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By Geography >> City/Town >> Wakefield

 Wakefield, NH   
NH cities/towns
Community Contact Town of Wakefield
Dino A. Scala, Town Administrator
2 High Street, Town Hall
  Sanbornville, NH 03872
 
Telephone (603) 522-6205
Fax (603) 522-6794
E-mail townadmin@wakefieldnh.com
Web Site www.wakefieldnh.com
 
Municipal Office Hours Administration: Monday to Friday, 8-4; Town Clerk: Monday, Tuesday, and Friday, 8:30-4, Wednesday, 8:30-1:30, Thursday, 8:30-6, first and last Saturday each month, 8:30-12:30; Tax Collector: Monday to Friday, 9-2
 
County Carroll County
Labor Market Area Wolfeboro, NH LMA
Tourism Region Lakes Region
Planning Commission Strafford Regional Planning
Regional Development Wentworth Economic Development Corp.
 
Election Districts
US Congress District 1
Executive Council District 1
State Senate District 3
State Representative Carroll County District 4
Incorporated: 1774
 
Origin: This territory was settled by colonists from Dover and Somersworth who received a charter from the Masonian Proprietors in 1749. The settlement was known variously as Ham's-town, East-town, and Watertown. In 1774, residents petitioned the Proprietors for incorporation with township powers and privileges, and it was incorporated as Wakefield by Governor John Wentworth. Wakefield in Yorkshire, England, was the location of Wentworth Castle, the home of Wentworth ancestors. In 2002, the Wakefield Town Hall was listed on the New Hampshire State Register of Historic Places.
 
Villages and Place Names: East Wakefield, North Wakefield, Sanbornville, Union, Woodman, Province Lake
 
Population, Year of the First Census Taken: 646 residents in 1790
 
Population Trends: Population change for Wakefield totaled 3,8041 over 50 years, from 1,420 in 1970 to 5,221 in 2020. The largest decennial percent change was a 58 percent increase from 1970 to 1980. The town's population increased by three percent from 2010 to 2020.
 
Population Density and Land Area: 2023 (US Census Bureau): 138.7 persons per square mile of land area. Wakefield contains 39.5 square miles of land area and 5.3 square miles of inland water area.
 
 
 


Municipal Services
Type of Government Selectmen
Budget:Municipal Appropriations,2023 $7,482,891
Budget:School Appropriations,2023-2024 $12,318,599
Zoning Ordinance 1986/23
Master Plan 2003
Capital Improvement Plan Yes
Industrial Plans Reviewed By Planning Board
 
Boards and Commissions
    Elected: Selectmen; Planning; Budget; School; Assessors; Trust Funds; Checklist; Cemetery
    Appointed: Conservation; Zoning; Heritage; Parks & Recreation
 
Public Library Gafney Library, Inc.; Wakefield Library Association



Emergency Services
Police Department Full-time
Fire Department Full-time & volunteer
Emergency Medical Service Full-time Municipal
 
Nearest Hospital(s) Distance Staffed Beds
Huggins Hospital, Wolfeboro 13 miles   25


 
Utilities
Electric Supplier Eversource Energy; NH Electric Coop
Natural Gas Supplier None
Water Supplier Sanbornville 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 Program Mandatory
 
Telephone Company Spectrum; Consolidated Communications
Cellular Telephone Access Yes
Cable Television Access Yes
Public Access Television Station Yes
High Speed Internet Service: Business Yes
High Speed Internet Service: Resident Yes
 


Property Taxes (NH Dept. of Revenue Administration)
2023 Total Tax Rate $6.85
2023 Equalization Ratio 101.5
2023 Full Value Tax Rate (per $1000 of value) $6.94
 
2023 Percent of Local Assessed Valuation by Property Type
    Residential Land and Buildings 96.7%
    Commercial Land and Buildings 2.4%
    Public Utilities, Current Use, and Other 0.9%

 
Housing (ACS 2018-2022)
Total Housing Units 3,785
 
Single-Family Units,Detached or Attached 3,478
 
Units in Multiple-Family Structures:
    Two to Four Units in Structure 0
    Five or More Units in Structure 75
Mobile Homes and Other Housing Units 232




Population(1-Year Estimates/Decennial) (US Census Bureau)
Total Population Community County
   2023 5,477   52,448
   2020 5,221   50,107
   2010 5,092   47,818
   2000 4,276   43,666
   1990 3,064   35,410
   1980 2,237   27,931

 
Demographics American Community Survey (ACS 2018-2022)
Population by Gender
Male   2,800 Female   2,466
Population by Age Group
      Under Age 5 272
      Age 5 to 19 693
      Age 20 to 34 805
      Age 35 to 54 1,192
      Age 55 to 64 1,193
      Age 65 and over 1,111
            Median Age 50.9 years


Educational Attainment, population age 25 or older 3,996
      High school graduation or higher 95.5%
      Bachelor's degree or higher 26.9%
 
Income, Inflation Adjusted $   (ACS 2018-2022)
Per Capita Income $42,822
Median Family Income $101,415
Median Household Income $86,573
 
Median Earnings, full-time, year-round workers
      Male $68,549
      Female $68,833
 
Individuals below poverty level 8.3%
 
Labor Force   (NHES - ELMI)

Annual Average 2013 2023
    Civilian Labor Force 2,442   2,303
    Employed 2,306   2,248
    Unemploymed 136   55
    Unemployment rate 5.6%   2.4%

 
Employment & Wages   (NHES-ELMI)
Annual Average Covered Employment 2013 2023
Good-Producing Industries  
    Average Employment  61  80
    Average Weekly Wage  $635  $1,068
 
Service-Providing Industries  
    Average Employment  477  428
    Average Weekly Wage  $822  $670
 
Total Private  
    Average Employment  537  508
    Average Weekly Wage  $801  $733
 
Government(Federal, State, Local)  
    Average Employment  324  301
    Average Weekly Wage  $661  $891
 
Total, Private Industry plus Government  
    Average Employment  861  808
    Average Weekly Wage  $749  $791
 
If "n" appears, data do not meet disclosure standards.




Education and Child Care NH Department of Education, 2023
Schools Students Attend: Wakefield operates grades K-8; grades 9-12 are tuitioned to Rochester District: SAU 101
Career Technology Center: R.W. Creteau Regional Technology Ctr (Rochester)
 
Educational Facilities(includes Charter Schools) Elementary Middle/Junior High High School Private/Parochial
Number of Schools 1 — — —
Grade Levels P K 1-8 — — —
Total Enrollment 425 — — —
       
Nearest Community/Technical College: Great Bay; Lakes Region
Nearest College or Universities: University of NH

2023 NH Licensed Child Care Facilities (DHHS-Bureau of Child Care Licensing)   Total Facilities:     2   Capacity:     49

Largest Businesses Product/Service Employees Established
Longmeadow Hardware Hardware 12
Lovell Lake Market Convenience store 38
Town of Wakefield Municipal services 115 1993
Poor Peoples Pub Restaurant 35
Knotty Pine Tavern Restaurant 25 2010
Wakefield School District Education 120
Irving Gas, convenience store 8
Tumbledown Cafe Restaurant 15 2014
Dunkin Donuts Donut shop 15 2015
 
Employer Information Supplied by Municipality
 
Transportation (distance estimated from city/town hall)
Road Access US Routes:
State Routes: 16, 109, 110, 153
Nearest Interstate/Exit: Spaulding Tpk., Exit 18; I-95, Exit 5
Distance: 6 miles; 40 miles
 
Railroad NH Northcoast
Public Transportation No
 
Nearest Public Use Airport, General Aviation
    Skyhaven, Rochester Runway  4,200 ft. asphalt
    Lighted?  Yes Navigation Aids?  Yes
 
Nearest Airport With Scheduled Service
    Portland (ME) International Distance   49 miles
    Number of Passenger Airlines Serving Airport 8
 
Driving distance to select cities:
    Manchester, New Hampshire 62 miles
    Portland, Maine 51 miles
    Boston, Massachusetts 93 miles
    New York City, New York 301 miles
    Montreal, Quebec, Canada 258 miles
 
Commuting To Work (ACS 2018-2022)
Workers 16 years of age and over
  Drove alone, car/truck/van: 79.7%
  Carpooled, car/truck/van: 8.7%
  Used Public Transportation: 0.0%
  Walked: 1.0%
  Traveled by other means: 0.0%
  Worked at home: 10.6%
Mean Travel Time to Work: 38.9 minutes
 
Work in community of residence: 46.8%
Commute to other NH community: 41.9%
Commute out-of-state: 11.3%
Recreation, Attractions, Events
X Municipal Parks
YMCA/YWCA
Boys Club/Girls Club
X Golf Courses
Swimming: INDOOR FACILITY
Swimming: OUTDOOR FACILITY
Tennis Courts: Indoor Facility
X Tennis Courts: Outdoor Facility
Ice Skating Rink: Indoor Facility
Bowling Facilities
X Museums
Cinemas
Performing Arts Facilities
X Tourist Attractions
X Youth Organizations (ie Scouts and 4-H)
X Youth Sports: Baseball
X Youth Sports: Soccer
X Youth Sports: Football
X Youth Sports: Basketball
Youth Sports: Hockey
X Campgrounds
X Fishing/Hunting
X Boating/Marinas
X Snowmobile Trails
X Bicycle Trails
Cross Country Skiing
X Beach or Waterfront Recreation Areas
X Overnight or Day Camps

Nearest Ski Areas: Gunstock, King Pine
 
Other: Frisbie Golf; Dog Park