columbia New Hampshire Community Profile
Columbia, NH
Community Contact Columbia Board of Selectmen
Marcia Parkhurst, Secretary
PO Box 157
Colebrook, NH 03576

Telephone (603) 237-5255
Fax (603) 237-8270
E-mail towncolumbia@verizon.net
Web Site not available

Municipal Office Hours Monday and Wednesday, 10 am - 5 pm, Tuesday and Friday 8 am - 3 pm, closed Thursday

County Coos
Labor Market Area Colebrook NH-VT LMA, NH Portion
Tourism Region Great North Woods
Planning Commission North Country Council
Regional Development Coos Economic Development Corp.

Election Districts
US Congress
 District 2
Executive Council
 District 1
State Senate
 District 1
State Representative
 Coos County District 1
Incorporated: 1797
Origin: Columbia was first chartered in 1762, and named Preston for Richard Graham, Viscount Preston of Scotland. The original grantees were a group of members of the Society of Friends from Long Island. The town was regranted in 1770 due to grantees failing to meet the prescribed terms, and renamed Cockburntown, after Sir James Cockburn of Scotland, as was so incorporated in 1797. It kept that name until 1811, when Governor John Langdon renamed the town Columbia in the spirit of patriotism preceding the War of 1812.
Villages and Place Names: Bungy, Cones, Georges, Meriden Hill, Tinkerville

Population, Year of the First Census Taken: 34 residents in 1790
Population Trends: Population change for Columbia totaled 257 over 50 years, from 495 in 1950 to 752 in 2000. The largest decennial percent change was a 44 percent increase between 1970 and 1980, a numeric increase of 206. The 2007 Census estimate for Columbia was 807 residents, which ranked 199th among New Hampshire's incorporated cities and towns.

Population Density, 2007: 13.8 persons per square mile of land area. Columbia contains 61.2 square miles of land area and 0.1 square miles of inland water area.
MUNICIPAL SERVICES
Type of Government Selectmen
Budget: Municipal Appropriations, 2006 $398,608
Budget: School Appropriations, 2006 $1,374,228
Zoning Ordinance 1971/07
Master Plan 2007
Capitol Improvement Plan No
Industrial Plans Reviewed By Planning Board

Boards and Commissions
Elected:
 Selectmen; Planning; School
Appointed:
 Conservation

Public Library No Library

EMERGENCY SERVICES
Police Department Part-time
Fire Department No
Town Fire Insurance Rating 9/10
Emergency Medical Service Volunteer

Nearest Hospital(s) Distance Staffed Beds
Upper Connecticut Valley, Colebrook 5 miles 16

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
 Private
Pay-As-You-Throw Program
 No
Recycling
 Voluntary

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

PROPERTY TAXES (NH Dept. of Revenue Adminstration) 
2007 Total Tax Rate (per $1000 of value) $15.25
2007 Equalization Ratio 109.4
2007 Full Value Tax Rate (per $1000 of value) $16.28

2007 Percent of Local Assessed Value by Property Type
Residential Land and Buildings
 72.6%
Commercial Land and Buildings
 4.1%
Public Utilities, Current Use, and Other
 23.2%

HOUSING (NH Office of Energy and Planning) 
2007 Total Housing Units 525
   
2007 Single-Family Units 402
Single-Family Permits Issued, Net Change of Units
 7
2007 Multi-Family Units 21
Multi-Family Permits Issued, Net Change of Units
 0
2007 Manufactured Housing Units 102
   
DEMOGRAPHICS (US Census Bureau) 
Total Population Community County
2007 807 32,772
2000 752 33,156
1990 656 34,879
1980 673 35,014
1970 467 34,189

Census 2000 Demographics
Population by Gender
Male
 399
Female
 351

Population by Age Group
Under age 5
 35
Age 5 to 19
 158
Age 20 to 34
 113
Age 35 to 54
 242
Age 55 to 64
 88
Age 65 and over
 114
Median Age
 42 years

Educational Attainment, population 25 years and over
High school graduate or higher
 72.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher
 7.4%

ANNUAL INCOME, 1999 (US Census Bureau) 
Per capita income $16,859
Median 4-person family income $42,143
Median household income $36,964

Median Earnings, full-time, year-round workers
Male
 $27,604
Female
 $19,732

Families below the poverty level 4.0%

LABOR FORCE (NHES - ELMI) 
Annual Average 1997 2007
Civilian Labor Force
 339 402
Employed
 329 389
Unemployed
 10 13
Unemployment Rate
 2.9% 3.2%

EMPLOYMENT & WAGES (NHES - ELMI) 
Annual Average Covered Employment 1997 2007
Goods Producing Industries  
Average Employment
 8 47
Average Weekly Wage
 $486 $770
   
Service Providing Industries  
Average Employment
 0 9
Average Weekly Wage
 $0 $239
   
Total Private Industry  
Average Employment
 8 56
Average Weekly Wage
 $486 $686
   
Government (Federal, State, and Local)  
Average Employment
 1 2
Average Weekly Wage
 $156 $342
   
Total, Private plus Government  
Average Employment
 9 58
Average Weekly Wage
 $447 $672
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 tuitioned to Colebrook District: SAU 7
Career Technology Center(s): None in Region 01 Region: 01

Educational Facilities Elementary Middle/Junior High High School Private/Parochial
Number of Schools
Grade Levels
Total Enrollment
NH Licensed Child Care Facilities, 2008: Total Facilities: 0 Total Capacity: 0
Nearest Community/Technical College: White Mountains
Nearest Colleges or Universities: Granite State College-Berlin

LARGEST BUSINESSES PRODUCT/SERVICE EMPLOYEES ESTABLISHED
Blue Mountain Variety Convenience store
Bringston Tool & Die Co. Machine shop 1966
Columbia Home & Building Supply Inc Retail sales of building supplies
Columbia Sand & Gravel, Inc. Aggregate

TRANSPORTATION  (Distance estimated from city / town hall)
Road Access US Routes 3
  State Routes
Nearest Interstate, Exit I-91 (VT), Exit 28; Aut-55 (QC), Exit 21
         Distance 45 miles; 46 miles
Railroad State owned line
Public Transportation No

Nearest Public Use Airport, General Aviation
Gifford Field, Colebrook
Runway
 2,440 ft. turf
Lighted?
 No  Navigational Aids? No
Nearest Airport with Scheduled Service
Portland (ME) International Jetport Distance 139 miles
Number of Passsenger Airlines Serving Airport 7

Driving distance to selected cities:
Manchester, NH
 145 miles
Portland, ME
 138 miles
Boston, MA
 195 miles
New York City, NY
 374 miles
Montreal, Quebec
 141 miles

COMMUTING TO WORK (US Census)
Workers 16 years and over  
Drove alone, car/truck/van
 69.9%
Carpooled, car/truck/van
 15.7%
Public transportation
 0.0%
Walked
 3.5%
Other Means
 6.2%
Worked at home
 4.6%
Mean Travel Time to Work 23.4 minutes
Percent of Working Residents:
Working in community of residence
 23%
Commuting to another NH community
 59%
Commuting out-of-state
 18%
    
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
Youth Organizations (i.e., Scouts, 4-H)
Youth Sports: Baseball
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): Balsams Wilderness
   
Other: Camps

Economic & Labor Market Information Bureau, NH Employment Security, 2008. Community Response Received 08/05/08

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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