Grafton New Hampshire Community Profile
Grafton, NH
Community Contact Town of Grafton
Board of Selectmen
Town Office Building, PO Box 299
Grafton, NH 03240

Telephone (603) 523-7700
Fax (603) 523-4026
E-mail grafton_twn@endor.com
Web Site www.townofgrafton.com

Municipal Office Hours Selectmen: Monday through Thursday, 8 am - 3:30 pm

County Grafton
Labor Market Area Lebanon NH-VT Micro-NECTA, NH Portion
Tourism Region Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee
Planning Commission Upper Valley/Lake Sunapee
Regional Development Grafton County Economic Development Council

Election Districts
US Congress
 District 2
Executive Council
 District 1
State Senate
 District 5
State Representative
 Grafton County District 10
Incorporated: 1778
Origin: This town was named for Augustus Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Grafton, Earl of Arlington and Euston, Viscount Thetford, and Baron Sudbury. The Duke was a pro-American member of English government prior to the Revolution, and related to Governor Benning Wentworth. Grafton County and Thetford, Vermont, were also named in honor of the Duke. Grantees of the initial 1761 charter voted to surrender their grant in 1762. The land was regranted in 1769 to new colonists, including John Hancock and James Otis, well-known Boston patriots.

Villages and Place Names: East Grafton, Grafton Center, Robinson Corner, Cardigan Station
Population, Year of the First Census Taken: 403 residents in 1790
Population Trends: Population change for Grafton totaled 696 over 50 years, from 442 in 1950 to 1,138 in 2000. The largest decennial percent change was 100 percent between 1970 and 1980, doubling the population over those ten years. The 2008 Census estimate for Grafton was 1,134 residents, which ranked 175th among New Hampshire's incorporated cities and towns.

Population Density, 2008: 27.3 persons per square mile of land area. Grafton contains 41.6 square miles of land area and 0.8 square miles of inland water area.
MUNICIPAL SERVICES
Type of Government Selectmen
Budget: Municipal Appropriations, 2000 $578,402
Budget: School Appropriations, not available
Zoning Ordinance No Board
Master Plan 1987
Capital Improvement Plan No
Industrial Plans Reviewed By Planning Board

Boards and Commissions
Elected:
 Selectmen; Planning; Trust Funds; Library
Appointed:
 Recreation

Public Library Grafton Public

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

Nearest Hospital(s) Distance Staffed Beds
New London Hospital, New London 22 miles 25
Alice Peck Day Memorial, Lebanon 23 miles 25
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Med Ctr, Lebanon 25 miles 369

UTILITIES
Electric Supplier PSNH; NH Electric Coop; National Grid
Natural Gas Supplier Valley Propane
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 Fairpoint
Cellular Telephone Access No
Cable Television Access No
Public Access Television Station No
High Speed Internet Service:  
Business
 No
Residential
 No

PROPERTY TAXES (NH Dept. of Revenue Adminstration) 
2008 Total Tax Rate (per $1000 of value) $16.92
2008 Equalization Ratio 100.0
2008 Full Value Tax Rate (per $1000 of value) $16.85

2008 Percent of Local Assessed Value by Property Type
Residential Land and Buildings
 96.5%
Commercial Land and Buildings
 1.1%
Public Utilities, Current Use, and Other
 2.5%

HOUSING (NH Office of Energy and Planning) 
2008 Total Housing Units 801
   
2008 Single-Family Units 607
Single-Family Permits Issued, Net Change of Units
 6
2008 Multi-Family Units 44
Multi-Family Permits Issued, Net Change of Units
 0
2008 Manufactured Housing Units 150
   
DEMOGRAPHICS (US Census Bureau) 
Total Population Community County
2008 1,134 85,921
2000 1,138 81,826
1990 924 74,998
1980 739 65,806
1970 370 54,914

Census 2000 Demographics
Population by Gender
Male
 601
Female
 537

Population by Age Group
Under age 5
 72
Age 5 to 19
 240
Age 20 to 34
 191
Age 35 to 54
 406
Age 55 to 64
 114
Age 65 and over
 115
Median Age
 38.8 years

Educational Attainment, population 25 years and over
High school graduate or higher
 81.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher
 21.9%

ANNUAL INCOME, 1999 (US Census Bureau) 
Per capita income $16,944
Median 4-person family income $41,875
Median household income $38,654

Median Earnings, full-time, year-round workers
Male
 $30,074
Female
 $23,750

Families below the poverty level 4.2%

LABOR FORCE (NHES - ELMI) 
Annual Average 1998 2008
Civilian Labor Force
 364 690
Employed
 349 662
Unemployed
 15 28
Unemployment Rate
 4.1% 4.1%

EMPLOYMENT & WAGES (NHES - ELMI) 
Annual Average Covered Employment 1998 2008
Goods Producing Industries  
Average Employment
 0 n
Average Weekly Wage
 $0 n
   
Service Providing Industries  
Average Employment
 10 n
Average Weekly Wage
 $203 n
   
Total Private Industry  
Average Employment
 10 38
Average Weekly Wage
 $203 $372
   
Government (Federal, State, and Local)  
Average Employment
 17 21
Average Weekly Wage
 $180 $347
   
Total, Private plus Government  
Average Employment
 28 59
Average Weekly Wage
 $189 $363
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 Mascoma Valley Regional (Canaan, Dorchester, Enfield, Grafton, Orange) District: SAU 62
Career Technology Center(s): Hartford Career and Technical Center, White River Junction VT Region: 07

Educational Facilities Elementary Middle/Junior High High School Private/Parochial
Number of Schools
Grade Levels
Total Enrollment
NH Licensed Child Care Facilities, 2009: Total Facilities: 0 Total Capacity: 0
Nearest Community/Technical College: Lakes Region; River Valley
Nearest Colleges or Universities: Dartmouth; Colby-Sawyer; Plymouth State University; Lebanon

LARGEST BUSINESSES PRODUCT/SERVICE EMPLOYEES ESTABLISHED
Town of Grafton Municipal services 12 1778
Ruggles Mine (seasonal) Amusement 10

TRANSPORTATION  (Distance estimated from city / town hall)
Road Access US Routes 4
  State Routes 4A
Nearest Interstate, Exit I-89, Exit 17; I-93, Exit 23
         Distance 19 miles; 21 miles
Railroad No
Public Transportation No

Nearest Public Use Airport, General Aviation
Newfound Valley, Bristol
Runway
 1,930 ft. asphalt
Lighted?
 No  Navigational Aids? No
Nearest Airport with Scheduled Service
Lebanon Municipal Distance 26 miles
Number of Passsenger Airlines Serving Airport 1

Driving distance to selected cities:
Manchester, NH
 55 miles
Portland, ME
 110 miles
Boston, MA
 105 miles
New York City, NY
 289 miles
Montreal, Quebec
 210 miles

COMMUTING TO WORK (US Census)
Workers 16 years and over  
Drove alone, car/truck/van
 72.7%
Carpooled, car/truck/van
 17.8%
Public transportation
 0.0%
Walked
 2.8%
Other Means
 0.3%
Worked at home
 6.3%
Mean Travel Time to Work 36.2 minutes
Percent of Working Residents:
Working in community of residence
 16%
Commuting to another NH community
 76%
Commuting out-of-state
 8%
    
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
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)
Youth Sports: Baseball
Youth Sports: Soccer
Youth Sports: Football
Youth Sports: Basketball
Youth Sports: Hockey
Campgrounds
X Fishing/Hunting
X Boating/Marinas
X Snowmobile Trails
X Bicycle Trails
Cross Country Skiing
X Beach or Waterfront Recreational Area
Overnight or Day Camps
   
Nearest Ski Area(s): Ragged Mountain
   
Other: Ruggles Mine

Economic & Labor Market Information Bureau, NH Employment Security, 2009. Community Response Received 09/16/09

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.

For Source Information Click Here