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Charlestown, NH

Community Contact Charlestown Selectboard
Jon LeClair, Chair
PO Box 385
Charlestown, NH 03603
 
Telephone (603) 826-4400
Fax (603) 826-3709
E-mail dedkins@charlestown-nh.gov
Web Site www.charlestown-nh.gov
 
Municipal Office Hours Monday through Friday, 8 am - 4 pm
 
County Sullivan
Labor Market Area Charlestown NH LMA
Tourism Region Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee
Planning Commission Upper Valley/Lake Sunapee
Regional Development Capital Regional Development Council
 
Election Districts  
US Congress
 District 2
Executive Council
 District 1
State Senate
 District 8
State Representative
 Sullivan County District 5
Incorporated: 1753
 
Origin: Charlestown was originally the site of Number Four, the fourth in a line of forts on the Connecticut River border established as trading posts by Massachusetts Governor Belcher in 1735. In 1753, Governor Benning Wentworth named the town in honor of his friend, Admiral Sir Charles Knowles of the British Navy, who was then governor of Jamaica. A reproduction of Old Fort Number Four is now a historical site and museum. A historical marker commemorating the fort was erected in 1958—the second marker in the NH Historical Marker Program.
 
Villages and Place Names: Hemlock Center, North Charlestown, Snumshire, South Charlestown, South Hemlock, Springfield Junction, Trapshire
 
Population, Year of the First Census Taken: 1,093 residents in 1790
 
Population Trends: Population change for Charlestown totaled 2,684 over 50 years, from 2,077 in 1950 to 4,761 in 2000. The largest decennial percent change was a 35 percent increase between 1970 and 1980; after that, decennial percent change was five percent or less. The 2008 Census estimate for Charlestown was 4,840 residents, which ranked 73rd among New Hampshire's incorporated cities and towns.
 
Population Density, 2008: 135.1 persons per square mile of land area. Charlestown contains 35.8 square miles of land area and 2.2 square miles of inland water area.
 
MUNICIPAL SERVICES
Type of Government Selectmen
Budget: Municipal Appropriations, 2009 $3,966,390
Budget: School Appropriations, not available
Zoning Ordinance 1951/09
Master Plan 2007
Capital Improvement Plan No
Industrial Plans Reviewed By Planning Board

Boards and Commissions
Elected:
 Selectboard; Planning; Finance; Library; Cemetery; Highway Advisory; Recreation
Appointed:
 Zoning; Conservation; Heritage

Public Library Silsby Free Public

EMERGENCY SERVICES
Police Department Full-time
Fire Department Volunteer & on call
Emergency Medical Service Municipal, volunteer, & on call

Nearest Hospital(s) Distance Staffed Beds
Valley Regional, Claremont 13 miles 25
Mt. Ascutney Hospital, Windsor VT 19 miles 33
     

UTILITIES
Electric Supplier PSNH; National Grid; NH Electric Coop
Natural Gas Supplier None
Water Supplier Charlestown Municipal Water Department

Sanitation Municipal
Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant Yes
Solid Waste Disposal  
Curbside Trash Pickup
 none
Pay-As-You-Throw Program
 No
Recycling
 Mandatory: glass, cardboard only & voluntary

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

PROPERTY TAXES (NH Dept. of Revenue Adminstration) 
2008 Total Tax Rate (per $1000 of value) $24.30
2008 Equalization Ratio 100.0
2008 Full Value Tax Rate (per $1000 of value) $23.95

2008 Percent of Local Assessed Value by Property Type
Residential Land and Buildings
 84.1%
Commercial Land and Buildings
 13.4%
Public Utilities, Current Use, and Other
 2.5%

HOUSING (NH Office of Energy and Planning) 
2008 Total Housing Units 2,212
   
2008 Single-Family Units 1,159
Single-Family Permits Issued, Net Change of Units
 5
2008 Multi-Family Units 342
Multi-Family Permits Issued, Net Change of Units
 0
2008 Manufactured Housing Units 711
   
DEMOGRAPHICS (US Census Bureau) 
Total Population Community County
2008 4,840 42,591
2000 4,761 40,560
1990 4,637 38,652
1980 4,417 36,063
1970 3,274 30,949

Census 2000 Demographics
Population by Gender
Male
 2,313
Female
 2,436

Population by Age Group
Under age 5
 272
Age 5 to 19
 1,012
Age 20 to 34
 740
Age 35 to 54
 1,518
Age 55 to 64
 529
Age 65 and over
 678
Median Age
 39.7 years

Educational Attainment, population 25 years and over
High school graduate or higher
 81.4%
Bachelor's degree or higher
 10.8%

ANNUAL INCOME, 1999 (US Census Bureau) 
Per capita income $18,654
Median 4-person family income $45,172
Median household income $38,024

Median Earnings, full-time, year-round workers
Male
 $31,010
Female
 $22,986

Families below the poverty level 3.5%

LABOR FORCE (NHES - ELMI) 
Annual Average 1998 2008
Civilian Labor Force
 2,711 2,575
Employed
 2,621 2,461
Unemployed
 90 114
Unemployment Rate
 3.3% 4.4%

EMPLOYMENT & WAGES (NHES - ELMI) 
Annual Average Covered Employment 1998 2008
Goods Producing Industries    
Average Employment
 775 938
Average Weekly Wage
 $487 $808
     
Service Providing Industries    
Average Employment
 531 606
Average Weekly Wage
 $437 $646
     
Total Private Industry    
Average Employment
 1,306 1,545
Average Weekly Wage
 $467 $744
     
Government (Federal, State, and Local)    
Average Employment
 427 494
Average Weekly Wage
 $436 $632
     
Total, Private plus Government    
Average Employment
 1,733 2,038
Average Weekly Wage
 $459 $717
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 Fall Mountain Regional (Acworth, Alstead, Charlestown, Langdon, Walpole) District: SAU 60
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
 2 1    
Grade Levels
 K 1-5 6-8    
Total Enrollment
 307 181    
NH Licensed Child Care Facilities, 2009: Total Facilities: 8 Total Capacity: 155
Nearest Community/Technical College: River Valley
Nearest Colleges or Universities: Keene State; Antioch New England

LARGEST BUSINESSES PRODUCT/SERVICE EMPLOYEES ESTABLISHED
Whelen Engineering Emergency lights 395 1952
Bomar, Inc. Marine hardware 80 1974
Design Standards, Inc Medical instruments 93 1979
Connecticut River Bank Banking services 45 1864
G K N Aerospace Aircraft engine parts 55 1979
Airgas, Inc Welding equip., industrial & medical gases 60 1982
Town of Charlestown Municipal services 130 1753
Student Conservation Association Non-Profit youth conservation agency 84 1964
Fall Mountain Regional School District Education 125 1964
       

TRANSPORTATION  (Distance estimated from city / town hall)
Road Access US Routes  
  State Routes 11, 12, 12A
Nearest Interstate, Exit I-91 (VT), Exit 7
         Distance 2 miles
Railroad Boston & Maine
Public Transportation Yes
 
Nearest Public Use Airport, General Aviation
Claremont Municipal
Runway
 3,100 ft. asphalt
Lighted?
 Yes  Navigational Aids? Yes
Nearest Airport with Scheduled Service
Lebanon Municipal Distance 32 miles
Number of Passsenger Airlines Serving Airport 1

Driving distance to selected cities:
Manchester, NH
 76 miles
Portland, ME
 166 miles
Boston, MA
 126 miles
New York City, NY
 237 miles
Montreal, Quebec
 214 miles

COMMUTING TO WORK (US Census)
Workers 16 years and over  
Drove alone, car/truck/van
 79.1%
Carpooled, car/truck/van
 14.7%
Public transportation
 0.0%
Walked
 2.2%
Other Means
 0.4%
Worked at home
 3.6%
Mean Travel Time to Work 21.4 minutes
   
Percent of Working Residents:  
Working in community of residence
 32%
Commuting to another NH community
 48%
Commuting out-of-state
 20%
   
RECREATION, ATTRACTIONS, AND EVENTS
X Municipal Parks
  YMCA/YWCA
  Boys Club/Girls Club
  Golf Courses
  Swimming: Indoor Facility
X Swimming: Outdoor Facility
X Tennis Courts: Indoor Faclity
  Tennis Courts: Outdoor Facility
  Ice Skating Rink: Indoor Facility
  Bowling Facilities
X Museums
  Cinemas
  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
  Youth Sports: Hockey
  Campgrounds
X Fishing/Hunting
X Boating/Marinas
X Snowmobile Trails
X Bicycle Trails
X Cross Country Skiing
  Beach or Waterfront Recreational Area
X Overnight or Day Camps
   
  Nearest Ski Area(s): Mount Sunapee, Mount Ascutney (VT)
   
  Other: Fort at No. 4 Museum; Morningside Flight Park

Economic & Labor Market Information Bureau, NH Employment Security, 2009. Community Response Received 08/11/09

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.