Alstead New Hampshire Community Profile

 Alstead new hampshire community profile
Alstead, NH
Community Contact Alstead Board of Selectmen
William H. Moran, Chairman
PO Box 60
Alstead, NH 03602

Telephone (603) 835-2986
Fax (603) 835-2178
E-mail townofalstead@comcast.net
Web Site www.alsteadnh.org

Municipal Office Hours Monday through Wednesday, 8 am - 4 pm, and Thursday 8 am - 6 pm, closed Friday

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 8
State Representative
 Cheshire County District 2
Incorporated: 1763
Origin: Alstead began in 1735 as the fourth in a line of nine forts intended to protect southwestern New Hampshire from Indian attacks. The town was named for Johann Heinrich Alsted, a German professor whose Encyclopaedia (1630) was popular at Harvard, where Governor Benning Wentworth had been a student. According to the Town of Alstead municipal website, Alstead was one of the towns that wavered in its allegiance after the Revolutionary War. In April 1781 the citizens decided to join Vermont, but returned to New Hampshire authority early the next year. Alstead was the location of New Hampshire's first paper mill, established in 1793 on the Cold River.
Villages and Place Names: Alstead Center, East Alstead, Mill Hollow, Alstead

Population, Year of the First Census Taken: 1,111 residents in 1790
Population Trends: Population change for Alstead totaled 1,097 over 50 years, from 851 in 1950 to 1,948 in 2000. The largest decennial percent change was a 41 percent increase between 1960 and 1970, close to one-third of the total numeric change. The 2006 Census estimate for Alstead was 2,045 residents, which ranked 140th among New Hampshire's incorporated cities and towns.

Population Density, 2006: 52.5 persons per square mile of land area. Alstead contains 39.0 square miles of land area and 0.4 square miles of inland water area.
MUNICIPAL SERVICES
Type of Government Selectmen
Budget: Municipal Appropriations, 2003 $1,000,000
Budget: School Appropriations not available
Zoning Ordinance 1987/06
Master Plan 1996
Capitol Improvement Plan Yes
Industrial Plans Reviewed By Planning Board

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

Public Library Shedd-Porter Memorial

EMERGENCY SERVICES
Police Department Full-time
Fire Department Part-time & volunteer
Town Fire Insurance Rating 9/10
Emergency Medical Service Volunteer

Nearest Hospital(s) Distance Staffed Beds
Cheshire Medical Center, Keene 17 miles 169
Valley Regional, Claremont 22 miles 45

UTILITIES
Electric Supplier PSNH; Granite State Electric
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 Verizon
Cellular Telephone Access Yes
Cable Television Access Yes
Public Access Television Station No
High Speed Internet Service:  
Business
 Limited
Residential
 Limited

PROPERTY TAXES (NH Dept. of Revenue Adminstration) 
2006 Total Tax Rate (per $1000 of value) $20.68
2006 Equalization Ratio 84.2
2006 Full Value Tax Rate (per $1000 of value) $17.41

2006 Percent of Local Assessed Value by Property Type
Residential Land and Buildings
 96.3%
Commercial Land and Buildings
 1.9%
Public Utilities, Current Use, and Other
 1.8%

HOUSING (NH Office of Energy and Planning) 
2006 Total Housing Units 1,009
   
2006 Single-Family Units 790
Single-Family Permits Issued, Net Change of Units
 16
2006 Multi-Family Units 110
Multi-Family Permits Issued, Net Change of Units
 20
2006 Manufactured Housing Units 109
   
DEMOGRAPHICS (US Census Bureau) 
Total Population Community County
2006 2,045 77,393
2000 1,948 73,993
1990 1,724 70,223
1980 1,461 62,116
1970 1,185 52,364

Census 2000 Demographics
Population by Gender
Male
 993
Female
 951

Population by Age Group
Under age 5
 120
Age 5 to 19
 434
Age 20 to 34
 268
Age 35 to 54
 702
Age 55 to 64
 174
Age 65 and over
 246
Median Age
 39.5 years

Educational Attainment, population 25 years and over
High school graduate or higher
 86.7%
Bachelor's degree or higher
 27.4%

ANNUAL INCOME, 1999 (US Census Bureau) 
Per capita income $20,444
Median 4-person family income $47,311
Median household income $43,191

Median Earnings, full-time, year-round workers
Male
 $35,481
Female
 $23,785

Families below the poverty level 3.5%

LABOR FORCE (NHES - ELMI) 
Annual Average 1996 2006
Civilian Labor Force
 945 1,218
Employed
 907 1,181
Unemployed
 38 37
Unemployment Rate
 4.0% 3.0%

EMPLOYMENT & WAGES (NHES - ELMI) 
Annual Average Covered Employment 1996 2006
Goods Producing Industries  
Average Employment
 121 73
Average Weekly Wage
 $562 $584
   
Service Providing Industries  
Average Employment
 71 71
Average Weekly Wage
 $364 $410
   
Total Private Industry  
Average Employment
 192 143
Average Weekly Wage
 $489 $498
   
Government (Federal, State, and Local)  
Average Employment
 17 18
Average Weekly Wage
 $326 $510
   
Total, Private plus Government  
Average Employment
 209 161
Average Weekly Wage
 $476 $499
n = indicates that the data does not meet disclosure standards
EDUCATION/CHILD CARE FACILITIES (NH Dept. of Education)
Schools students attend: Grades K-12 is 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
 1 1
Grade Levels
 K 1-5 5-8
Total Enrollment
 117 124
NH Licensed Child Care Facilities, 2007: Total Facilities: 2 Total Capacity: 55
Nearest Community/Technical College: Claremont
Nearest Colleges or Universities: Keene State; Antioch New England
LARGEST BUSINESSES PRODUCT/SERVICE EMPLOYEES ESTABLISHED
Blanceflower Lumber Retail, wholesale lumber 15 1953
Benson's Woodworking Company Timber frame houses 10 1972
Fuller Machine Company Job machine shop 5
TRANSPORTATION  (Distance estimated from city / town hall)
Road Access US Routes
  State Routes 12A, 123, 123A
Nearest Interstate, Exit I-91 (VT), Exit 6
         Distance 10 miles
Railroad No
Public Transportation No

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 42 miles
Number of Passsenger Airlines Serving Airport 1

Driving distance to selected cities:
Manchester, NH
 67 miles
Portland, ME
 152 miles
Boston, MA
 114 miles
New York City, NY
 230 miles
Montreal, Quebec
 223 miles

COMMUTING TO WORK (US Census)
Workers 16 years and over  
Drove alone, car/truck/van
 78.3%
Carpooled, car/truck/van
 11.1%
Public transportation
 0.4%
Walked
 2.9%
Other Means
 0.0%
Worked at home
 7.4%
Mean Travel Time to Work 28.6 minutes
Percent of Working Residents:
Working in community of residence
 20%
Commuting to another NH community
 65%
Commuting out-of-state
 15%
    
RECREATION, ATTRACTIONS, AND EVENTS
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
Youth Sports: Basketball
Youth Sports: Hockey
Campgrounds
X Fishing/Hunting
Boating/Marinas
X Snowmobile Trails
Bicycle Trails
Cross Country Skiing
Beach or Waterfront Recreational Area
Overnight or Day Camps
   
Nearest Ski Area(s): Okemo
   
Other:
Economic & Labor Market Information Bureau, NH Employment Security, 2007. Community Response Received 08/13/07

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.

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