 |
Community Contact |
Town of Lancaster
Benjamin Gaetjens-Oleson, 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 |
Town Offices, Town Manager, Town Clerk, and Tax Collector: Monday to Thursday, 8:30-5, Friday, 8:30-4:30
|
County |
Coos |
Labor Market Area |
Littleton, NH-VT LMA, NH part |
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 1 |
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 27 over 50 years, from 3,166 in 1970 to 3,193 in 2020. The largest decennial percent change was a nine percent decrease from 2010 to 2020. The town's population increased by less than 100 total residents since 1940. The 2021 Census estimate for Lancaster was 3,195 residents, which ranked 109th among New Hampshire's incorporated cities and towns. |
Population Density and Land Area, 2021 (US Census Bureau): 63.6 persons per square mile of land area. Lancaster contains 50.2 square miles of land area and 1.0 square miles of inland water area. |
Municipal Services |
Type of Government |
Selectmen |
Budget: Municipal Appropriations, 2022 |
$8,592,866 |
Budget: School Appropriations, 2022-2023 |
$25,321,224 |
Zoning Ordinance |
1908/15 |
Master Plan |
2011 |
Capitol Improvement Plan |
No |
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 |
Eversource Energy |
Natural Gas Supplier |
None |
Water Supplier |
Lancaster Water Department |
Sanitation |
Municipal |
Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant |
Yes |
Solid Waste Disposal |
Curbside Trash Pickup | Municipal & private |
Pay-As-You-Throw Program | Yes |
Recycling Program | Voluntary |
Telephone Company |
Consolidated Communications |
Cellular Telephone Access |
Yes |
Cable Television Access |
Yes |
Public Access Television Station |
No |
High Speed Internet Service: |
Business | Yes |
Residential | Yes |
(NH Dept. of Revenue Administration) Property Taxes |
2021 Total Tax Rate (per $1,000 of value) |
$26.19 |
2021 Equalization Ratio |
73.6 |
2021 Full Value Tax Rate (per $1,000 of value) |
$19.00 |
2021 Percent of Local Assessed Value by Property Type |
Residential Land and Buildings | 70.1% |
Commercial Land and Buildings | 23.8% |
Public Utilities, Current Use, and Other | 6.2% |
(ACS 2017-2021) Housing |
Total Housing Units |
1,489 |
Single-Family Units, Detached or Attached |
1,032 |
Units in Multiple-Family Structures: |
|
Two to Four Units in Structure |
238 |
Five or More Units in Structure |
86 |
Mobile Homes and Other Housing Units |
133 |
(US Census Bureau) Population (Decennial/ACS 2017-2021) |
Total Population |
Community |
County |
2021 |
3,215 |
31,360 |
2020 |
3,218 |
31,268 |
2010 |
3,507 |
33,055 |
2000 |
3,285 |
33,156 |
1990 |
3,532 |
34,879 |
1980 |
3,401 |
35,014 |
|
Demographics, American Community Survey (ACS) 2017-2021 |
Population by Gender |
Male: 1,602 |
|
Female: 1,613 |
Population by Age Group |
Under age 5 |
|
176 |
Age 5 to 19 |
|
687 |
Age 20 to 34 |
|
625 |
Age 35 to 54 |
|
690 |
Age 55 to 64 |
|
366 |
Age 65 and over |
|
671 |
Median Age |
|
38.3 years |
Educational Attainment, population 25 years and over |
|
2,116 |
High school graduate or higher |
|
92.1% |
Bachelor's degree or higher |
|
23.4% |
(ACS 2017-2021) Income, Inflation Adjusted $ |
Per capita income |
$31,484 |
Median family income |
$83,393 |
Median household income |
$61,953 |
Median Earnings, full-time, year-round workers, 16 years ad over |
Male |
$60,806 |
Female |
$41,667 |
Individuals below the poverty level |
8.7% |
(NHES - ELMI) Labor Force |
Annual Average |
2011 |
2021 |
Civilian Labor Force |
1,834 |
1,674 |
Employed |
1,737 |
1,613 |
Unemployed |
97 |
61 |
Unemployment Rate |
5.3% |
3.6% |
(NHES - ELMI) Employment & Wages |
Annual Average Covered Employment |
2011 |
2021 |
Goods Producing Industries |
Average Employment |
246 |
319 |
Average Weekly Wage |
$686 |
$818 |
|
|
|
Service Providing Industries |
Average Employment |
1,240 |
1,133 |
Average Weekly Wage |
$705 |
$998 |
|
|
|
Total Private Industry |
Average Employment |
1,486 |
1,453 |
Average Weekly Wage |
$702 |
$959 |
|
|
|
Government (Federal, State, and Local) |
Average Employment |
240 |
268 |
Average Weekly Wage |
$661 |
$810 |
|
|
|
Total, Private plus Government |
Average Employment |
1,726 |
1,720 |
Average Weekly Wage |
$696 |
$936 |
If "n" appears, data does not meet disclosure standards.
(NH Dept. of Education) Education and Child Care |
Schools students attend: |
Grades K-12 are part of White Mountains Regional (Carroll, Dalton, Jefferson, Lancaster, Whitefield) |
SAU 36 |
Career Technology Center(s): |
Hugh J. Gallen Career & Technical Center (Littleton); White Mountains RHS (Whitefield) |
Educational Facilities (includes Charter Schools) |
Elementary |
Middle/Junior High |
High School |
Private/Parochial |
Number of Schools |
1 |
|
|
2 |
Grade Levels |
P K 1-8 |
|
|
P K 1-12 |
Total Enrollment |
373 |
|
|
76 |
2021 NH Licensed Child Care Facilities (Bureau of Child Care Licensing): |
Total Facilities: 2 |
Total Capacity: 73 |
Nearest Community/Technical College: White Mountains |
Nearest Colleges or Universities: Plymouth State; Northern VT - Lyndon (VT) |
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 Solutions |
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 |
|
Trividia |
Pharmaceutical |
30 |
1868 |
Eversource Energy |
Utility |
25 |
|
Salmon Press, LLC |
Newspaper |
6 |
|
Employer Information Supplied by Municipality
(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 Passenger Airlines Serving Airport |
1 |
|
Driving distance to selected cities: |
Manchester, NH |
116 miles |
Portland, ME |
19 miles |
Boston, MA |
166 miles |
New York City, NY |
350 miles |
Montreal, Quebec |
170 miles |
(ACS 2017-2021) Commuting to Work |
Workers 16 years and over |
1,531 |
Drove alone, car/truck/van |
76.9% |
Carpooled, car/truck/van |
5.2% |
Public transportation |
0.3% |
Walked |
1.2% |
Other Means |
5.2% |
Worked at home |
11.3% |
Mean Travel Time to Work |
20.4 minutes |
|
Percent of Working Residents: |
(ACS 2017-2021) |
Working in community of residence |
43.1% |
Commuting to another NH community |
50.6% |
Commuting out-of-state |
6.3% |
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): Bretton Woods |
|
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Other: Outdoor Ice Skating Rink; Lancaster Fair; Weeks Historic Site; Farmers Market |
Economic & Labor Market Information Bureau, NH Employment Security, April 2023. Community Response Received 7/13/22
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.