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Nelson, NH

Community Contact Nelson Board of Selectmen
Joan Bosely, Administrative Assistant
7 Nelson Common Road
Nelson, NH 03457
 
Telephone (603) 847-0047
Fax (603) 847-3197
E-mail townofnelson1@cheshire.net
Web Site www.keenenh.com/nelson
 
Municipal Office Hours Selectmen: Wednesday, 7 pm - 9 pm; Administrative Assistant and Town Clerk/Tax Collector: Tuesday, 9 am - 12 noon, Wednesday, 5 pm - 8 pm, and Thursday, 9 am - 12 noon
 
County Cheshire
Labor Market Area Keene NH Micro-NECTA
Tourism Region Monadnock
Planning Commission Southwest Region
Regional Development Monadnock Economic Development Corp.
 
Election Districts  
US Congress
 District 2
Executive Council
 District 2
State Senate
 District 7
State Representative
 Cheshire County District 2
Incorporated: 1774
 
Origin: One of the original border towns, this territory was first granted in 1752 as Monadnock No. 6. In 1774, it was renamed Packersfield after Thomas Packer, high sheriff of Portsmouth, who was one of the Masonian Proprietors. In 1777, some residents petitioned to rename the town Sullivan. The petition failed, but in 1786, a portion of the town was combined with part of Gilsum and Keene to form the town of Sullivan. Packersfield kept that name until 1814, when it was renamed in honor of Lord Horatio Nelson, who died on board the British ship Victory in the war against Napoleon. 
 
Villages and Place Names: Munsonville
 
Population, Year of the First Census Taken: 721 residents in 1790
 
Population Trends: Population change for Nelson totaled 404 over 50 years, from 231 in 1950 to 635 in 2000. The largest decennial percent change was a 45 percent increase between 1970 and 1980, accounting for just over one-third of the total numeric change. The 2008 Census estimate for Nelson was 660 residents, which ranked 211th among New Hampshire's incorporated cities and towns.
 
Population Density, 2008: 30.1 persons per square mile of land area. Nelson contains 21.9 square miles of land area and 1.4 square miles of inland water area.
 
MUNICIPAL SERVICES
Type of Government Selectmen
Budget: Municipal Appropriations, 2008 $654,574
Budget: School Appropriations, 2008 $1,165,193
Zoning Ordinance 1970/07
Master Plan 1984
Capital Improvement Plan Yes
Industrial Plans Reviewed By Planning Board

Boards and Commissions
Elected:
 Selectmen; Planning; Zoning; Library
Appointed:
 Conservation

Public Library Olivia Rodham Memorial

EMERGENCY SERVICES
Police Department Part-time
Fire Department Part-time & volunteer
Emergency Medical Service Volunteer

Nearest Hospital(s) Distance Staffed Beds
Cheshire Medical Center, Keene 11 miles 146
Monadnock Community, Peterborough 20 miles 25
     

UTILITIES
Electric Supplier PSNH
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
 Yes
Recycling
 none

Telephone Company Fairpoint
Cellular Telephone Access Yes
Cable Television Access Yes
Public Access Television Station No
High Speed Internet Service:  
Business
 No
Residential
 No

PROPERTY TAXES (NH Dept. of Revenue Adminstration) 
2008 Total Tax Rate (per $1000 of value) $16.23
2008 Equalization Ratio 100.0
2008 Full Value Tax Rate (per $1000 of value) $16.24

2008 Percent of Local Assessed Value by Property Type
Residential Land and Buildings
 98.2%
Commercial Land and Buildings
 0.1%
Public Utilities, Current Use, and Other
 1.7%

HOUSING (NH Office of Energy and Planning) 
2008 Total Housing Units 443
   
2008 Single-Family Units 416
Single-Family Permits Issued, Net Change of Units
 2
2008 Multi-Family Units 18
Multi-Family Permits Issued, Net Change of Units
 0
2008 Manufactured Housing Units 9
   
DEMOGRAPHICS (US Census Bureau) 
Total Population Community County
2008 660 77,170
2000 635 73,993
1990 536 70,223
1980 442 62,116
1970 304 52,364

Census 2000 Demographics
Population by Gender
Male
 325
Female
 309

Population by Age Group
Under age 5
 44
Age 5 to 19
 139
Age 20 to 34
 101
Age 35 to 54
 214
Age 55 to 64
 68
Age 65 and over
 68
Median Age
 38.7 years

Educational Attainment, population 25 years and over
High school graduate or higher
 86.5%
Bachelor's degree or higher
 46.0%

ANNUAL INCOME, 1999 (US Census Bureau) 
Per capita income $31,624
Median 4-person family income $59,464
Median household income $41,250

Median Earnings, full-time, year-round workers
Male
 $40,577
Female
 $25,000

Families below the poverty level 9.2%

LABOR FORCE (NHES - ELMI) 
Annual Average 1998 2008
Civilian Labor Force
 309 379
Employed
 303 368
Unemployed
 6 11
Unemployment Rate
 1.9% 2.9%

EMPLOYMENT & WAGES (NHES - ELMI) 
Annual Average Covered Employment 1998 2008
Goods Producing Industries    
Average Employment
 n n
Average Weekly Wage
 n n
     
Service Providing Industries    
Average Employment
 n n
Average Weekly Wage
 n n
     
Total Private Industry    
Average Employment
 19 14
Average Weekly Wage
 $284 $684
     
Government (Federal, State, and Local)    
Average Employment
 21 33
Average Weekly Wage
 $343 $380
     
Total, Private plus Government    
Average Employment
 40 47
Average Weekly Wage
 $315 $471
n = indicates that the data does not meet disclosure standards

EDUCATION/CHILD CARE FACILITIES (NH Dept. of Education)
Schools students attend: Nelson operates grades K-6; grades 7-12 are tuitioned to Keene District: SAU 29
Career Technology Center(s): Cheshire Center of Applied Science, Keene; Fall Mountain High School, Langdon Region: 13
 
Educational Facilities Elementary Middle/Junior High High School Private/Parochial
Number of Schools
 1      
Grade Levels
 K 1-6      
Total Enrollment
 37      
NH Licensed Child Care Facilities, 2009: Total Facilities: 0 Total Capacity: 0
Nearest Community/Technical College: River Valley; Nashua
Nearest Colleges or Universities: Keene State; Franklin Pierce University; Antioch New England

LARGEST BUSINESSES PRODUCT/SERVICE EMPLOYEES ESTABLISHED
Not available      
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       

TRANSPORTATION  (Distance estimated from city / town hall)
Road Access US Routes  
  State Routes 9, 123
Nearest Interstate, Exit I-91 (VT), Exit 3
         Distance 28 miles
Railroad No
Public Transportation No
 
Nearest Public Use Airport, General Aviation
Dillant-Hopkins, Keene
Runway
 6,201 ft. asphalt
Lighted?
 Yes  Navigational Aids? Yes
Nearest Airport with Scheduled Service
Manchester-Boston Regional Distance 48 miles
Number of Passsenger Airlines Serving Airport 6

Driving distance to selected cities:
Manchester, NH
 49 miles
Portland, ME
 147 miles
Boston, MA
 93 miles
New York City, NY
 230 miles
Montreal, Quebec
 244 miles

COMMUTING TO WORK (US Census)
Workers 16 years and over  
Drove alone, car/truck/van
 84.0%
Carpooled, car/truck/van
 7.6%
Public transportation
 0.0%
Walked
 0.6%
Other Means
 0.6%
Worked at home
 7.3%
Mean Travel Time to Work 25.8 minutes
   
Percent of Working Residents:  
Working in community of residence
 19%
Commuting to another NH community
 73%
Commuting out-of-state
 8%
   
RECREATION, ATTRACTIONS, AND EVENTS
X 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
X Performing Arts Facilities
  Tourists Attractions
X Youth Organizations (i.e., Scouts, 4-H)
X Youth Sports: Baseball
X Youth Sports: Soccer
  Youth Sports: Football
  Youth Sports: Basketball
  Youth Sports: Hockey
  Campgrounds
X Fishing/Hunting
X Boating/Marinas
X Snowmobile Trails
  Bicycle Trails
  Cross Country Skiing
  Beach or Waterfront Recreational Area
  Overnight or Day Camps
   
  Nearest Ski Area(s): Pat's Peak, Temple Mountain
   
  Other: Monadnock Sunapee Trail; Local Artisans Art Gallery; Sucker Brook Cove Wildlife Sanctuary

Economic & Labor Market Information Bureau, NH Employment Security, 2009. Community Response Received 09/18/09

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.