2,151 |
Age 65 and over |
|
2,126 |
Median Age |
|
46.7 years |
Educational Attainment, population 25 years and over |
|
8,400 |
High school graduate or higher |
|
99.2% |
Bachelor's degree or higher |
|
62.6% |
(ACS 2017-2021) Income, Inflation Adjusted $ |
Per capita income |
$67,288 |
Median family income |
$162,328 |
Median household income |
$141,424 |
Median Earnings, full-time, year-round workers |
Male |
$111,267 |
Female |
$63,396 |
Individuals below the poverty level |
4.3% |
(NHES - ELMI) Labor Force |
Annual Average |
2012 |
2022 |
Civilian Labor Force |
6,107 |
6,353 |
Employed |
5,811 |
6,211 |
Unemployed |
296 |
142 |
Unemployment Rate |
4.8% |
2.2% |
(NHES - ELMI) Employment & Wages |
Annual Average Covered Employment |
2012 |
2022 |
Goods Producing Industries |
Average Employment |
832 |
1,065 |
Average Weekly Wage |
$1,067 |
$1,311 |
|
|
|
Service Providing Industries |
Average Employment |
2,993 |
3,408 |
Average Weekly Wage |
$825 |
$1,237 |
|
|
|
Total Private Industry |
Average Employment |
3,825 |
4,473 |
Average Weekly Wage |
$877 |
$1,254 |
|
|
|
Government (Federal, State, and Local) |
Average Employment |
585 |
589 |
Average Weekly Wage |
$964 |
$1,118 |
|
|
|
Total, Private plus Government |
Average Employment |
4,410 |
5,062 |
Average Weekly Wage |
$889 |
$1,239 |
If "n" appears, data does not meet disclosure standards.
(NH Dept. of Education) Education and Child Care |
Schools students attend: |
Amherst operates grades K-8; grades 9-12 are part of Souhegan Cooperative (Amherst, Mont Vernon) |
SAU 39 |
Career Technology Center(s): |
Milford HS & Applied Technology Center; Wilbur H. Palmer Career & Tech Ed Center (Hudson); Nashua Technology Center |
Educational Facilities (includes Charter Schools) |
Elementary |
Middle/Junior High |
High School |
Private/Parochial |
Number of Schools |
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
Grade Levels |
P K 1-4 |
5-8 |
9-12 |
P K 1-12 |
Total Enrollment |
708 |
639 |
698 |
72 |
2022 NH Licensed Child Care Facilities (Bureau of Child Care Licensing): |
Total Facilities: 7 |
Total Capacity: 490 |
Nearest Community/Technical College: Manchester; Nashua |
Nearest Colleges or Universities: St. Anselm; Rivier; Thomas More; UNH-Manchester; Southern NH University; MCPHS; Franklin Pierce-Manchester |
Largest Businesses |
Product/Service |
Employees |
Established |
Wal-Mart |
Retail store |
200 |
1992 |
H & M Metals, Inc. |
Steel metal fabrication |
130 |
1970 |
Diacom Corporation |
Fabric-elastomer diaphragms |
93 |
1983 |
Resin System Corporation |
Custom cast thermoset plastic |
52 |
1972 |
Vibrac Corporation |
Torque test instruments |
15 |
1971 |
Rontex America, Inc. |
Nonwoven fabrics |
23 |
1976 |
Lowe's |
Home improvement center |
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Employer Information Supplied by Municipality
(Distance estimated from city/town hall) Transportation |
Road Access |
US Routes |
|
|
State Routes |
13, 101, 101A, 122 |
Nearest Interstate, Exit |
Everett Tpk., Exit 11; I-293, Exit 4 |
|
Distance |
9 miles; 12 miles |
Railroad |
Boston & Maine |
Public Transportation |
No |
|
Nearest Public Use Airport, General Aviation |
Boire Field, Nashua | Runway | 6,000 ft. asphalt |
Lighted? |
Yes |
Navigational Aids? |
Yes |
Nearest Airport with Scheduled Service |
Manchester-Boston Regional |
Distance |
15 miles |
Number of Passenger Airlines Serving Airport |
4 |
|
Driving distance to selected cities: |
Manchester, NH |
16 miles |
Portland, ME |
110 miles |
Boston, MA |
56 miles |
New York City, NY |
226 miles |
Montreal, Quebec |
262 miles |
(ACS 2017-2021) Commuting to Work |
Workers 16 years and over |
5,924 |
Drove alone, car/truck/van |
67.6% |
Carpooled, car/truck/van |
5.9% |
Public transportation |
0.0% |
Walked |
0.2% |
Other Means |
3.1% |
Worked at home |
23.2% |
Mean Travel Time to Work |
33.3 minutes |
|
Percent of Working Residents: |
(ACS 2017-2021) |
Working in community of residence |
34.2% |
Commuting to another NH community |
53.8% |
Commuting out-of-state |
12.0% |
Recreation, Attractions, and Events |
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 |
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 |
Fishing/Hunting |
Boating/Marinas |
Snowmobile Trails |
Bicycle Trails |
Cross Country Skiing |
Beach or Waterfront Recreational Area |
Overnight or Day Camps |
|
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Nearest Ski Area(s): Pat's Peak; Crotched Mountain |
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Other: Swimming Lake; Youth Lacrosse; Ponemah Bog Sanctuary; Peabody Mill Environmental Center; Joe English Reservation; Hiking Trails |
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.