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Swanzey New Hampshire Community Profile

Swanzey New Hampshire Community Profile
Swanzey, NH
Community Contact Town of Swanzey
Elizabeth Fox, Town Administrator
Town Hall, PO Box 10009
Swanzey, NH 03446-0009

Telephone (603) 352-7411
Fax (603) 352-6250
E-mail efox@town.swanzey.nh.us
Web Site www.town.swanzey.nh.us

Municipal Office Hours Monday through Friday, 9 am - 5 pm

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 6
Incorporated: 1753
Origin: This town was one of the fort towns established by Governor Belcher of Massachusetts, and was first granted in 1734 as Lower Ashuelot to Captain Nathaniel Hammond and Ephraim Jones. In 1753, residents petitioned Governor Benning Wentworth for a grant under authority of the New Hampshire government, since they had settled and been making improvements for over 18 years. The town was chartered that year as Swanzey, the name being suggested by Governor Brenton of Rhode Island, who owned land at Brenton's Farm (Litchfield), and Swansea, Massachusetts. There are four covered bridges located in Swanzey: Carleton, Thompson, Slate, and Cresson.
Villages and Place Names: East Swanzey, West Swanzey, Westport, North Swanzey, Swanzey Center

Population, Year of the First Census Taken: 1,157 residents in 1790
Population Trends: Population change for Swanzey totaled 4,008 over 50 years, from 2,806 in 1950 to 6,814 in 2000. The largest decennial percent change was an increase of 29 percent between 1950 and 1960; the smallest, a 13 percent increase between 1980 and 1990. The 2006 Census estimate for Swanzey was 7,320 residents, which ranked 43rd among New Hampshire's incorporated cities and towns.

Population Density, 2006: 162.9 persons per square mile of land area. Swanzey contains 44.9 square miles of land area and 0.4 square miles of inland water area.
MUNICIPAL SERVICES
Type of Government Selectmen
Budget: Municipal Appropriations, 2007 $5,585,387
Budget: School Appropriations not available
Zoning Ordinance 1947/06
Master Plan 2003
Capitol Improvement Plan Yes
Industrial Plans Reviewed By Planning Board

Boards and Commissions
Elected:
 Selectmen; Planning; Zoning
Appointed:
 Conservation; Swanzey Revenue Dev.

Public Library Mt. Caesar Union; Stratton Free

EMERGENCY SERVICES
Police Department Full-time
Fire Department Volunteer
Town Fire Insurance Rating 5/9
Emergency Medical Service Municipal

Nearest Hospital(s) Distance Staffed Beds
Cheshire Medical Center, Keene 6 miles 169

UTILITIES
Electric Supplier PSNH
Natural Gas Supplier None
Water Supplier North Swanzey Fire Precinct; West Swanzey Water Co.

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 Verizon
Cellular Telephone Access Yes
Cable Television Access Yes
Public Access Television Station Yes
High Speed Internet Service:  
Business
 Limited
Residential
 Limited

PROPERTY TAXES (NH Dept. of Revenue Adminstration) 
2006 Total Tax Rate (per $1000 of value) $23.63
2006 Equalization Ratio 77.7
2006 Full Value Tax Rate (per $1000 of value) $18.30

2006 Percent of Local Assessed Value by Property Type
Residential Land and Buildings
 84.6%
Commercial Land and Buildings
 14.3%
Public Utilities, Current Use, and Other
 1.1%

HOUSING (NH Office of Energy and Planning) 
2006 Total Housing Units 3,123
   
2006 Single-Family Units 2,127
Single-Family Permits Issued, Net Change of Units
 14
2006 Multi-Family Units 724
Multi-Family Permits Issued, Net Change of Units
 10
2006 Manufactured Housing Units 272
   
DEMOGRAPHICS (US Census Bureau) 
Total Population Community County
2006 7,320 77,393
2000 6,814 73,993
1990 5,864 70,223
1980 5,183 62,116
1970 4,254 52,364

Census 2000 Demographics
Population by Gender
Male
 3,354
Female
 3,446

Population by Age Group
Under age 5
 401
Age 5 to 19
 1,467
Age 20 to 34
 1,132
Age 35 to 54
 2,283
Age 55 to 64
 636
Age 65 and over
 881
Median Age
 38.4 years

Educational Attainment, population 25 years and over
High school graduate or higher
 83.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher
 20.6%

ANNUAL INCOME, 1999 (US Census Bureau) 
Per capita income $20,150
Median 4-person family income $51,500
Median household income $44,819

Median Earnings, full-time, year-round workers
Male
 $32,421
Female
 $25,607

Families below the poverty level 3.0%

LABOR FORCE (NHES - ELMI) 
Annual Average 1996 2006
Civilian Labor Force
 3,550 4,132
Employed
 3,453 4,012
Unemployed
 97 120
Unemployment Rate
 2.7% 2.9%

EMPLOYMENT & WAGES (NHES - ELMI) 
Annual Average Covered Employment 1996 2006
Goods Producing Industries  
Average Employment
 252 325
Average Weekly Wage
 $431 $732
   
Service Providing Industries  
Average Employment
 746 993
Average Weekly Wage
 $393 $582
   
Total Private Industry  
Average Employment
 999 1,318
Average Weekly Wage
 $402 $619
   
Government (Federal, State, and Local)  
Average Employment
 556 706
Average Weekly Wage
 $474 $634
   
Total, Private plus Government  
Average Employment
 1,555 2,024
Average Weekly Wage
 $428 $624
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 Monadnock Regional (Fitzwilliam, Gilsum, Richmond, Roxbury, Sullivan, Surry, Swanzey, Troy) 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
 2 1 1
Grade Levels
 P K 1-6 7-8 9-12
Total Enrollment
 683 320 833
NH Licensed Child Care Facilities, 2007: Total Facilities: 5 Total Capacity: 108
Nearest Community/Technical College: Claremont
Nearest Colleges or Universities: Keene State; Franklin Pierce University; Antioch New England

LARGEST BUSINESSES PRODUCT/SERVICE EMPLOYEES ESTABLISHED
Monadnock Regional School District Education 400 1962
William F Fenton Inc Automobile dealership 90 FT/25 PT 1985
Laidlaw Transit Bus transportation 100 2000
State of New Hampshire Dept. of Transportation and liquor store 92
Town of Swanzey Municipal services 39 FT/35 PT 1753
Port-o-Lite Millwork 40 1952

TRANSPORTATION  (Distance estimated from city / town hall)
Road Access US Routes
  State Routes 10, 12, 32
Nearest Interstate, Exit I-91 (VT), Exit 3
         Distance 20 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 60 miles
Number of Passsenger Airlines Serving Airport 8

Driving distance to selected cities:
Manchester, NH
 58 miles
Portland, ME
 155 miles
Boston, MA
 83 miles
New York City, NY
 224 miles
Montreal, Quebec
 247 miles

COMMUTING TO WORK (US Census)
Workers 16 years and over  
Drove alone, car/truck/van
 81.3%
Carpooled, car/truck/van
 12.0%
Public transportation
 0.0%
Walked
 3.0%
Other Means
 0.2%
Worked at home
 3.5%
Mean Travel Time to Work 22.2 minutes
Percent of Working Residents:
Working in community of residence
 19%
Commuting to another NH community
 74%
Commuting out-of-state
 7%
    
RECREATION, ATTRACTIONS, AND EVENTS
X Municipal Parks
YMCA/YWCA
Boys Club/Girls Club
X Golf Courses
Swimming: Indoor Facility
Swimming: Outdoor Facility
Tennis Courts: Indoor Faclity
X Tennis Courts: Outdoor Facility
X 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
X Youth Sports: Football
X Youth Sports: Basketball
X Youth Sports: Hockey
X 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): Mt Ascutney (VT)
   
Other: Cheshire Fair; Covered Bridges

Economic & Labor Market Information Bureau, NH Employment Security, 2007. Community Response Received 10/23/07

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.