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

By Geography >> City/Town >> Strafford

 Strafford, NH   
NH cities/towns
Community Contact Town of Strafford
Lynn M. Sweet, Chair, Board of Selectmen
12 Mountain View Drive
  Strafford, NH 03884
 
Telephone (603) 664-2192
Fax (603) 664-7276
E-mail administrator@strafford.nh.gov
Web Site www.strafford.nh.gov
 
Municipal Office Hours Town Clerk / Tax Collector: Monday and Wednesday, 8:30-2, Tuesday and Thursday, 1:30-7
 
County Strafford County
Labor Market Area Dover-Durham, NH-ME Metropolitan NECTA, NH portion
Tourism Region Lakes Region
Planning Commission Strafford Regional Planning
Regional Development Southeast Economic Development Corp.
 
Election Districts
US Congress District 1
Executive Council District 4
State Senate District 6
State Representative Strafford County Districts 4, 18
Incorporated: 1820
 
Origin: This territory was for a long time part of Barrington, and settled prior to the Revolution. It was incorporated as a separate town in 1820, taking its name from the county in which it is located. Earl of Strafford was a title of the Wentworth family in England. Strafford, Vermont is also named for the family. The name was also adopted by a state militia company in Dover, the Strafford Guards, who later became part of the New Hampshire National Guard. The company served as escort for the Marquis de Lafayette on his visit to America, and saw service in the Civil War.
 
Villages and Place Names: Berrys Corner, Bow Lake Village, Center Strafford, Hills Corner, Leighton Corners, Strafford Corner, Welshs Corner
 
Population, Year of the First Census Taken: 2144 residents in 1820
 
Population Trends: Population change for Strafford totaled 3,270 over 50 years, from 965 in 1970 to 4,235 in 2020. The largest decennial percent change was a 77 percent increase from 1980 to 1990. The town's population increased by six percent from 2010 to 2020.
 
Population Density and Land Area: 2023 (US Census Bureau): 88.4 persons per square mile of land area. Strafford contains 49 square miles of land area and 2.2 square miles of inland water area.
 
 
 


Municipal Services
Type of Government Selectmen
Budget:Municipal Appropriations,2024 $4,894,009
Budget:School Appropriations,2024-2025 $12,861,595
Zoning Ordinance 1970/2024
Master Plan 2023
Capital Improvement Plan Yes
Industrial Plans Reviewed By Planning Board
 
Boards and Commissions
    Elected: Selectmen; Library; Planning; Zoning Board of Adjustment
    Appointed: Conservation
 
Public Library Hill



Emergency Services
Police Department Full-time
Fire Department Full and Part-time
Emergency Medical Service Full and Part-time
 
Nearest Hospital(s) Distance Staffed Beds
Frisbie Memorial, Rochester 10 miles   27


 
Utilities
Electric Supplier Eversource Energy
Natural Gas Supplier None
Water Supplier Private wells
 
Sanitation Private septic
Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant No
Solid Waste Disposal
    Curbside Trash Pickup None
    Pay-As-You-Throw Program No
    Recycling Program Mandatory
 
Telephone Company Consolidated Communications; TDS
Cellular Telephone Access Yes
Cable Television Access Yes
Public Access Television Station No
High Speed Internet Service: Business Limited
High Speed Internet Service: Resident Limited
 


Property Taxes (NH Dept. of Revenue Administration)
2023 Total Tax Rate $18.64
2023 Equalization Ratio 67.1
2023 Full Value Tax Rate (per $1000 of value) $12.47
 
2023 Percent of Local Assessed Valuation by Property Type
    Residential Land and Buildings 96.2%
    Commercial Land and Buildings 1.5%
    Public Utilities, Current Use, and Other 2.3%

 
Housing (ACS 2018-2022)
Total Housing Units 1,871
 
Single-Family Units,Detached or Attached 1,658
 
Units in Multiple-Family Structures:
    Two to Four Units in Structure 91
    Five or More Units in Structure 0
Mobile Homes and Other Housing Units 122




Population(1-Year Estimates/Decennial) (US Census Bureau)
Total Population Community County
   2023 4,333   133,243
   2020 4,235   130,889
   2010 3,994   123,143
   2000 3,609   112,233
   1990 2,936   104,233
   1980 1,663   85,408

 
Demographics American Community Survey (ACS 2018-2022)
Population by Gender
Male   2,012 Female   2,249
Population by Age Group
      Under Age 5 179
      Age 5 to 19 673
      Age 20 to 34 583
      Age 35 to 54 1,091
      Age 55 to 64 837
      Age 65 and over 898
            Median Age 51.1 years


Educational Attainment, population age 25 or older 3,235
      High school graduation or higher 90.6%
      Bachelor's degree or higher 40.3%
 
Income, Inflation Adjusted $   (ACS 2018-2022)
Per Capita Income $45,895
Median Family Income $138,939
Median Household Income $133,889
 
Median Earnings, full-time, year-round workers
      Male $76,140
      Female $80,977
 
Individuals below poverty level 8.5%
 
Labor Force   (NHES - ELMI)

Annual Average 2013 2023
    Civilian Labor Force 2,163   2,237
    Employed 2,062   2,190
    Unemploymed 101   47
    Unemployment rate 4.7%   2.1%

 
Employment & Wages   (NHES-ELMI)
Annual Average Covered Employment 2012 2022
Good-Producing Industries  
    Average Employment  114  132
    Average Weekly Wage  $781  $1,172
 
Service-Providing Industries  
    Average Employment  90  138
    Average Weekly Wage  $849  $921
 
Total Private  
    Average Employment  204  269
    Average Weekly Wage  $811  $1,044
 
Government(Federal, State, Local)  
    Average Employment  157  155
    Average Weekly Wage  $580  $0
 
Total, Private Industry plus Government  
    Average Employment  361  424
    Average Weekly Wage  $711  $915
 
If "n" appears, data do not meet disclosure standards.




Education and Child Care
Schools Students Attend: Strafford operates grades K-8; grades 9-12 are tuitioned to Coe-Brown Academy (Northwood) District: SAU 44
Career Technology Center: Dover Career Technical Center; R.W. Creteau Regional Technology Ctr.; Somersworth Career Technical Center
 
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 394 — — —
       
Nearest Community/Technical College: NHTI-Concord
Nearest College or Universities: University of NH

2023 NH Licensed Child Care Facilities (DHHS-Bureau of Child Care Licensing)   Total Facilities:     2   Capacity:     107

Largest Businesses Product/Service Employees Established
David R. Whitcher, Builder Building contractor 25 1971
Strafford Machine & Welding Job machine shop 2 1974
Amusement Media, Inc. Media & marketing 32 1997
Isinglass Country Store Convenience store 3 1985
Strafford Insulating Technologies Insulation 1 1985
Parker Mountian Machine Machine Shop 8 2020
Independence Inn Restaurant & Inn 5 2022
7 C's Kitchen and Market Market & take-out food 7 2023
 
Employer Information Supplied by Municipality
 
Transportation (distance estimated from city/town hall)
Road Access US Routes:
State Routes: 126, 202A
Nearest Interstate/Exit: Spaulding Tpk., Exit 16; I-95, Exit 5
Distance: 9 miles; 29 miles
 
Railroad No
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
    Manchester-Boston Regional Distance   47 miles
    Number of Passenger Airlines Serving Airport 4
 
Driving distance to select cities:
    Manchester, New Hampshire 32 miles
    Portland, Maine 62 miles
    Boston, Massachusetts 79 miles
    New York City, New York 270 miles
    Montreal, Quebec, Canada 264 miles
 
Commuting To Work (ACS 2018-2022)
Workers 16 years of age and over
  Drove alone, car/truck/van: 71.6%
  Carpooled, car/truck/van: 8.5%
  Used Public Transportation: 0.0%
  Walked: 3.0%
  Traveled by other means: 1.4%
  Worked at home: 15.4%
Mean Travel Time to Work: 34.0 minutes
 
Work in community of residence: 54.1%
Commute to other NH community: 40.5%
Commute out-of-state: 5.5%
Recreation, Attractions, Events
Municipal Parks
YMCA/YWCA
Boys Club/Girls Club
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
X Performing Arts Facilities
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
Bicycle Trails
Cross Country Skiing
X Beach or Waterfront Recreation Areas
X Overnight or Day Camps

Nearest Ski Areas: Gunstock
 
Other: Bow Lake