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Community Contact |
Town of Thornton
Debra Shepard, Town Administrator
16 Merrill Access Road
Thornton, NH
03285
|
| Telephone |
(603) 726-8168 |
| Fax |
(603) 726-2078 |
| E-mail |
townadmin@thornton.org |
| Web Site |
www.townofthornton.org
|
| Municipal Office Hours |
Town Administrator, Tax Collector: Monday to Thursday, 8-4, Friday, 8-3:30; Town Clerk Tuesday and Thursday, 3:30-5:30
|
| County |
Grafton |
| Labor Market Area |
Plymouth, NH LMA |
| Tourism Region |
White Mountains |
| Planning Commission |
North Country Council |
| Regional Development |
Grafton County Economic Development Council
|
| Election Districts |
|
| US Congress |
District District 2 |
| Executive Council |
District District 2 |
| State Senate |
District District 2 |
| State Representative |
Grafton County District 4 |
| Incorporated: 1763 |
| Origin: This territory was chartered in 1763, and named for Dr. Matthew Thornton. The grant was given to him in return for his service as surgeon in the Pepperell expedition of 1745. Dr. Thornton, whose practice was in Merrimack, was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, a justice of the Superior Court, speaker of the House of Representatives, member of the State Senate, delegate to the Continental Congress, and president of the state following the Revolutionary War. No settlements were made under the first grant, and a second was issued in 1768; the first settlements were made in 1770. |
| Villages and Place Names: Goose Hollow, West Thornton
|
| Population, Year of the First Census Taken: 385 residents in 1790 |
| Population Trends: Population change for Thornton totaled 2,130 over 50 years, from 594 in 1970 to 2,724 in 2020. The largest decennial percent change was a 60 percent increase from 1970 to 1980, followed by a 58 percent increase over the next decade. The town's population increased by nine percent from 2010 to 2020. The 2021 Census estimate for Thornton was 2,754 residents, which ranked 114th among New Hampshire's incorporated cities and towns. |
| Population Density and Land Area, 2021 (US Census Bureau): 54.8 persons per square mile of land area. Thornton contains 50.3 square miles of land area and 0.4 square miles of inland water area. |
| Municipal Services |
| Type of Government |
Selectmen |
| Budget: Municipal Appropriations, 2021 |
$3,691,583 |
| Budget: School Appropriations, 2021-2022 |
$5,165,319 |
| Zoning Ordinance |
1970/19 |
| Master Plan |
2013 |
| Capitol Improvement Plan |
Yes |
| Industrial Plans Reviewed By |
Planning Board |
| Boards and Commissions | |
| Elected: | Selectmen; Trust Funds; Planning; Library; Treasurer; Overseer Public Welfare |
| Appointed: | Conservation; Zoning |
| Public Library |
Thornton Public |
| Emergency Services |
| Police Department |
Full-time |
| Fire Department |
Municipal |
| Emergency Medical Service |
Municipal |
| Nearest Hospital(s) |
Distance |
Staffed Beds |
| Speare Memorial, Plymouth |
15 miles |
25 |
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| Utilities |
| Electric Supplier |
Eversource Energy; NH Electric Coop |
| Natural Gas Supplier |
None |
| Water Supplier |
Private wells |
| Sanitation |
Private septic |
| Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant |
No |
| Solid Waste Disposal |
| Curbside Trash Pickup | None |
| Pay-As-You-Throw Program | No |
| Recycling Program | Mandatory |
| Telephone Company |
Consolidated Communications |
| Cellular Telephone Access |
Limited |
| Cable Television Access |
Yes |
| Public Access Television Station |
No |
| High Speed Internet Service: |
| Business | Limited |
| Residential | Limited |
| (NH Dept. of Revenue Administration) Property Taxes |
| 2021 Total Tax Rate (per $1,000 of value) |
$20.77 |
| 2021 Equalization Ratio |
79.1 |
| 2021 Full Value Tax Rate (per $1,000 of value) |
$16.35 |
| 2021 Percent of Local Assessed Value by Property Type |
| Residential Land and Buildings | 95.6% |
| Commercial Land and Buildings | 2.2% |
| Public Utilities, Current Use, and Other | 2.2% |
| (ACS 2017-2021) Housing |
| Total Housing Units |
1,918 |
| Single-Family Units, Detached or Attached |
1,573 |
| Units in Multiple-Family Structures: |
|
| Two to Four Units in Structure |
64 |
| Five or More Units in Structure |
177 |
| Mobile Homes and Other Housing Units |
104 |
(US Census Bureau) Population
(Decennial/ACS 2017-2021) |
| Total Population |
Community |
County |
| 2021 |
2,704 |
91,025 |
| 2020 |
2,708 |
91,118 |
| 2010 |
2,490 |
89,118 |
| 2000 |
1,847 |
81,826 |
| 1990 |
1,506 |
74,998 |
| 1980 |
952 |
65,806 |
| |
| Demographics, American Community Survey (ACS) 2017-2021 |
| Population by Gender |
| Male: 1,515 |
|
Female: 1,189 |
| Population by Age Group |
| Under age 5 |
|
154 |
| Age 5 to 19 |
|
424 |
| Age 20 to 34 |
|
414 |
| Age 35 to 54 |
|
704 |
| Age 55 to 64 |
|
563 |
| Age 65 and over |
|
445 |
| Median Age |
|
45.3 years |
| Educational Attainment, population 25 years and over |
|
2,034 |
| High school graduate or higher |
|
98.4% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher |
|
38.1% |
| (ACS 2017-2021) Income, Inflation Adjusted $ |
| Per capita income |
$37,745 |
| Median family income |
$85,391 |
| Median household income |
$72,973 |
| Median Earnings, full-time, year-round workers, 16 years ad over |
| Male |
$46,850 |
| Female |
$42,276 |
| Individuals below the poverty level |
5.2% |
| (NHES - ELMI) Labor Force |
| Annual Average |
2011 |
2021 |
| Civilian Labor Force |
1,598 |
1,662 |
| Employed |
1,518 |
1,611 |
| Unemployed |
80 |
51 |
| Unemployment Rate |
5.0% |
3.1% |
| (NHES - ELMI) Employment & Wages |
| Annual Average Covered Employment |
2011 |
2021 |
| Goods Producing Industries |
| Average Employment |
20 |
31 |
| Average Weekly Wage |
$576 |
$775 |
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| Service Providing Industries |
| Average Employment |
84 |
207 |
| Average Weekly Wage |
$391 |
$664 |
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| Total Private Industry |
| Average Employment |
104 |
238 |
| Average Weekly Wage |
$426 |
$678 |
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| Government (Federal, State, and Local) |
| Average Employment |
64 |
37 |
| Average Weekly Wage |
$468 |
$957 |
| |
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| Total, Private plus Government |
| Average Employment |
167 |
275 |
| Average Weekly Wage |
$442 |
$716 |
If "n" appears, data does not meet disclosure standards.
| (NH Dept. of Education) Education and Child Care |
| Schools students attend: |
Thornton operates grades K-8; grades 9-12 are part of Pemi-Baker Cooperative (Ashland, Campton, Holderness, Plymouth, Rumney, Thornton, Wentworth) |
SAU 48 |
| Career Technology Center(s): |
Plymouth Applied Technology Center |
| Educational Facilities (includes Charter Schools) |
Elementary |
Middle/Junior High |
High School |
Private/Parochial |
| Number of Schools |
1 |
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| Grade Levels |
K 1-8 |
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| Total Enrollment |
203 |
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| 2021 NH Licensed Child Care Facilities (Bureau of Child Care Licensing): |
Total Facilities: 0 |
Total Capacity: 0 |
| Nearest Community/Technical College: Lakes Region |
| Nearest Colleges or Universities: Plymouth State |
| Largest Businesses |
Product/Service |
Employees |
Established |
| Not Available |
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Employer Information Supplied by Municipality
| (Distance estimated from city/town hall) Transportation |
| Road Access |
US Routes |
3 |
|
State Routes |
49, 175 |
| Nearest Interstate, Exit |
I-93, Exit 29 |
|
Distance |
Local access |
| Railroad |
No |
| Public Transportation |
No |
| |
| Nearest Public Use Airport, General Aviation |
| Plymouth Regional | Runway | 2,380 ft. turf |
| Lighted? |
No |
Navigational Aids? |
No |
| Nearest Airport with Scheduled Service |
| Lebanon Municipal |
Distance |
58 miles |
| Number of Passenger Airlines Serving Airport |
1 |
| |
| Driving distance to selected cities: |
| Manchester, NH |
72 miles |
| Portland, ME |
105 miles |
| Boston, MA |
122 miles |
| New York City, NY |
319 miles |
| Montreal, Quebec |
199 miles |
| (ACS 2017-2021) Commuting to Work |
| Workers 16 years and over |
1,558 |
| Drove alone, car/truck/van |
74.4% |
| Carpooled, car/truck/van |
9.1% |
| Public transportation |
0.0% |
| Walked |
0.7% |
| Other Means |
5.8% |
| Worked at home |
10.0% |
| Mean Travel Time to Work |
24.9 minutes |
| |
| Percent of Working Residents: |
(ACS 2017-2021) |
| Working in community of residence |
23.4% |
| Commuting to another NH community |
74.4% |
| Commuting out-of-state |
2.2% |
| 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): Loon Mountain, Waterville Valley |
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Other: Waterville Valley; Loon Mountain; White Mountains |
Economic & Labor Market Information Bureau, NH Employment Security, April 2023. Community Response Received 5/12/22
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.
