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Meredith, NH

Community Contact Town of Meredith
Brenda Vittner, Administrative Services Director
41 Main Street
Meredith, NH 03253
 
Telephone (603) 279-4538
Fax (603) 677-1090
E-mail blvittner@meredithnh.org
Web Site www.meredithnh.org
 
Municipal Office Hours Monday through Friday, 8 am - 5 pm.
 
County Belknap
Labor Market Area Laconia NH Micro-NECTA
Tourism Region Lakes
Planning Commission Lakes Region
Regional Development Belknap County Economic Development Council
 
Election Districts  
US Congress
 District 1
Executive Council
 District 1
State Senate
 District 2
State Representative
 Belknap County District 3
Incorporated: 1768
 
Origin: Meredith was first granted in 1748 to a group of settlers led by Samuel Palmer, a teacher of surveying and navigation, who had laid out much of the land surrounding Lake Winnipesaukee. It was known as Palmerstown, or Second Township, since it was the second town granted by the Masonian Proprietors that lay at the lake. Many settlers were from Salem, Massachusetts, and the town was later called New Salem. In 1768, the town was incorporated by Governor John Wentworth as Meredith, for Sir William Meredith, who allied with William Pitt in opposition to taxation on the colonies.
 
Villages and Place Names: Bear Island, East Bear Island, Leavitt Park, Lovejoy Sands, Meredith Center
 
Population, Year of the First Census Taken: 881 residents in 1790
 
Population Trends: Population change for Meredith totaled 3,753 over 50 years, from 2,222 in 1950 to 5,975 in 2000. The largest decennial percent change was a 60 percent increase between 1970 and 1980; the smallest, just four percent between 1980 and 1990. The 2008 Census estimate for Meredith was 6,623 residents, which ranked 47th among New Hampshire's incorporated cities and towns.
 
Population Density, 2008: 164.3 persons per square mile of land area. Meredith contains 40.3 square miles of land area and 14.2 square miles of inland water area.
 
MUNICIPAL SERVICES
Type of Government Selectmen/Town Manager
Budget: Municipal Appropriations, 2009 $13,069,623
Budget: School Appropriations, 2009 $13,536,498
Zoning Ordinance 1971/08
Master Plan 2002
Capital Improvement Plan Yes
Industrial Plans Reviewed By Planner/Engineer/CEO

Boards and Commissions
Elected:
 Selectmen
Appointed:
 Planning; Conservation; Library; Cemetery; Zoning; Parks & Recreation

Public Library Meredith Public

EMERGENCY SERVICES
Police Department Full-time
Fire Department Full-time Chief
Emergency Medical Service Commercial

Nearest Hospital(s) Distance Staffed Beds
Lakes Region General, Laconia 10 miles 113
     
     

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

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

Telephone Company Fairpoint
Cellular Telephone Access Yes
Cable Television Access Yes
Public Access Television Station Yes
High Speed Internet Service:  
Business
 Limited
Residential
 Limited

PROPERTY TAXES (NH Dept. of Revenue Adminstration) 
2008 Total Tax Rate (per $1000 of value) $11.46
2008 Equalization Ratio 100.0
2008 Full Value Tax Rate (per $1000 of value) $11.44

2008 Percent of Local Assessed Value by Property Type
Residential Land and Buildings
 91.9%
Commercial Land and Buildings
 7.7%
Public Utilities, Current Use, and Other
 0.4%

HOUSING (NH Office of Energy and Planning) 
2008 Total Housing Units 4,744
   
2008 Single-Family Units 3,822
Single-Family Permits Issued, Net Change of Units
 17
2008 Multi-Family Units 627
Multi-Family Permits Issued, Net Change of Units
 0
2008 Manufactured Housing Units 295
   
DEMOGRAPHICS (US Census Bureau) 
Total Population Community County
2008 6,623 61,281
2000 5,975 56,576
1990 4,846 49,294
1980 4,646 42,884
1970 2,904 32,367

Census 2000 Demographics
Population by Gender
Male
 2,938
Female
 3,005

Population by Age Group
Under age 5
 290
Age 5 to 19
 1,158
Age 20 to 34
 787
Age 35 to 54
 1,971
Age 55 to 64
 738
Age 65 and over
 999
Median Age
 42.5 years

Educational Attainment, population 25 years and over
High school graduate or higher
 89.9%
Bachelor's degree or higher
 30.3%

ANNUAL INCOME, 1999 (US Census Bureau) 
Per capita income $24,867
Median 4-person family income $54,764
Median household income $42,758

Median Earnings, full-time, year-round workers
Male
 $35,766
Female
 $26,772

Families below the poverty level 4.2%

LABOR FORCE (NHES - ELMI) 
Annual Average 1998 2008
Civilian Labor Force
 3,091 3,419
Employed
 3,021 3,290
Unemployed
 70 129
Unemployment Rate
 2.3% 3.8%

EMPLOYMENT & WAGES (NHES - ELMI) 
Annual Average Covered Employment 1998 2008
Goods Producing Industries    
Average Employment
 765 697
Average Weekly Wage
 $494 $990
     
Service Providing Industries    
Average Employment
 2,314 2,102
Average Weekly Wage
 $404 $642
     
Total Private Industry    
Average Employment
 3,079 2,799
Average Weekly Wage
 $426 $729
     
Government (Federal, State, and Local)    
Average Employment
 350 357
Average Weekly Wage
 $481 $819
     
Total, Private plus Government    
Average Employment
 3,429 3,156
Average Weekly Wage
 $432 $739
n = indicates that the data does not meet disclosure standards

EDUCATION/CHILD CARE FACILITIES (NH Dept. of Education)
Schools students attend: Grades K-12 are part of Inter-Lakes Cooperative (Center Harbor, Meredith, Sandwich) District: SAU 2
Career Technology Center(s): J. Oliva Huot Technical Center, Laconia; Winnisquam Regional High School, Tilton Region: 08
 
Educational Facilities Elementary Middle/Junior High High School Private/Parochial
Number of Schools
 1 1 1 1
Grade Levels
 P K 1-4 5-8 9-12 K 1-8
Total Enrollment
 365 324 424 43
NH Licensed Child Care Facilities, 2009: Total Facilities: 3 Total Capacity: 173
Nearest Community/Technical College: Lakes Region
Nearest Colleges or Universities: Plymouth State University

LARGEST BUSINESSES PRODUCT/SERVICE EMPLOYEES ESTABLISHED
Vutek Color ink machinery 380 1988
Meredith Village Savings Bank Banking services 210 1869
Golden View Nursing home 130  
Hampshire Hospitality Holdings Inn, spa, marketplace 115 1983
Meredith Harley Davidson Motorcycle retail, repair, service 64 1983
Remcom/North Corporation Machine electrical connectors 65 1983
Annalee Mobilite Dolls, Inc. Soft sculpture dolls 50 1962
Ippolito's Furniture Furniture sales 36 1978
Interlakes School System Education 228  
Town of Meredith Municipal Services 78  

TRANSPORTATION  (Distance estimated from city / town hall)
Road Access US Routes 3
  State Routes 104, 132, 25
Nearest Interstate, Exit I-93, Exit 23
         Distance 9 miles
Railroad State owned line
Public Transportation Yes
 
Nearest Public Use Airport, General Aviation
Laconia Municipal
Runway
 5,286 ft. asphalt
Lighted?
 Yes  Navigational Aids? Yes
Nearest Airport with Scheduled Service
Manchester-Boston Regional Distance 56 miles
Number of Passsenger Airlines Serving Airport 6

Driving distance to selected cities:
Manchester, NH
 58 miles
Portland, ME
 80 miles
Boston, MA
 108 miles
New York City, NY
 311 miles
Montreal, Quebec
 226 miles

COMMUTING TO WORK (US Census)
Workers 16 years and over  
Drove alone, car/truck/van
 78.5%
Carpooled, car/truck/van
 11.1%
Public transportation
 0.0%
Walked
 3.8%
Other Means
 0.6%
Worked at home
 6.0%
Mean Travel Time to Work 22 minutes
   
Percent of Working Residents:  
Working in community of residence
 40%
Commuting to another NH community
 56%
Commuting out-of-state
 4%
   
RECREATION, ATTRACTIONS, AND EVENTS
X Municipal Parks
  YMCA/YWCA
  Boys Club/Girls Club
X Golf Courses
  Swimming: Indoor Facility
  Swimming: Outdoor Facility
  Tennis Courts: Indoor Faclity
X Tennis Courts: Outdoor Facility
  Ice Skating Rink: Indoor Facility
X Bowling Facilities
X Museums
X Cinemas
X Performing Arts Facilities
X 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
X Youth Sports: Hockey
X Campgrounds
X Fishing/Hunting
X Boating/Marinas
X Snowmobile Trails
X Bicycle Trails
X Cross Country Skiing
X Beach or Waterfront Recreational Area
  Overnight or Day Camps
   
  Nearest Ski Area(s): Gunstock
   
  Other: Annalee Doll Museum; Scenic Railroad

Economic & Labor Market Information Bureau, NH Employment Security, 2009. Community Response Received 10/09/09

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.