Hancock New Hampshire Community Profile
Hancock, NH
Community Contact Town of Hancock
Barbara Caverly, Town Administrator
PO Box 6
Hancock, NH 03449

Telephone (603) 525-4441
Fax (603) 525-4427
E-mail select@hancocknh.org
Web Site www.hancocknh.org

Municipal Office Hours Monday through Friday, 8:30 am - 4:30 pm

County Hillsborough
Labor Market Area Peterborough NH LMA
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 7
State Representative
Hillsborough County District 1
Incorporated: 1779

Origin: Hancock started as an unidentified settlement on the Contoocook River, in territory known as Society Land or Cumberland, which had been reserved for the Proprietors. Cumberland included what is now Antrim, Bennington, Francestown, Deering, Greenfield, and Hancock. First settled in 1764, the town was incorporated as Hancock in 1779 in honor of John Hancock, first governor of Massachusetts, president of the Continental Congress, and signer of the Declaration of Independence. Mr. Hancock was a landowner in this region, but there is no record of his ever having been in the town named for him.

Villages and Place Names: Elmwood

Population, Year of the First Census Taken: 634 residents in 1790

Population Trends: Population change for Hancock totaled 1,132 over 50 years, from 612 in 1950 to 1,744 in 2000. The largest decennial percent change was a 36 percent increase between 1980 and 1990, which followed a 31 percent increase over the previous decade. The 2008 Census estimate for Hancock was 1,801 residents, which ranked 148th among New Hampshire's incorporated cities and towns.

Population Density, 2008: 60.1 persons per square mile of land area. Hancock contains 30.0 square miles of land area and 1.3 square miles of inland water area.

MUNICIPAL SERVICES
Type of Government Selectmen
Budget: Municipal Appropriations, 2003 $1,288,103
Budget: School Appropriations, not available
Zoning Ordinance 1962/07
Master Plan 1997
Capital Improvement Plan Yes
Industrial Plans Reviewed By Planning Board

Boards and Commissions
Elected:
Selectmen; Library; Trust Funds; Common; Water; Cemetery
Appointed:
Planning; Zoning; Conservation; Historic Distric; Housing

Public Library Hancock Town

EMERGENCY SERVICES
Police Department Full-time
Fire Department Part-time
Town Fire Insurance Rating 6/9
Emergency Medical Service Volunteer

Nearest Hospital(s) Distance Staffed Beds
Monadnock Community, Peterborough 7 miles 25

UTILITIES
Electric Supplier PSNH
Natural Gas Supplier None
Water Supplier Hancock Water Works

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 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) $17.22
2008 Equalization Ratio 100.0
2008 Full Value Tax Rate (per $1000 of value) $17.15

2008 Percent of Local Assessed Value by Property Type
Residential Land and Buildings
97.2%
Commercial Land and Buildings
1.4%
Public Utilities, Current Use, and Other
1.4%

HOUSING (NH Office of Energy and Planning) 
2008 Total Housing Units 886
   
2008 Single-Family Units 768
Single-Family Permits Issued, Net Change of Units
5
2008 Multi-Family Units 96
Multi-Family Permits Issued, Net Change of Units
0
2008 Manufactured Housing Units 22
   
DEMOGRAPHICS (US Census Bureau) 
Total Population Community County
2008 1,801 402,042
2000 1,744 382,384
1990 1,623 336,549
1980 1,193 276,608
1970 909 223,941

Census 2000 Demographics
Population by Gender
Male
834
Female
905

Population by Age Group
Under age 5
81
Age 5 to 19
382
Age 20 to 34
186
Age 35 to 54
581
Age 55 to 64
216
Age 65 and over
293
Median Age
42.6 years

Educational Attainment, population 25 years and over
High school graduate or higher
95.2%
Bachelor's degree or higher
46.5%

ANNUAL INCOME, 1999 (US Census Bureau) 
Per capita income $29,445
Median 4-person family income $64,423
Median household income $55,000

Median Earnings, full-time, year-round workers
Male
$40,000
Female
$31,200

Families below the poverty level 2.7%

LABOR FORCE (NHES - ELMI) 
Annual Average 1998 2008
Civilian Labor Force
887 870
Employed
876 845
Unemployed
11 25
Unemployment Rate
1.2% 2.9%

EMPLOYMENT & WAGES (NHES - ELMI) 
Annual Average Covered Employment 1998 2008
Goods Producing Industries  
Average Employment
54 48
Average Weekly Wage
$418 $564
   
Service Providing Industries  
Average Employment
236 226
Average Weekly Wage
$334 $596
   
Total Private Industry  
Average Employment
290 274
Average Weekly Wage
$350 $590
   
Government (Federal, State, and Local)  
Average Employment
37 46
Average Weekly Wage
$259 $417
   
Total, Private plus Government  
Average Employment
327 320
Average Weekly Wage
$339 $565
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 Contoocook Valley Cooperative (Antrim, Bennington, Dublin, Francestown, Greenfield, Hancock, Peterborough, Sharon, Temple) District: SAU 1
Career Technology Center(s): Region 14 Applied Technology Center, Peterborough Region: 14

Educational Facilities Elementary Middle/Junior High High School Private/Parochial
Number of Schools
1
Grade Levels
K 1-4
Total Enrollment
62
NH Licensed Child Care Facilities, 2009: Total Facilities: 0 Total Capacity: 0
Nearest Community/Technical College: Manchester; Nashua; NHTI-Concord
Nearest Colleges or Universities: Keene State; New England; Franklin Pierce University; Antioch New England

LARGEST BUSINESSES PRODUCT/SERVICE EMPLOYEES ESTABLISHED
John Hancock Inn Restaurant, inn
Hancock Market Convenience store
Fiddleheads Café Restaurant

TRANSPORTATION  (Distance estimated from city / town hall)
Road Access US Routes 202
  State Routes 123, 137
Nearest Interstate, Exit I-89, Exit 6
         Distance 27 miles
Railroad No
Public Transportation No

Nearest Public Use Airport, General Aviation
Hawthorne-Feather, Antrim
Runway
3,260 ft. asphalt
Lighted?
Yes  Navigational Aids? No
Nearest Airport with Scheduled Service
Manchester-Boston Regional Distance 34 miles
Number of Passsenger Airlines Serving Airport 6

Driving distance to selected cities:
Manchester, NH
34 miles
Portland, ME
130 miles
Boston, MA
81 miles
New York City, NY
242 miles
Montreal, Quebec
250 miles

COMMUTING TO WORK (US Census)
Workers 16 years and over  
Drove alone, car/truck/van
82.6%
Carpooled, car/truck/van
5.6%
Public transportation
0.2%
Walked
1.3%
Other Means
0.8%
Worked at home
9.4%
Mean Travel Time to Work 24.6 minutes

Percent of Working Residents:
Working in community of residence
25%
Commuting to another NH community
72%
Commuting out-of-state
3%
   
RECREATION, ATTRACTIONS, AND EVENTS
X Municipal Parks
YMCA/YWCA
Boys Club/Girls Club
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
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
X Campgrounds
X Fishing/Hunting
X Boating/Marinas
X Snowmobile Trails
Bicycle Trails
X Cross Country Skiing
Beach or Waterfront Recreational Area
Overnight or Day Camps
   
Nearest Ski Area(s): Pat's Peak
   
Other: Harris Center for Conservation Education; Sargent Center

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.

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