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Lee, NH

Community Contact Town of Lee
Diane L. Guimond, Town Administrator
7 Mast Road
Lee, NH 03861
 
Telephone (603) 659-5414
Fax (603) 659-7202
E-mail dguimond@leenh.org
Web Site www.leenh.org
 
Municipal Office Hours Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, 8 am - 4 pm; Town Clerk/Tax Collector: Monday, 8 am - 6 pm, Wednesday and Friday, 8 am - 4 pm, closed Thursday
 
County Strafford
Labor Market Area Rochester-Dover NH-ME Metro-NECTA, NH Portion
Tourism Region Seacoast
Planning Commission Strafford Regional
Regional Development Southeast Economic Development Corp.
 
Election Districts  
US Congress
 District 1
Executive Council
 District 3
State Senate
 District 21
State Representative
 Strafford County District 7
Incorporated: 1766
 
Origin: Established in 1766 following separation from Durham, Lee was one of the last among the 129 towns chartered by Governor Benning Wentworth. The town was named for General Charles Lee, friend and kin of the Governor, who had fought with George Washington and others during the French and Indian Wars. Lee also fought under Washington during the American Revolution, and in doing so, forfeited estates in England. Lee is the location of Wheelwright Pond, a noted scenic area, which was part of the claim issued to Reverend John Wheelwright, founder of Exeter.
 
Villages and Place Names: Glenmere, Lee Five Corners, South Lee, Wadleigh Falls
 
Population, Year of the First Census Taken: 1,029 residents in 1790
 
Population Trends: Population change for Lee totaled 3,594 over 50 years, from 575 in 1950 to 4,169 in 2000. The largest decennial percent change was a 75 percent increase between 1980 and 1990; the three decades prior to that all had a population change of at least 40 percent. The 2008 Census estimate for Lee was 4,461 residents, which ranked 85th among New Hampshire's incorporated cities and towns.
 
Population Density, 2008: 223.3 persons per square mile of land area. Lee contains 20.0 square miles of land area and 0.2 square miles of inland water area.
 
MUNICIPAL SERVICES
Type of Government Selectmen
Budget: Municipal Appropriations, 2008 $3,196,065
Budget: School Appropriations, 2008 $10,910,600
Zoning Ordinance 1966/06
Master Plan 2006
Capital Improvement Plan Yes
Industrial Plans Reviewed By Planning Board

Boards and Commissions
Elected:
 Selectmen; Cemetery; Trust Funds; Budget; Town Clerk/Tax Collector; Moderator; Checklist
Appointed:
 Planning; Conservation; Library; Zoning

Public Library Lee Public

EMERGENCY SERVICES
Police Department Full-time
Fire Department Full-time
Emergency Medical Service Volunteer

Nearest Hospital(s) Distance Staffed Beds
Wentworth-Douglass, Dover 10 miles 134
Exeter Hospital, Exeter 13 miles 97
     

UTILITIES
Electric Supplier PSNH; 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
 Mandatory

Telephone Company Comcast, Fairpoint, AT&T
Cellular Telephone Access Yes
Cable Television Access Yes
Public Access Television Station Yes
High Speed Internet Service:  
Business
 Yes
Residential
 Yes

PROPERTY TAXES (NH Dept. of Revenue Adminstration) 
2008 Total Tax Rate (per $1000 of value) $25.57
2008 Equalization Ratio 104.9
2008 Full Value Tax Rate (per $1000 of value) $26.26

2008 Percent of Local Assessed Value by Property Type
Residential Land and Buildings
 88.7%
Commercial Land and Buildings
 10.2%
Public Utilities, Current Use, and Other
 1.1%

HOUSING (NH Office of Energy and Planning) 
2008 Total Housing Units 1,703
   
2008 Single-Family Units 1,161
Single-Family Permits Issued, Net Change of Units
 4
2008 Multi-Family Units 365
Multi-Family Permits Issued, Net Change of Units
 0
2008 Manufactured Housing Units 177
   
DEMOGRAPHICS (US Census Bureau) 
Total Population Community County
2008 4,461 121,914
2000 4,169 112,676
1990 3,699 104,348
1980 2,111 85,324
1970 1,481 70,431

Census 2000 Demographics
Population by Gender
Male
 2,077
Female
 2,068

Population by Age Group
Under age 5
 270
Age 5 to 19
 1,092
Age 20 to 34
 680
Age 35 to 54
 1,518
Age 55 to 64
 289
Age 65 and over
 296
Median Age
 35.4 years

Educational Attainment, population 25 years and over
High school graduate or higher
 95.1%
Bachelor's degree or higher
 52.6%

ANNUAL INCOME, 1999 (US Census Bureau) 
Per capita income $23,905
Median 4-person family income $62,330
Median household income $57,993

Median Earnings, full-time, year-round workers
Male
 $41,354
Female
 $29,651

Families below the poverty level 4.3%

LABOR FORCE (NHES - ELMI) 
Annual Average 1998 2008
Civilian Labor Force
 2,316 2,651
Employed
 2,279 2,568
Unemployed
 37 83
Unemployment Rate
 1.6% 3.1%

EMPLOYMENT & WAGES (NHES - ELMI) 
Annual Average Covered Employment 1998 2008
Goods Producing Industries    
Average Employment
 69 86
Average Weekly Wage
 $467 $513
     
Service Providing Industries    
Average Employment
 779 902
Average Weekly Wage
 $335 $479
     
Total Private Industry    
Average Employment
 847 988
Average Weekly Wage
 $345 $482
     
Government (Federal, State, and Local)    
Average Employment
 108 135
Average Weekly Wage
 $463 $708
     
Total, Private plus Government    
Average Employment
 955 1,123
Average Weekly Wage
 $359 $509
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 Oyster River Cooperative (Durham, Lee, Madbury) District: SAU 5
Career Technology Center(s): Dover Voc. Center; Somersworth Reg. Voc. Center; Creteau Voc. Center, Rochester Region: 12
 
Educational Facilities Elementary Middle/Junior High High School Private/Parochial
Number of Schools
 1      
Grade Levels
 K 1-4      
Total Enrollment
 344      
NH Licensed Child Care Facilities, 2009: Total Facilities: 2 Total Capacity: 69
Nearest Community/Technical College: Great Bay
Nearest Colleges or Universities: University of NH

LARGEST BUSINESSES PRODUCT/SERVICE EMPLOYEES ESTABLISHED
Market Basket Supermarket 120 1993
S & J Transportation Trucking, leasing, sales 40 1992
McDonald's Fast food restaurant 35 1995
Wendy's Fast food restaurant 35 2004
125 Family Restaurant Restaurant 20  
Dunkin' Donuts Donut shop 20  
Mobil Mart w/ Pizza Hut Express Convenience store, gas 15  
University of New Hampshire Education    
Sunoco Mart Convenience store, gas 15 2002
       

TRANSPORTATION  (Distance estimated from city / town hall)
Road Access US Routes 4
  State Routes 125, 152, 155
Nearest Interstate, Exit Spaulding Tpk., Exit 6; I-95, Exit 5
         Distance 10 miles; 15 miles
Railroad No
Public Transportation No
 
Nearest Public Use Airport, General Aviation
Pease International
Runway
 11,321 ft. asphalt/concrete
Lighted?
 Yes  Navigational Aids? Yes
Nearest Airport with Scheduled Service
Manchester-Boston Regional Distance 33 miles
Number of Passsenger Airlines Serving Airport 6

Driving distance to selected cities:
Manchester, NH
 30 miles
Portland, ME
 67 miles
Boston, MA
 61 miles
New York City, NY
 264 miles
Montreal, Quebec
 284 miles

COMMUTING TO WORK (US Census)
Workers 16 years and over  
Drove alone, car/truck/van
 82.8%
Carpooled, car/truck/van
 7.1%
Public transportation
 0.0%
Walked
 1.9%
Other Means
 0.3%
Worked at home
 8.0%
Mean Travel Time to Work 26.4 minutes
   
Percent of Working Residents:  
Working in community of residence
 16%
Commuting to another NH community
 70%
Commuting out-of-state
 15%
   
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
X Tennis Courts: Outdoor Facility
  Ice Skating Rink: Indoor Facility
  Bowling Facilities
  Museums
  Cinemas
  Performing Arts Facilities
X Tourists Attractions
X Youth Organizations (i.e., Scouts, 4-H)
X Youth Sports: Baseball
X Youth Sports: Soccer
X 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): Moose Mountain, Gunstock
   
  Other: Lee USA Speedway; Lee County Fair; Library events

Economic & Labor Market Information Bureau, NH Employment Security, 2009. Community Response Received 09/17/09

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.