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 Winchester, NH   
NH cities/towns
Community Contact Town of Winchester
Karey Miner, Town Administrator
1 Richmond Road
  Winchester, NH 03470
 
Telephone (603) 239-4951
Fax (603) 971-5400
E-mail kminer@winchester.nh.gov
Web Site www.winchester-nh.gov
 
Municipal Office Hours Town Hall/Selectmen/Town Clerk: Mon-Thurs 7:00 to 5:00
 
County Cheshire County
Labor Market Area Keene, NH Micropolitan NECTA
Tourism Region Monadnock Region
Planning Commission Southwest Region Planning
Regional Development Monadnock Economic Development Corp.
 
Election Districts
US Congress District 2
Executive Council District 2
State Senate District 9
State Representative Cheshire County Districts 11, 17
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: 1209 residents in 1790
 
Population Trends: Population change for Winchester totaled 1,287 over 50 years, from 2,869 in 1970 to 4,156 in 2020. The largest decennial percent change was a 21 percent increase from 1970 to 1980. The town's population decreased by four percent from 2010 to 2020.
 
Population Density and Land Area: 2023 (US Census Bureau): 77.3 persons per square mile of land area. Winchester contains 55 square miles of land area and 0.6 square miles of inland water area.
 
 
 


Municipal Services
Type of Government Selectmen
Budget:Municipal Appropriations,2021 $4,685,204
Budget:School Appropriations,2020-2021 $13,523,587
Zoning Ordinance 1971/13
Master Plan 2008
Capital Improvement Plan Yes
Industrial Plans Reviewed By Planning & Zoning Boards
 
Boards and Commissions
    Elected: Selectmen; Planning; Library
    Appointed: Zoning; Conservation
 
Public Library Conant Public; Thayer Public



Emergency Services
Police Department Full-time
Fire Department Part-time & volunteer
Emergency Medical Service Volunteer
 
Nearest Hospital(s) Distance Staffed Beds
Cheshire Medical Center, Keene 15 miles   94


 
Utilities
Electric Supplier Eversource Energy
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 Program Mandatory
 
Telephone Company Consolidated Communications
Cellular Telephone Access Yes
Cable Television Access Yes
Public Access Television Station No
High Speed Internet Service: Business Yes
High Speed Internet Service: Resident Yes
 


Property Taxes (NH Dept. of Revenue Administration)
2023 Total Tax Rate $31.68
2023 Equalization Ratio 60.5
2023 Full Value Tax Rate (per $1000 of value) $18.93
 
2023 Percent of Local Assessed Valuation by Property Type
    Residential Land and Buildings 72.4%
    Commercial Land and Buildings 17.2%
    Public Utilities, Current Use, and Other 10.4%

 
Housing (ACS 2018-2022)
Total Housing Units 1,885
 
Single-Family Units,Detached or Attached 1,165
 
Units in Multiple-Family Structures:
    Two to Four Units in Structure 213
    Five or More Units in Structure 268
Mobile Homes and Other Housing Units 239




Population(1-Year Estimates/Decennial) (US Census Bureau)
Total Population Community County
   2023 4,250   77,703
   2020 4,156   76,458
   2010 4,336   77,117
   2000 4,149   73,825
   1990 4,048   70,121
   1980 3,465   62,116

 
Demographics American Community Survey (ACS 2018-2022)
Population by Gender
Male   1,978 Female   2,197
Population by Age Group
      Under Age 5 339
      Age 5 to 19 716
      Age 20 to 34 764
      Age 35 to 54 863
      Age 55 to 64 800
      Age 65 and over 693
            Median Age 41 years


Educational Attainment, population age 25 or older 2,876
      High school graduation or higher 86.7%
      Bachelor's degree or higher 14.7%
 
Income, Inflation Adjusted $   (ACS 2018-2022)
Per Capita Income $31,932
Median Family Income $66,813
Median Household Income $56,645
 
Median Earnings, full-time, year-round workers
      Male $70,370
      Female $42,215
 
Individuals below poverty level 18.8%
 
Labor Force   (NHES - ELMI)

Annual Average 2013 2023
    Civilian Labor Force 2,142   1,884
    Employed 2,000   1,834
    Unemploymed 142   50
    Unemployment rate 6.6%   2.7%

 
Employment & Wages   (NHES-ELMI)
Annual Average Covered Employment 2013 2023
Good-Producing Industries  
    Average Employment  281  310
    Average Weekly Wage  $701  $948
 
Service-Providing Industries  
    Average Employment  370  423
    Average Weekly Wage  $515  $733
 
Total Private  
    Average Employment  651  733
    Average Weekly Wage  $595  $824
 
Government(Federal, State, Local)  
    Average Employment  48  45
    Average Weekly Wage  $701  $815
 
Total, Private Industry plus Government  
    Average Employment  699  779
    Average Weekly Wage  $602  $824
 
If "n" appears, data do not meet disclosure standards.




Education and Child Care NH Department of Education, 2023
Schools Students Attend: Winchester operates grades K-8; grades 9-12 are tuitioned to Keene District: SAU 94
Career Technology Center: Cheshire Career Center (Keene) Fall Mountain RHS - CTE
 
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 358
       
Nearest Community/Technical College: River Valley; Nashua
Nearest College or Universities: Keene State; Franklin Pierce; Antioch New England

2023 NH Licensed Child Care Facilities (DHHS-Bureau of Child Care Licensing)   Total Facilities:     3   Capacity:     135

Largest Businesses Product/Service Employees Established
Kulick's Inc. Grocery store, mall 25 1909
Winchester Roll Products, Inc. Pressure vessels 25 1984
Town of Winchester Municipal services 22 1753
Plum Pak Packaging, manufacturing 100 2000
RiteAid Drugstore 16 2000
Harborside Applewood Nursing home 72 1997
Innovative Machine & Supply Machine shop 14 1985
Porter's Diesel Service Truck repair & service 9 1981
Winchester Learning Center Child day care 15 2001
Family Dollar Discount store 6
 
Employer Information Supplied by Municipality
 
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, Swanzey Runway  6,201 ft. asphalt
    Lighted?  Yes Navigation Aids?  Yes
 
Nearest Airport With Scheduled Service
    Manchester-Boston Regional Distance   67 miles
    Number of Passenger Airlines Serving Airport 4
 
Driving distance to select cities:
    Manchester, New Hampshire 78 miles
    Portland, Maine 169 miles
    Boston, Massachusetts 98 miles
    New York City, New York 199 miles
    Montreal, Quebec, Canada 255 miles
 
Commuting To Work (ACS 2018-2022)
Workers 16 years of age and over
  Drove alone, car/truck/van: 85.2%
  Carpooled, car/truck/van: 6.4%
  Used Public Transportation: 0.0%
  Walked: 1.7%
  Traveled by other means: 0.0%
  Worked at home: 6.6%
Mean Travel Time to Work: 25.4 minutes
 
Work in community of residence: 73.1%
Commute to other NH community: 1.1%
Commute out-of-state: 25.8%
Recreation, Attractions, Events
X Municipal Parks
YMCA/YWCA
Boys Club/Girls Club
Golf Courses
Swimming: INDOOR FACILITY
X Swimming: OUTDOOR FACILITY
Tennis Courts: Indoor Facility
X Tennis Courts: Outdoor Facility
Ice Skating Rink: Indoor Facility
X 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
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 Recreation Areas
X Overnight or Day Camps

Nearest Ski Areas: Snow & Okemo Mountains, VT
 
Other: Covered Bridges; Historical Society; Pisgah State Park; Forest Lake; Pickle Festival; Ashuelot River