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Merrimack, NH


merrimack New Hampshire Community Profile Community Contact Town of Merrimack
Timothy J. Thompson, AICP, Community Dev Dir
6 Baboosic Lake Road
Merrimack, NH 03054
Telephone (603) 424-3531
Fax (603) 424-1408
E-mail tthompson@merrimacknh.gov
Web Site www.merrimacknh.gov

Municipal Office Hours Town Manager: Monday to Friday, 8:30-4:30; Town Clerk/Tax Collector: Monday to Friday, 9-4:30

County Hillsborough
Labor Market Area Nashua, NH-MA NECTA Division
Tourism Region Merrimack Valley
Planning Commission Nashua Regional
Regional Development Regional Economic Development Corp.

Election Districts
US Congress District District 1
Executive Council District District 5
State Senate District District 11
State Representative Hillsborough County District 12

Incorporated: 1746
Origin: This territory was part of the 1673 charter of Dunstable, a large Massachusetts grant divided nearly in half with the establishment of the New Hampshire-Massachusetts border in 1741. Though the first log cabin was built here about 1665, settlement did not begin until the 1720s. When the town was separated from Dunstable (Nashua) in 1746, it was incorporated as Merrimack, after the river. In 1766, a ferry concession was granted to Edward Lutwyche, to facilitate trade and traffic between Litchfield and Merrimack. In 1784, the ferry was granted to Revolutionary War patriot Matthew Thornton, an area still known as Thornton's Ferry. Matthew Thornton was a resident of Merrimack until his death in 1803.
Villages and Place Names: Reeds Ferry, Souhegan Village, South Merrimack, Thorntons Ferry
Population, Year of the First Census Taken: 819 residents in 1790
Population Trends: Population change for Merrimack totaled 18,079 over 50 years, from 8,595 in 1970 to 26,674 in 2020, the fifth-largest 50-year increase among tThe cities and towns. The 2022 Census estimate for Merrimack was 28,589 residents, which ranked eighth among New Hampshire's incorporated cities and towns.
Population Density and Land Area, 2022 (US Census Bureau): 876.4 persons per square mile of land area. Merrimack contains 32.6 square miles of land area and 0.8 square miles of inland water area.

Municipal Services
Type of Government Council/Town Manager
Budget: Municipal Appropriations, 2024 $41,770,184
Budget: School Appropriations, 2023-2024 $88,329,637
Zoning Ordinance 1953/21
Master Plan 2014
Capitol Improvement Plan Yes
Industrial Plans Reviewed By Planning Board
Boards and Commissions
Elected:Town Council; Library; Ethics; School
Appointed:Planning; Zoning; Parks & Recreation; Conservation; Heritage
Public Library Merrimack Public

Emergency Services
Police Department Full-time
Fire Department Municipal
Emergency Medical Service Municipal
Nearest Hospital(s) Distance Staffed Beds
Southern NH Medical Center, Nashua 8 miles 163
St. Joseph Hospital, Nashua 9 miles 159
Catholic Medical Center, Manchester 10 miles 262

Utilities
Electric Supplier Eversource Energy
Natural Gas Supplier Liberty Utilities
Water Supplier Pennichuck Water Works; Merrimack Village District
Sanitation Municipal
Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant Yes
Solid Waste Disposal
Curbside Trash PickupNone
Pay-As-You-Throw ProgramNo
Recycling ProgramVoluntary
Telephone Company Consolidated Communications
Cellular Telephone Access Yes
Cable Television Access Yes
Public Access Television Station Yes
High Speed Internet Service:
BusinessYes
ResidentialYes

(NH Dept. of Revenue Administration) Property Taxes
2022 Total Tax Rate (per $1,000 of value) $17.38
2022 Equalization Ratio 83.9
2022 Full Value Tax Rate (per $1,000 of value) $14.46
2022 Percent of Local Assessed Value by Property Type
Residential Land and Buildings70.6%
Commercial Land and Buildings25.9%
Public Utilities, Current Use, and Other3.5%

(ACS 2017-2021) Housing
Total Housing Units 10,063
Single-Family Units, Detached or Attached 8,393
Units in Multiple-Family Structures:  
Two to Four Units in Structure 330
Five or More Units in Structure 1,055
Mobile Homes and Other Housing Units 285
(US Census Bureau) Population
(1-Year Estimates/Decennial)
Total Population Community County
2022 28,589 426,594
2020 26,632 422,937
2010 25,494 400,721
2000 25,267 382,384
1990 22,234 336,549
1980 15,406 276,608
 
Demographics, American Community Survey (ACS) 2017-2021
Population by Gender
Male:   13,378 Female:   13,384
Population by Age Group
Under age 5 1,389
Age 5 to 19 5,324
Age 20 to 34 4,580
Age 35 to 54 6,900
Age 55 to 64 4,055
Age 65 and over 4,514
Median Age 42.1 years
Educational Attainment, population 25 years and over 18,864
High school graduate or higher 96.5%
Bachelor's degree or higher 48.1%

(ACS 2017-2021) Income, Inflation Adjusted $
Per capita income $50,525
Median family income $126,152
Median household income $114,737
Median Earnings, full-time, year-round workers
Male $83,140
Female $61,855
Individuals below the poverty level 3.9%

(NHES - ELMI) Labor Force
Annual Average 2012 2022
Civilian Labor Force 15,572 17,106
Employed 14,773 16,718
Unemployed 799 388
Unemployment Rate 5.1% 2.3%

(NHES - ELMI) Employment & Wages
Annual Average Covered Employment 2012 2022
Goods Producing Industries
Average Employment 3,018 3,490
Average Weekly Wage $1,799 $2,238
     
Service Providing Industries
Average Employment 12,141 13,327
Average Weekly Wage $1,680 $2,029
     
Total Private Industry
Average Employment 15,160 16,817
Average Weekly Wage $1,703 $2,072
     
Government (Federal, State, and Local)
Average Employment 1,117 1,041
Average Weekly Wage $830 $1,071
     
Total, Private plus Government
Average Employment 16,277 17,858
Average Weekly Wage $1,643 $2,014

If "n" appears, data does not meet disclosure standards.


(NH Dept. of Education) Education and Child Care
Schools students attend: Merrimack operates grades K-12 SAU 26
Career Technology Center(s): Milford HS & Applied Technology Center; Wilbur H. Palmer Career & Tech Ed Center (Hudson); Nashua Technology Center
Educational Facilities (includes Charter Schools) Elementary Middle/Junior High High School Private/Parochial
Number of Schools 5 1 1 1
Grade Levels P K 1-8 7-8 9-12 9-12
Total Enrollment 2,057 542 1,094 244
2022 NH Licensed Child Care Facilities (Bureau of Child Care Licensing): Total Facilities: 19 Total Capacity: 1,701
Nearest Community/Technical College: Nashua; Manchester
Nearest Colleges or Universities: Thomas More; Rivier; St. Anselm; UNH Manchester; MCPSH; Southern NH University; Franklin Pierce-Manchester

Largest Businesses Product/Service Employees Established
Fidelity Investments Financial services 7,000 1996
BAE Systems Defense systems 816 1988
PC Connections, Inc. Computer resale 1,077 1998
Kollsman/Elbit Systems of America Electra optics 500 1991
Anheuser-Busch, Inc. Brewery, distribution 531 1991
Brookstone, Inc. Mail order marketer, retailer 256
Merrimack School District Education 800
St. Gobain PTFE coated fabrics 253 1984
Merrimack Premium Outlets Retail stores 900 2012
Atrium Maquet Getinge Group Sterile medical manufacturing 700 2013

Employer Information Supplied by Municipality


(Distance estimated from city/town hall) Transportation
Road Access US Routes 3
State Routes 101A
Nearest Interstate, Exit Everett Tpk., Exit 11; I-293, Exit 3
Distance 2 miles; 7 miles
Railroad Boston & Maine
Public Transportation No
 
Nearest Public Use Airport, General Aviation
Boire Field, NashuaRunway6,000 ft. asphalt
Lighted? Yes Navigational Aids? Yes
Nearest Airport with Scheduled Service
Manchester-Boston Regional Distance 10 miles
Number of Passenger Airlines Serving Airport 4
 
Driving distance to selected cities:
Manchester, NH 11 miles
Portland, ME 105 miles
Boston, MA 52 miles
New York City, NY 241 miles
Montreal, Quebec 268 miles

(ACS 2017-2021) Commuting to Work
Workers 16 years and over 14,415
Drove alone, car/truck/van 79.6%
Carpooled, car/truck/van 4.8%
Public transportation 0.4%
Walked 0.6%
Other Means 1.9%
Worked at home 12.8%
Mean Travel Time to Work 29.0 minutes
 
Percent of Working Residents: (ACS 2017-2021)
Working in community of residence 32.2%
Commuting to another NH community 52.3%
Commuting out-of-state 15.5%
Recreation, Attractions, and Events
X Municipal Parks
X YMCA/YWCA
Boys Club/Girls Club
X Golf Courses
X Swimming: Indoor Facility
X Swimming: Outdoor Facility
X Tennis Courts: Indoor Facility
X Tennis Courts: Outdoor Facility
X Ice Skating Rink: Indoor Facility
X Bowling Facilities
Museums
X Cinemas
X Performing Arts Facilities
X Tourist 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
Campgrounds
X Fishing/Hunting
X Boating/Marinas
X Snowmobile Trails
X Bicycle Trails
X Cross Country Skiing
X Beach or Waterfront Recreational Area
X Overnight or Day Camps
   
Nearest Ski Area(s): McIntyre
   
Other: Anheuser-Busch Brewery & Tours

Economic & Labor Market Information Bureau, NH Employment Security, October 2023. Community Response Received 6/5/23

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.

 

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