winchester New Hampshire Community Profile
Winchester, NH
Community Contact Town of Winchester
Robert Gray, Town Administrator
1 Richmond Road
Winchester, NH 03470

Telephone (603) 239-4951
Fax (603) 239-4146
E-mail selectmen@winchester.nh.gov
Web Site www.winchester-nh.gov

Municipal Office Hours Monday through Thursday, 7 am - 5:30 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 5
State Senate
 District 10
State Representative
 Cheshire County District 4
Incorporated: 1753
Origin: This territory was first granted in 1733 to Colonel Josiah Willard who petitioned the Massachusetts government for a tract on the east side of the Connecticut River. The township was identified as a plantation called Arlington, and was incorporated in 1739 without a name, but at the time, the town was referenced as Winchester. After the New Hampshire-Massachusetts border changed, Josiah Willard petitioned the New Hampshire government in 1750 and 1753 for incorporation. The name Winchester was probably in honor of Charles Paulet, Marquis of Winchester, third Duke of Bolton, and constable of the Tower of London.
Villages and Place Names: Ashuelot, Camp Forest Lake, Curtis Corner, Scotland

Population, Year of the First Census Taken: 1,209 residents in 1790
Population Trends: Population change for Winchester totaled 1,765 over 50 years, from 2,388 in 1950 to 4,153 in 2000. The largest decennial percent change was an increase of 21 percent between 1970 and 1980, which followed a 19 percent increase between 1960 and 1970. The 2007 Census estimate for Winchester was 4,291 residents, which ranked 88th among New Hampshire's incorporated cities and towns.

Population Density, 2007: 78.9 persons per square mile of land area. Winchester contains 55.0 square miles of land area and 0.6 square miles of inland water area.
MUNICIPAL SERVICES
Type of Government Selectmen
Budget: Municipal Appropriations, 2008 $3,569,865
Budget: School Appropriations, 2008 $10,048,109
Zoning Ordinance 1971/07
Master Plan 1996
Capitol Improvement Plan Yes
Industrial Plans Reviewed By Planning & Zoning Boards

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

Public Library Conant Public; Thayer Public

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

Nearest Hospital(s) Distance Staffed Beds
Cheshire Medical Center, Keene 15 miles 169

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

Sanitation Private septic & municipal
Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant Yes
Solid Waste Disposal
Curbside Trash Pickup
 Private
Pay-As-You-Throw Program
 No
Recycling
 Mandatory

Telephone Company Fairpoint
Cellular Telephone Access Limited
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) $27.40
2007 Equalization Ratio 90.5
2007 Full Value Tax Rate (per $1000 of value) $25.08

2007 Percent of Local Assessed Value by Property Type
Residential Land and Buildings
 81.2%
Commercial Land and Buildings
 14.5%
Public Utilities, Current Use, and Other
 4.3%

HOUSING (NH Office of Energy and Planning) 
2007 Total Housing Units 1904
   
2007 Single-Family Units 1,216
Single-Family Permits Issued, Net Change of Units
 12
2007 Multi-Family Units 348
Multi-Family Permits Issued, Net Change of Units
 0
2007 Manufactured Housing Units 340
   
DEMOGRAPHICS (US Census Bureau) 
Total Population Community County
2007 4,291 77,725
2000 4,153 73,993
1990 4,048 70,223
1980 3,465 62,116
1970 2,869 52,364

Census 2000 Demographics
Population by Gender
Male
 2,038
Female
 2,106

Population by Age Group
Under age 5
 259
Age 5 to 19
 900
Age 20 to 34
 769
Age 35 to 54
 1,234
Age 55 to 64
 394
Age 65 and over
 588
Median Age
 37 years

Educational Attainment, population 25 years and over
High school graduate or higher
 78.0%
Bachelor's degree or higher
 12.9%

ANNUAL INCOME, 1999 (US Census Bureau) 
Per capita income $16,012
Median 4-person family income $43,393
Median household income $37,364

Median Earnings, full-time, year-round workers
Male
 $30,399
Female
 $20,682

Families below the poverty level 10.0%

LABOR FORCE (NHES - ELMI) 
Annual Average 1997 2007
Civilian Labor Force
 2,033 2,257
Employed
 1,942 2,156
Unemployed
 91 101
Unemployment Rate
 4.5% 4.5%

EMPLOYMENT & WAGES (NHES - ELMI) 
Annual Average Covered Employment 1997 2007
Goods Producing Industries  
Average Employment
 221 321
Average Weekly Wage
 $636 $569
   
Service Providing Industries  
Average Employment
 325 337
Average Weekly Wage
 $282 $456
   
Total Private Industry  
Average Employment
 546 658
Average Weekly Wage
 $425 $511
   
Government (Federal, State, and Local)  
Average Employment
 65 53
Average Weekly Wage
 $307 $633
   
Total, Private plus Government  
Average Employment
 611 711
Average Weekly Wage
 $412 $520
n = indicates that the data does not meet disclosure standards

EDUCATION/CHILD CARE FACILITIES (NH Dept. of Education)
Schools students attend: Winchester operates grades K-8; grades 9-12 are tuitioned to Keene District: SAU 38
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
Grade Levels
 P K 1-8
Total Enrollment
 458
NH Licensed Child Care Facilities, 2008: Total Facilities: 3 Total Capacity: 55
Nearest Community/Technical College: River Valley
Nearest Colleges or Universities: Keene State; Franklin Pierce University; Antioch New England

LARGEST BUSINESSES PRODUCT/SERVICE EMPLOYEES ESTABLISHED
Plum Pak Packaging, manufacturing 215-240 2000
Harborside Applewood Nursing home 72 1997
Kulick's Inc. Grocery store, mall 55 1909
Winchester Roll Products, Inc. Pressure vessels 25 1984
Town of Winchester Municipal services 22 1753
Winchester Learning Center Child day care 15 2001
Innovative Machine & Supply Machine shop 14 1985
Porter's Diesel Service Truck repair & service 9 1981
RiteAid Drugstore 2000

TRANSPORTATION  (Distance estimated from city / town hall)
Road Access US Routes
  State Routes 10, 78, 119
Nearest Interstate, Exit I-91, Exit 28 (MA) or Exits 1 - 2 (VT)
         Distance 12 miles; 14 miles
Railroad No
Public Transportation No

Nearest Public Use Airport, General Aviation
Dillant-Hopkins, Keene
Runway
 6,201 ft. asphalt
Lighted?
 Yes  Navigational Aids? Yes
Nearest Airport with Scheduled Service
Manchester-Boston Regional Distance 67 miles
Number of Passsenger Airlines Serving Airport 8

Driving distance to selected cities:
Manchester, NH
 66 miles
Portland, ME
 162 miles
Boston, MA
 89 miles
New York City, NY
 200 miles
Montreal, Quebec
 259 miles

COMMUTING TO WORK (US Census)
Workers 16 years and over  
Drove alone, car/truck/van
 82.8%
Carpooled, car/truck/van
 11.5%
Public transportation
 0.8%
Walked
 1.6%
Other Means
 0.7%
Worked at home
 2.7%
Mean Travel Time to Work 27 minutes
Percent of Working Residents:
Working in community of residence
 23%
Commuting to another NH community
 55%
Commuting out-of-state
 22%
    
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
X Bowling Facilities
X Museums
Cinemas
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
X Overnight or Day Camps
   
Nearest Ski Area(s): Snow & Okemo Mountains, VT
   
Other: Covered Bridges; Historical Society; Pisgah State Park; Forest Lake; Pickle Festival

Economic & Labor Market Information Bureau, NH Employment Security, 2008. Community Response Received 08/19/08

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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