gorham New Hampshire Community Profile
Gorham, NH
Community Contact Town of Gorham
William Jackson, Town Manager
20 Park Street
Gorham, NH 03581

Telephone (603) 466-3322
Fax (603) 466-3100
E-mail info@gorhamnh.org
Web Site www.gorhamnh.org

Municipal Office Hours Selectmen, Town Manager: Monday through Friday, 8 am - 5 pm; Town Clerk/Tax Collector: Monday through Friday, 8:30 am - 4:30 pm

County Coos
Labor Market Area Berlin NH Micro-NECTA
Tourism Region White Mountains
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 3
Incorporated: 1836

Origin: This territory was first granted in 1770 as part of Shelburne called Shelburne Addition. Shelburne settlers petitioned the Legislature in 1786 for an addition of land because they felt a large portion of their grant was useless due to the mountains and rocks. It was incorporated as a separate town in 1836 and renamed Gorham at the suggestion of Sylvester Davis, a resident from Gorham, Maine, and a relative of the Gorham family who founded that town in 1764. The Gorham family has long been part of New England history, first settling in Barnstable, Massachusetts, in 1643.

Villages and Place Names: Mount Washington, Upper Village, Cascade, Lead Mines

Population, Year of the First Census Taken: 111 residents in 1830

Population Trends: Population change for Gorham totaled 263 over 50 years, from 2,639 in 1950 to 2,902 in 2000. Population growth in Gorham tied with Colebrook as the fourth smallest percent change among the cities and towns, increasing just ten percent over 50 years. The 2007 Census estimate for Gorham was 2,827 residents, which ranked 111th among New Hampshire's incorporated cities and towns.

Population Density, 2007: 91.5 persons per square mile of land area. Gorham contains 31.9 square miles of land area and 0.4 square miles of inland water area.

MUNICIPAL SERVICES
Type of Government Selectmen
Budget: Municipal Appropriations, 2008 $5,203,702
Budget: School Appropriations, not available
Zoning Ordinance 1988/07
Master Plan 2005
Capitol Improvement Plan Yes
Industrial Plans Reviewed By Planning Board

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

Public Library Gorham Public

EMERGENCY SERVICES
Police Department Full-time
Fire Department Full-time Chief & volunteer
Town Fire Insurance Rating 5/8B
Emergency Medical Service Full-time & volunteer

Nearest Hospital(s) Distance Staffed Beds
Androscoggin Valley, Berlin 9 miles 25

UTILITIES
Electric Supplier PSNH
Natural Gas Supplier None
Water Supplier Gorham Water Department

Sanitation Gorham Sewer Department
Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant Yes
Solid Waste Disposal
Curbside Trash Pickup
Municipal
Pay-As-You-Throw Program
No
Recycling
Mandatory

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) 
2007 Total Tax Rate (per $1000 of value) $19.89
2007 Equalization Ratio 100
2007 Full Value Tax Rate (per $1000 of value) $20.50

2007 Percent of Local Assessed Value by Property Type
Residential Land and Buildings
54.4%
Commercial Land and Buildings
31.7%
Public Utilities, Current Use, and Other
13.9%

HOUSING (NH Office of Energy and Planning) 
2007 Total Housing Units 1,537
   
2007 Single-Family Units 832
Single-Family Permits Issued, Net Change of Units
3
2007 Multi-Family Units 433
Multi-Family Permits Issued, Net Change of Units
-3
2007 Manufactured Housing Units 272
   
DEMOGRAPHICS (US Census Bureau) 
Total Population Community County
2007 2,827 32,772
2000 2,902 33,156
1990 3,204 34,879
1980 3,322 35,014
1970 2,998 34,189

Census 2000 Demographics
Population by Gender
Male
1,427
Female
1,468

Population by Age Group
Under age 5
126
Age 5 to 19
559
Age 20 to 34
439
Age 35 to 54
946
Age 55 to 64
257
Age 65 and over
568
Median Age
42 years

Educational Attainment, population 25 years and over
High school graduate or higher
79.4%
Bachelor's degree or higher
13.4%

ANNUAL INCOME, 1999 (US Census Bureau) 
Per capita income $16,649
Median 4-person family income $41,008
Median household income $32,250

Median Earnings, full-time, year-round workers
Male
$34,659
Female
$20,278

Families below the poverty level 3.9%

LABOR FORCE (NHES - ELMI) 
Annual Average 1997 2007
Civilian Labor Force
1,556 1,641
Employed
1,487 1,574
Unemployed
69 67
Unemployment Rate
4.4% 4.1%

EMPLOYMENT & WAGES (NHES - ELMI) 
Annual Average Covered Employment 1997 2007
Goods Producing Industries  
Average Employment
85 440
Average Weekly Wage
$501 $893
   
Service Providing Industries  
Average Employment
1,489 1,710
Average Weekly Wage
$347 $491
   
Total Private Industry  
Average Employment
1,574 2,150
Average Weekly Wage
$355 $573
   
Government (Federal, State, and Local)  
Average Employment
216 246
Average Weekly Wage
$518 $702
   
Total, Private plus Government  
Average Employment
1,790 2,395
Average Weekly Wage
$375 $587
n = indicates that the data does not meet disclosure standards

EDUCATION/CHILD CARE FACILITIES (NH Dept. of Education)
Schools students attend: Gorham operates grades K-12 District: SAU 20
Career Technology Center(s): Berlin High School Region: 02

Educational Facilities Elementary Middle/Junior High High School Private/Parochial
Number of Schools
1 1 1
Grade Levels
K 1-5 6-8 9-12
Total Enrollment
212 114 177
NH Licensed Child Care Facilities, 2008: Total Facilities: 6 Total Capacity: 390
Nearest Community/Technical College: White Mountains
Nearest Colleges or Universities: Granite State College-Berlin

LARGEST BUSINESSES PRODUCT/SERVICE EMPLOYEES ESTABLISHED
Wal-Mart Retail store 278 1998
Fraser Paper Co. Paper making 275
Berlin City Dealerships Car sales, service 207
Shaw's Supermarket Supermarket 110 1999
Town of Gorham Municipal services 106
Royalty Health Club/Inn/Restaurant Health club, motel, restaurant 60
Steel Elements, Inc. Steel Truss Fabrication 45
Gorham Sand & Gravel/Pike Industries Aggregate 12

TRANSPORTATION  (Distance estimated from city / town hall)
Road Access US Routes 2
  State Routes 16
Nearest Interstate, Exit I-93, Exit 35
         Distance 35 miles
Railroad St. Lawrence & Atlantic
Public Transportation Yes

Nearest Public Use Airport, General Aviation
Gorham Airport
Runway
2,800 ft. turf
Lighted?
No  Navigational Aids? No
Nearest Airport with Scheduled Service
Portland (ME) International Jetport Distance 92 miles
Number of Passsenger Airlines Serving Airport 7

Driving distance to selected cities:
Manchester, NH
120 miles
Portland, ME
91 miles
Boston, MA
165 miles
New York City, NY
375 miles
Montreal, Quebec
200 miles

COMMUTING TO WORK (US Census)
Workers 16 years and over  
Drove alone, car/truck/van
85.2%
Carpooled, car/truck/van
7.9%
Public transportation
0.0%
Walked
3.7%
Other Means
1.4%
Worked at home
1.9%
Mean Travel Time to Work 17.4 minutes

Percent of Working Residents:
Working in community of residence
44%
Commuting to another NH community
51%
Commuting out-of-state
5%
   
RECREATION, ATTRACTIONS, AND EVENTS
X Municipal Parks
YMCA/YWCA
Boys Club/Girls Club
X Golf Courses
Swimming: Indoor Facility
X Swimming: Outdoor Facility
Tennis Courts: Indoor Faclity
X Tennis Courts: Outdoor Facility
Ice Skating Rink: Indoor Facility
Bowling Facilities
X Museums
Cinemas
X 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
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): Wildcat
   
Other: Moose Tours; Mount Washington Auto Road; Moose Brook State Park; Summer Concert Series; 4th of July Celebration; Hiking & Fitness Trails

Economic & Labor Market Information Bureau, NH Employment Security, 2008. Community Response Received 08/15/08

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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