Amherst, New Hampshire
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Amherst is a town located in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, USA. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 10,769.
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History
Like many New England towns, Amherst was the result of a land grant given to soldiers - in this case, to soldiers who participated in King Philip's War. In 1741, settlers formed the Congregational church and hired the first minister; the town is named for General Jeffrey Amherst, who commanded British forces in North American during the French and Indian War.
In 1770, Amherst became the county seat of Hillsborough County, due largely to its location on the county's major east-west road. It continued to prosper through the Revolutionary War and afterwards. In 1790, the southwestern section broke off and became the town of Milford, New Hampshire and in 1803, the northwest section departed to become Mont Vernon, New Hampshire. Then the development of water-powered mills made Milford grow at Amherst's expense, and the county seat was moved 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 they became part of the greater Boston, Massachusetts region.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 90.2 km² (34.8 mi²). 88.8 km² (34.3 mi²) of it is land and 1.3 km² (0.5 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 1.49% water.
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 10,769 people, 3,590 households, and 3,065 families residing in the town. The population density was 121.3/km² (314.1/mi²). There were 3,752 housing units at an average density of 42.2/km² (109.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.00% White, 0.43% African American, 0.13% Native American, 1.34% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.21% from other races, and 0.87% from two or more races. 1.01% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 3,590 households out of which 47.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 78.3% were married couples living together, 4.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 14.6% were non-families. 11.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.00 and the average family size was 3.26.
In the town the population was spread out with 31.7% under the age of 18, 4.5% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 29.0% from 45 to 64, and 7.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 101.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $89,384, and the median income for a family was $97,913. Males had a median income of $73,432 versus $35,250 for females. The per capita income for the town was $35,531. 1.9% of the population and 1.0% of families were below the poverty line. 1.8% of those under the age of 18 and 2.6% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
Notable People
- Moses Nichols, an officer during the American Revolution, was a resident of Amherst.
- Horace Greeley, founder of the New York Tribune and a founder of the U.S. Republican Party, was born in Amherst in 1811.
External links
- Official web site
- School District page
- New Hampshire Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau Profile
