an official  New Hampshire government website     
NHES NHES
    New Hampshire Employment Security     
         

By Geography >> City/Town >> Canterbury

 Canterbury, NH   
NH cities/towns
Community Contact Town of Canterbury
Kathleen McKay, Administrative Assistant
PO Box 500
  Canterbury, NH 03224
 
Telephone (603) 783-9955
Fax (603) 783-0501
E-mail Not Available
Web Site www.canterbury-nh.org
 
Municipal Office Hours Selectmen: Monday and Wednesday, 9-1, Thursday, 10-2; Town Clerk/Tax Collector: Monday and Wednesday, 9-3, Tuesday and Thursday, 12-7
 
County Merrimack County
Labor Market Area Concord, NH Micropolitan NECTA
Tourism Region Merrimack Valley Region
Planning Commission Central NH Regional Planning
Regional Development Capital Regional Development Council
 
Election Districts
US Congress District 2
Executive Council District 2
State Senate District 17
State Representative Merrimack County Districts 4, 26
Incorporated: 1741
 
Origin: First granted in 1727, the town was named for William Wake, Archbishop of Canterbury. Canterbury in England is famous for its cathedral, and for being the center of English Christianity since 597 AD. The town was originally a fort or trading post where the Penacook Indians came to trade. Canterbury Shaker Village was first established in 1792, a self-contained community of the United Society of Believers, known as the Shaking Quakers or Shakers, because of their use of dance in worship. Today, the Canterbury Shaker Village is an outdoor museum and designated National Historic Landmark.
 
Villages and Place Names: Boyce, Canterbury Station, Canterbury Center, Hills Corner, Kezer Seminary, Shaker Village
 
Population, Year of the First Census Taken: 1038 residents in 1790
 
Population Trends: Population change for Canterbury totaled 1,517 over 50 years, from 895 in 1970 to 2,412 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): 56.0 persons per square mile of land area. Canterbury contains 43.9 square miles of land area and 0.9 square miles of inland water area.
 
 
 


Municipal Services
Type of Government Selectmen
Budget:Municipal Appropriations,2024 $3,323,453
Budget:School Appropriations,2024 $4,502,645
Zoning Ordinance 1956/2024
Master Plan 2024
Capital Improvement Plan Yes
Industrial Plans Reviewed By Planning Board
 
Boards and Commissions
    Elected: Selectmen, Town Clerk/Tax Collector, Treasurer, Moderator, Planning Board, Cemetery Trustees, Supervisors of the Checklist, Library Trustees, Trustees of the Trust Funds
    Appointed: Zoning Board, Conservation, Historic District Commission, Solid Waste Committee, Budget Committee, Energy Committee, Agriculture Commission, Community Power Committee, Recreation Committee
 
Public Library Elkins Public



Emergency Services
Police Department Full-time
Fire Department Volunteer
Emergency Medical Service Full-time
 
Nearest Hospital(s) Distance Staffed Beds
Concord Hospital, Concord 14 miles   236


 
Utilities
Electric Supplier Eversource Energy; NH Electric Coop; Unitil
Natural Gas Supplier Liberty Utilities
Water Supplier Private wells
 
Sanitation Private septic
Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant No
Solid Waste Disposal
    Curbside Trash Pickup Private
    Pay-As-You-Throw Program Yes
    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 $21.00
2023 Equalization Ratio 69.6
2023 Full Value Tax Rate (per $1000 of value) $14.52
 
2023 Percent of Local Assessed Valuation by Property Type
    Residential Land and Buildings 92.3%
    Commercial Land and Buildings 5.3%
    Public Utilities, Current Use, and Other 2.4%

 
Housing (ACS 2018-2022)
Total Housing Units 990
 
Single-Family Units,Detached or Attached 901
 
Units in Multiple-Family Structures:
    Two to Four Units in Structure 48
    Five or More Units in Structure 0
Mobile Homes and Other Housing Units 41




Population(1-Year Estimates/Decennial) (US Census Bureau)
Total Population Community County
   2023 2,457   157,103
   2020 2,412   153,808
   2010 2,362   146,445
   2000 1,983   136,225
   1990 1,692   120,240
   1980 1,410   98,302

 
Demographics American Community Survey (ACS 2018-2022)
Population by Gender
Male   1,133 Female   1,183
Population by Age Group
      Under Age 5 109
      Age 5 to 19 330
      Age 20 to 34 392
      Age 35 to 54 612
      Age 55 to 64 381
      Age 65 and over 492
            Median Age 47.7 years


Educational Attainment, population age 25 or older 1,743
      High school graduation or higher 94.5%
      Bachelor's degree or higher 48.5%
 
Income, Inflation Adjusted $   (ACS 2018-2022)
Per Capita Income $51,634
Median Family Income $149,514
Median Household Income $111,094
 
Median Earnings, full-time, year-round workers
      Male $84,432
      Female $68,417
 
Individuals below poverty level 5.2%
 
Labor Force   (NHES - ELMI)

Annual Average 2013 2023
    Civilian Labor Force 1,449   1,470
    Employed 1,394   1,444
    Unemploymed 55   26
    Unemployment rate 3.8%   1.8%

 
Employment & Wages   (NHES-ELMI)
Annual Average Covered Employment 2013 2023
Good-Producing Industries  
    Average Employment  37  61
    Average Weekly Wage  $554  $751
 
Service-Providing Industries  
    Average Employment  162  248
    Average Weekly Wage  $798  $1,196
 
Total Private  
    Average Employment  199  309
    Average Weekly Wage  $752  $1,109
 
Government(Federal, State, Local)  
    Average Employment  66  73
    Average Weekly Wage  $634  $752
 
Total, Private Industry plus Government  
    Average Employment  265  382
    Average Weekly Wage  $723  $1,041
 
If "n" appears, data do not meet disclosure standards.




Education and Child Care NH Department of Education, 2023
Schools Students Attend: Grades K-12 are part of Shaker Regional (Belmont, Canterbury) District: SAU 80
Career Technology Center: J. Oliva Huot Technical Center (Laconia) Winnisquam Agricultural Programs
 
Educational Facilities(includes Charter Schools) Elementary Middle/Junior High High School Private/Parochial
Number of Schools 1 — — —
Grade Levels K 1-5 — — —
Total Enrollment 106 — — —
       
Nearest Community/Technical College: NHTI-Concord
Nearest College or Universities: UNH School of Law; Granite State; Southern NH University

2023 NH Licensed Child Care Facilities (DHHS-Bureau of Child Care Licensing)   Total Facilities:     3   Capacity:     71

Largest Businesses Product/Service Employees Established
Canterbury Shaker Village Tours, restaurant 15
Canterbury Elementary School Education 25
Dumpster Depot Garbage collection
 
Employer Information Supplied by Municipality
 
Transportation (distance estimated from city/town hall)
Road Access US Routes:
State Routes: 106, 132
Nearest Interstate/Exit: I-93, Exit 18
Distance: Local access
 
Railroad State owned line
Public Transportation No
 
Nearest Public Use Airport, General Aviation
    Concord Municipal Runway  6,005 ft. asphalt
    Lighted?  Yes Navigation Aids?  Yes
 
Nearest Airport With Scheduled Service
    Manchester-Boston Regional Distance   35 miles
    Number of Passenger Airlines Serving Airport 4
 
Driving distance to select cities:
    Manchester, New Hampshire 28 miles
    Portland, Maine 120 miles
    Boston, Massachusetts 70 miles
    New York City, New York 275 miles
    Montreal, Quebec, Canada 246 miles
 
Commuting To Work (ACS 2018-2022)
Workers 16 years of age and over
  Drove alone, car/truck/van: 73.0%
  Carpooled, car/truck/van: 4.6%
  Used Public Transportation: 0.0%
  Walked: 3.6%
  Traveled by other means: 2.4%
  Worked at home: 16.3%
Mean Travel Time to Work: 30.9 minutes
 
Work in community of residence: 68.6%
Commute to other NH community: 30.2%
Commute out-of-state: 1.3%
Recreation, Attractions, Events
Municipal Parks
YMCA/YWCA
Boys Club/Girls Club
X Golf Courses
Swimming: INDOOR FACILITY
Swimming: OUTDOOR FACILITY
Tennis Courts: Indoor Facility
Tennis Courts: Outdoor Facility
Ice Skating Rink: Indoor Facility
Bowling Facilities
Museums
Cinemas
Performing Arts Facilities
X Tourist Attractions
X Youth Organizations (ie Scouts and 4-H)
Youth Sports: Baseball
Youth Sports: Soccer
Youth Sports: Football
Youth Sports: Basketball
Youth Sports: Hockey
X Campgrounds
X Fishing/Hunting
Boating/Marinas
X Snowmobile Trails
Bicycle Trails
Cross Country Skiing
X Beach or Waterfront Recreation Areas
Overnight or Day Camps

Nearest Ski Areas: Gunstock
 
Other: Shaker Village; Riverland Recreation Area