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Sunapee, NH

Sunapee, NH
Community Contact Town of Sunapee
Donna Nashawaty, Town Manager
PO Box 717
Sunapee, NH 03782
Telephone 763-2212
Fax (603) 763-4925
E-mail donna@town.sunapee.nh.us
Web Site http://town.sunapee.nh.us/
Municipal Office Hours Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, 8 am - 5 pm, and Wednesday, 8 am - 1 pm; Town Clerk: opens at 9 am
County Sullivan
Tourism Region Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee
Planning Commission Upper Valley/Lake Sunapee
Regional Development Western Region Development Corp.
Election Districts
US Congress
 District 2
Executive Council
 District 1
State Senate
 District 5
State Representative
 District 21
Incorporated: 1781
Origin: Like many other towns, this one went through four name changes before its incorporation: Savile, Corey's Town, and then Wendell, for one of the Masonian proprietors, John Wendell. The name Sunapee was substituted for Wendell by the Legislature in 1850. The town, Lake Sunapee, and Mount Sunapee share the name which comes from the Algonquin Indian words suna, meaning goose, and apee, meaning lake. The Indians called the area Goose Lake because it was a favorite spot of wild geese. Sunapee includes the village of George's Mills.
Population, Year of the First Census Taken: 267 residents in 1790
Population Trends: Sunapee's population has grown steadily, though below average, except for a spike in growth between 1970-1980. Decennial growth rates ranged from a five percent increase between 1950-1960 to a 67 percent increase between 1970-1980. Over fifty years, Sunapee's population increased by a total of 1,947 residents, going from 1,108 in 1950 to 3,055 residents in 2000. The 2003 Census estimate for Sunapee was 3,195 residents, which ranked 105th among New Hampshire's incorporated cities and towns.
Population Density, 2003: 148.0 persons per square mile of land area. Sunapee contains 21.1 square miles of land area and 4.1 square miles of inland water area.
Villages and Place Names: Burkehaven, Fernwood, Georges Mills, Granliden, Wendell

MUNICIPAL SERVICES
Type of Government Selectmen/Town Manager
2003 Annual Budget $6,605,117
Zoning Ordinance 1987/04
Master Plan 1998
Capitol Improvement Plan Yes
Industrial Plans Reviewed By Planning Board

Boards and Commissions
Elected:
 Board of Selectmen; Planning Board; Zoning Board
Appointed:
 Conservation Commission; Library Trustees

Public Library Abbott

EMERGENCY SERVICES
Police Department Full-time
Fire Department Volunteer
Town Fire Insurance Rating 5/9
Emergency Medical Service Volunteer

Nearest Hospital(s):
New London Hospital, New London
Distance: 6 miles Staffed Beds: 15

UTILITIES
Electric Supplier PSNH; NH Electric Coop.
Natural Gas Supplier None
Water Supplier Municipal

Sanitation Municipal
Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant Yes
Solid Waste Disposal
Curbside Trash Pickup
 None
Pay-As-You-Throw Program
 No
Mandatory Recycling Program
 Mandatory

Telephone Company Verizon
Cellular Telephone Access Yes
Cable Television Access Yes
High Speed Cable Internet Service:  
Business
 Limited
Residential
 Limited

PROPERTY TAXES
2003 Total Tax Rate (per $1000) $24.97
2003 Equalization Ratio 54.2
2003 Full Value Tax Rate (per $1000) $13.58

2003 Percent of Property Valuation by Type
Residential Land and Buildings
 95.0%
Commercial Land and Buildings
 3.6%
Other Property including Utilities
 1.4%

HOUSING
2002 Total Housing Units 2,202
   
2002 Single-Family Units 1,832
Building Permits Issued
 20
2002 Multi-Family Units 297
Building Permits Issued
 2
2002 Manufactured Housing Units 73
   
DEMOGRAPHICS
Total Population Community County
2003 3,195 42,048
2000 3,055 40,458
1990 2,559 38,592
1980 2,312 36,063
1970 1,384 30,949

Census 2000 Demographics
Population by Gender
Male
 1,544 Female 1,511

Population by Age Group
Under age 5
 128
Age 5 to 19
 642
Age 20 to 34
 431
Age 35 to 54
 996
Age 55 to 64
 339
Age 65 and over
 519
Median Age
 41.7 years

Educational Attainment, population 25 years and over
High school graduate or higher
 92.2%
Bachelor's degree or higher
 37.1%

ANNUAL INCOME, 1999 (Census 2000)
Per capita income $29,184
Median 4-person family income $55,909
Median household income $49,353

Median Earnings, full-time, year-round workers
Male
 $40,720
Female
 $27,237

Families below the poverty level 3.8%

LABOR FORCE
Annual Average 1993 2003
Civilian Labor Force
 1,460 1,707
Employed
 1,409 1,671
Unemployed
 51 36
Unemployment Rate
 3.5% 2.1%

EMPLOYMENT & WAGES 1993 2003
Goods Producing Industries
 
Average Employment
 93 180
Average Weekly Wage
 $392 $592
 
 
Service Providing Industries
 
Average Employment
 316 299
Average Weekly Wage
 $277 $476
 
 
Total Private Industry
 
Average Employment
 410 479
Average Weekly Wage
 $303 $520
 
 
Government (Federal, State, and Local)
 
Average Employment
 219 235
Average Weekly Wage
 $335 $443
 
 
Total, Private plus Government
 
Average Employment
 629 714
Average Weekly Wage
 $314 $495
n = indicates that the data does not meet disclosure standards

EDUCATION/CHILD CARE FACILITIES
Schools students attend: Sunapee operates grades K-12 District: SAU 43
Career Technology Center(s): Sugar River Valley Tech Center Region: 10

Educational Facilities Elementary Middle/Junior High High School Private/Parochial
Number of Schools
 1 1 1 1
Grade Levels
 K 1-5 6-8 9-12 K-10
Total Enrollment
 217 126 204
NH Licensed Child Care Facilities, 2003: Total Facilities: 2 Total Capacity: 29
Nearest Community/Technical College: Claremont
Nearest Colleges or Universities: Colby-Sawyer; Magdalen

LARGEST EMPLOYERS PRODUCT/SERVICE EMPLOYEES ESTABLISHED
Micro-Precision, Inc. Machining 40 1961
Town of Sunapee Municipal services 31 FT/20 PT + summer 1781
Bonin Machine Shop Machine tools 5 1994
Lake Sunapee Bank Banking 4 1890+
Sugar River Bank Banking 4 1890+
Sunapee School District Education 78 FT

















TRANSPORTATION
Road Access Federal Routes
  State Routes 11, 103B
Nearest Interstate, Exit I-89, Exit 12,12A
  Distance 5 miles
Railroad No
Public Transportation No
Nearest Airport Newport
Runway
     3,450 feet
Lighted?
 No Navigational Aids? Yes
Nearest Commercial Airport
Lebanon
Distance

25 miles

Driving distance to selected cities:
Manchester, NH
 55 miles
Portland, ME
 146 miles
Boston, MA
 104 miles
New York City, NY
 263 miles
Montreal, Quebec
 214 miles

COMMUTING TO WORK (US Census)
Workers 16 years and over  
Drove alone, car/truck/van
 84.9%
Carpooled, car/truck/van
 6.6%
Public transportation
 0.0%
Walked
 1.4%
Other Means
 0.7%
Worked at home
 6.4%
Mean Travel Time to Work 24.4 minutes


Percent of Working Residents
Working in community of residence
 21%
Commuting to another NH community
 72%
Commuting out-of-state
 6%
   
RECREATIONAL FACILITIES
X Municipal Parks

YMCA/YWCA

Boys Club/Girls Club

Golf Courses

Swimming: Indoor Facility
X Swimming: Outdoor Facility

Tennis Courts: Indoor Faclity
X Tennis Courts: Outdoor Facility

Ice Skating Rink: Indoor Facility

Bowling Facilities
X Museums

Cinemas

Performing Arts Facilities
X Tourists Attractions

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
X Snowmobile Trails

Bicycle Trails
X Cross Country Skiing
X Beach or Waterfront Recreational Area
   

Nearest Ski Area(s): Mount Sunapee
   

Other: Lake Sunapee Cruises; Sunapee State Beach

Copyright 2004 Economic & Labor Market Information Bureau, NH Employment Security. All Rights Reserved. Updated 08/05/04

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.