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Plainfield, NH

Plainfield, NH
Community Contact Plainfield Board of Selectmen
Steve Halleran, Town Administrator
PO Box 380
Meriden, NH 03770
Telephone 469-3201
Fax (603) 469-3642
E-mail plainfield.ofc@plainfieldnh.org
Web Site not available
Municipal Office Hours Monday through Friday, 8 am - 4 pm
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 19
Incorporated: 1761
Origin: Settled by a group from Plainfield, Connecticut, Plainfield is one of the towns granted by Governor Benning Wentworth in 1761 at the beginning of the reign of King George III. A part of Plainfield known as Meriden Parish, named for the farm of Massachusetts Governor Jonathan Belcher, became the site of Kimball Union Academy, built in 1813.
Population, Year of the First Census Taken: 1,024 residents in 1790
Population Trends: Population growth rates in Plainfield were the lowest at each end of the fifty year period, with a six percent increase between 1950-1960 and a nine percent increase between 1990-2000; growth peaked between 1970-1980 with a 32 percent increase. Over fifty years, Plainfield's population increased by a total of 1,230 residents, going from 1,011 in 1950 to 2,241 residents in 2000. The 2003 Census estimate for Plainfield was 2,393 residents, which ranked 118th among New Hampshire's incorporated cities and towns.
Population Density, 2003: 44.1 persons per square mile of land area. Plainfield contains 52.2 square miles of land area and 0.8 square miles of inland water area.
Villages and Place Names: East Plainfield, Hell Hollow, Meriden, Mill Village, Coryville, Plainfield Village

MUNICIPAL SERVICES
Type of Government Selectmen
2004 Annual Budget $1,448,000
Zoning Ordinance 1959/04
Master Plan 1997
Capitol Improvement Plan Yes
Industrial Plans Reviewed By Planning Board

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

Public Library Meriden; Philip Read Memorial

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

Nearest Hospital(s):
Dartmouth-Hitchcock or Alice Peck Day, Lebanon
Distance: 10 miles Staffed Beds: 334; 22

UTILITIES
Electric Supplier PSNH, Granite State; NH Electric Coop.
Natural Gas Supplier None
Water Supplier Plainfield/Meriden Village District

Sanitation Private septic
Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant Yes
Solid Waste Disposal
Curbside Trash Pickup
 Municipal
Pay-As-You-Throw Program
 Yes
Mandatory Recycling Program
 Voluntary

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

PROPERTY TAXES
2003 Total Tax Rate (per $1000) $21.84
2003 Equalization Ratio 100.0
2003 Full Value Tax Rate (per $1000) $21.36

2003 Percent of Property Valuation by Type
Residential Land and Buildings
 83.2%
Commercial Land and Buildings
 12.9%
Other Property including Utilities
 3.9%

HOUSING
2002 Total Housing Units 909
   
2002 Single-Family Units 773
Building Permits Issued
 12
2002 Multi-Family Units 58
Building Permits Issued
 0
2002 Manufactured Housing Units 78
   
DEMOGRAPHICS
Total Population Community County
2003 2,393 42,048
2000 2,241 40,458
1990 2,056 38,592
1980 1,749 36,063
1970 1,323 30,949

Census 2000 Demographics
Population by Gender
Male
 1,136 Female 1,105

Population by Age Group
Under age 5
 137
Age 5 to 19
 471
Age 20 to 34
 309
Age 35 to 54
 870
Age 55 to 64
 226
Age 65 and over
 228
Median Age
 40 years

Educational Attainment, population 25 years and over
High school graduate or higher
 91.1%
Bachelor's degree or higher
 38.2%

ANNUAL INCOME, 1999 (Census 2000)
Per capita income $26,062
Median 4-person family income $61,205
Median household income $57,083

Median Earnings, full-time, year-round workers
Male
 $36,968
Female
 $29,491

Families below the poverty level 1.8%

LABOR FORCE
Annual Average 1993 2003
Civilian Labor Force
 1,198 1,534
Employed
 1,163 1,515
Unemployed
 35 19
Unemployment Rate
 2.9% 1.2%

EMPLOYMENT & WAGES 1993 2003
Goods Producing Industries
 
Average Employment
 29 79
Average Weekly Wage
 $244 $412
 
 
Service Providing Industries
 
Average Employment
 231 299
Average Weekly Wage
 $315 $569
 
 
Total Private Industry
 
Average Employment
 260 378
Average Weekly Wage
 $307 $536
 
 
Government (Federal, State, and Local)
 
Average Employment
 88 33
Average Weekly Wage
 $309 $307
 
 
Total, Private plus Government
 
Average Employment
 347 411
Average Weekly Wage
 $308 $518
n = indicates that the data does not meet disclosure standards

EDUCATION/CHILD CARE FACILITIES
Schools students attend: Plainfield operates grades K-8; grades 9-12 are tuitioned to Lebanon District: SAU 32
Career Technology Center(s): Hartford Career & Tech Center, White River Jct. VT Region: 07

Educational Facilities Elementary Middle/Junior High High School Private/Parochial
Number of Schools
 1

1
Grade Levels
 K 1-8

9-12
Total Enrollment
 296


NH Licensed Child Care Facilities, 2003: Total Facilities: 4 Total Capacity: 36
Nearest Community/Technical College: Claremont
Nearest Colleges or Universities: Dartmouth; Lebanon; Colby-Sawyer

LARGEST EMPLOYERS PRODUCT/SERVICE EMPLOYEES ESTABLISHED
Kimball Union Academy Private school

North Country Door Cabinet, door manufacturing

Town Line Equipment Heavy equipment dealer

McNamara Dairy Glass bottle milk

Taylor Farm Maple products

Garfield's Smoke House Smoked Ham & Cheese

Edgewater Farms Farmstand, Greenhouses, and PYO strawberries

Riverview Orchards PYO apples & berries










TRANSPORTATION
Road Access Federal Routes
  State Routes 12A, 120
Nearest Interstate, Exit I-89, Exit 10
  Distance 11 miles
Railroad No
Public Transportation No
Nearest Airport Lebanon
Runway
     5,496 feet
Lighted?
 Yes Navigational Aids? Yes
Nearest Commercial Airport
Lebanon
Distance

13 miles

Driving distance to selected cities:
Manchester, NH
 82 miles
Portland, ME
 174 miles
Boston, MA
 132 miles
New York City, NY
 255 miles
Montreal, Quebec
 192 miles

COMMUTING TO WORK (US Census)
Workers 16 years and over  
Drove alone, car/truck/van
 78.3%
Carpooled, car/truck/van
 10.8%
Public transportation
 0.3%
Walked
 3.0%
Other Means
 1.2%
Worked at home
 6.3%
Mean Travel Time to Work 22.5 minutes


Percent of Working Residents
Working in community of residence
 20%
Commuting to another NH community
 68%
Commuting out-of-state
 12%
   
RECREATIONAL FACILITIES

Municipal Parks

YMCA/YWCA

Boys Club/Girls Club

Golf Courses

Swimming: Indoor Facility

Swimming: Outdoor Facility

Tennis Courts: Indoor Faclity

Tennis Courts: Outdoor Facility

Ice Skating Rink: Indoor Facility

Bowling Facilities

Museums

Cinemas

Performing Arts Facilities

Tourists Attractions
X 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

Boating/Marinas
X Snowmobile Trails
X Bicycle Trails
X Cross Country Skiing

Beach or Waterfront Recreational Area
   

Nearest Ski Area(s): Mount Ascutney (VT), Whaleback
   

Other: Meriden covered bridge; Annual 4th of July parade

Copyright 2004 Economic & Labor Market Information Bureau, NH Employment Security. All Rights Reserved. Updated 06/22/04

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.