Amherst, New Hampshire | |
|---|---|
Town | |
 Amherst Town Common in 2006 | |
 Seal | |
 Location inHillsborough County, New Hampshire | |
  Amherst  Amherst | |
| Coordinates:42°51′41″N71°37′31″W / 42.86139°N 71.62528°W /42.86139; -71.62528 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New Hampshire |
| County | Hillsborough |
| Incorporated | 1760 |
| Government | |
| • Board of Selectmen |
|
| • Town Administrator | Lincoln Daley |
| Area | |
• Total | 34.4 sq mi (89.1 km2) |
| • Land | 33.9 sq mi (87.8 km2) |
| • Water | 0.50 sq mi (1.3 km2) 1.49% |
| Elevation | 259 ft (79 m) |
| Population (2020)[2] | |
• Total | 11,753 |
| • Density | 347/sq mi (133.9/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (Eastern) |
| ZIP code | 03031 |
| Area code | 603 |
| FIPS code | 33-01300 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0873531 |
| Website | www |
Amherst is a town inHillsborough County in the state ofNew Hampshire, United States. The population was 11,753 at the2020 census.[2] Amherst is home to Ponemah Bog Wildlife Sanctuary, Hodgman State Forest, the Joe English Reservation andBaboosic Lake.
The village of Amherst, where 697 people lived at the 2020 census, is defined as theAmherst census-designated place and is listed on theNational Register of Historic Places asAmherst Village Historic District.
Like many towns inNew England, Amherst was founded via aland grant issued to members of thecolonial militia; the land grant which led to the town's foundation was issued in 1728 to veterans ofKing Philip's War. A colonial settlement was established at the land grant's location five years later in 1733, being initially named "Narragansett Number 3" and later "Souhegan Number 3". In 1741, the settlement's inhabitants established aCongregational church and hired a minister to preach in the settlement. On January 18, 1760, the settlement was chartered by thegovernor of New HampshireBenning Wentworth, who renamed it after GeneralJeffery Amherst, who served asCommander-in-Chief, North America during theFrench and Indian War.[3][4] Wentworth chartered Amherst as part of a wave of land grants he issued during the mid-18th century.[5]
In 1770, Amherst became thecounty seat of Hillsborough County, due largely to its location on the county's major east-west road. It continued to prosper through theRevolutionary War and afterwards. In 1790, the southwestern section broke off and became the town ofMilford, and in 1803, the northwest section departed to becomeMont Vernon. The development ofwater-powered mills allowed Milford to grow at Amherst's expense, and the county seat was moved to Milford in 1866.
The town population remained relatively stagnant until after World War II, when Amherst and many surrounding towns saw an influx of newcomers as the town became part of theGreater Boston region.
Franklin Pierce, who later become the 14th President of the United States studied under Judge Edmund Parker in Amherst. He wedJane Means Appleton, the daughter of a former president ofBowdoin College, in a house on the town green.
The Nashua and Wilton Railroad passed through Amherst.[4]
| Year | Democratic | Republican | Third parties |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 58.9% 4,796 | 39.4% 3,208 | 1.5% 133 |
| 2016 | 51.4% 3,777 | 44.5% 3,271 | 4.0% 299 |
| 2012 | 46.5%3,501 | 51.9%3,906 | 1.6%114 |
| 2008 | 51.4% 3,822 | 47.6% 3,536 | 1.0% 68 |
Amherst is located inNew Hampshire's 2nd congressional district, represented by DemocratAnn McLane Kuster (D-Hopkinton). The town is located inNew Hampshire's 11th State Senate district, represented by DemocratShannon Chandley (D-Amherst).
In theNew Hampshire House of Representatives, Amherst has two districts covering the town. Hillsborough 34 is a district with three seats covering just the town of Amherst; it is currently represented by three Democrats: Dan Leclerc, Jennifer Morton, and Dan Veilleux. Amherst also shares Hillsborough 37, a single-member district, with the neighboring town ofMilford, New Hampshire; it is represented by Democrat Megan Murray (D-Amherst).[7]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 34.4 square miles (89.1 km2), of which 33.9 square miles (87.8 km2) are land and 0.50 square miles (1.3 km2), or 1.49% of the total area, are water.[1] The entire town is part of theMerrimack Riverwatershed.[8] TheSouhegan River, an east-flowing tributary of the Merrimack, passes through the southern part of the town, and the Souhegan's tributary Beaver Brook drains the central part of town and passes through the main village.Baboosic Lake is farther north, along the eastern border of the town and is fed by Joe English Brook. The lake drains to the east intoBaboosic Brook, a tributary of the Merrimack. Pulpit Brook, which drains the northeastern corner of the town, flows into Baboosic Brook as well. Witches Brook flows through the southernmost part of the town and is a tributary ofPennichuck Brook, yet another tributary of the Merrimack. Amherst's highest point is on Chestnut Hill at the town's northern border, where the elevation reaches 865 feet (264 m) abovesea level.
New Hampshire Route 101 crosses the town, leading northeast intoBedford and then toManchester, and southwest intoMilford. A spur,New Hampshire Route 101A, crosses the southern part of Amherst, connecting Milford to the west withNashua to the southeast.New Hampshire Route 122 begins at Amherst village and leads south intoHollis.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1790 | 2,369 | — | |
| 1800 | 1,470 | −37.9% | |
| 1810 | 1,554 | 5.7% | |
| 1820 | 1,622 | 4.4% | |
| 1830 | 1,657 | 2.2% | |
| 1840 | 1,565 | −5.6% | |
| 1850 | 1,613 | 3.1% | |
| 1860 | 1,598 | −0.9% | |
| 1870 | 1,353 | −15.3% | |
| 1880 | 1,225 | −9.5% | |
| 1890 | 1,053 | −14.0% | |
| 1900 | 1,231 | 16.9% | |
| 1910 | 1,060 | −13.9% | |
| 1920 | 868 | −18.1% | |
| 1930 | 1,115 | 28.5% | |
| 1940 | 1,174 | 5.3% | |
| 1950 | 1,461 | 24.4% | |
| 1960 | 2,051 | 40.4% | |
| 1970 | 4,605 | 124.5% | |
| 1980 | 8,243 | 79.0% | |
| 1990 | 9,068 | 10.0% | |
| 2000 | 10,769 | 18.8% | |
| 2010 | 11,201 | 4.0% | |
| 2020 | 11,753 | 4.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[2][9] | |||
As of thecensus of 2010, there were 11,201 people, 4,063 households, and 3,322 families residing in the town. The population density was 327.5 inhabitants per square mile (126.4/km2). There were 4,280 housing units at an average density of 125.1 per square mile (48.3/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 95.8%White, 0.5%African American, 0.1%Native American, 1.7%Asian, 0.04%Pacific Islander, 0.4%some other race, and 1.5% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 1.9% of the population.[10]
There were 4,063 households, out of which 37.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 72.2% were headed by married couples living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.2% were non-families. 14.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.0% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76, and the average family size was 3.06.[10]
In the town, the age distribution of the population was 26.0% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 19.4% from 25 to 44, 36.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.5 males.[10]
For the period 2011-2015, the estimated median annual income for a household in the town was $121,349, and the median income for a family was $130,278. Male full-time workers had a median income of $102,869, versus $51,473 for females. Theper capita income for the town was $49,190. About 1.8% of families and 2.9% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 3.4% of those under age 18 and 2.6% of those age 65 or over.[11]
Amherst is home to Clark and Wilkins elementary schools, Amherst Middle School andSouhegan High School. The elementary schools handle children from Amherst only. Seventh and eighth graders from neighboringMont Vernon attend the middle school on a tuition basis, while Amherst and Mont Vernon jointly own Souhegan High School, which serves both towns.[12]
Places adjacent to Amherst, New Hampshire | |
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Municipalities and communities ofHillsborough County, New Hampshire,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
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| Other villages | ||
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