Lancaster, New Hampshire
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Lancaster is a town located in Coos County, New Hampshire, on the Connecticut River. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 3,280, putting it at second most populated down in the county (after Berlin). It is the county seat of Coos County and a gateway to the Great North Woods Region. The old county courthouse is on Main Street, which is also U.S. Highway 3 and U.S. Highway 2; the latter crosses the Connecticut River and continues west into Lunenburg, Vermont, and Highway 3 continues up the eastern margin of the river to the Canadian border at Pittsburg.
Lancaster is also home of the annual county fair, and the Weeks Medical Center. Just south of the village center is Prospect Mountain (2,087 ft), which was the summer home of Senator John W. Weeks, the sponsor of Congressional legislation that started the White Mountain National Forest. The estate is now a state park, and has a fire lookout, and a mansion that is open for tours during the summer. A ski hill has operated on Prospect Mountain off and on over the years. The Weeks Public Library is also named in tribute to this locally born politician.
Many of the White Mountains can be seen from town. From the lookout tower, on a fine day, you can also see Mount Weeks (3,900 ft), in the Kilkenny Range to the northeast, not to mention the Presidential Range (SE), and the Franconia Range to the south.
Businesses in town include several motor inns and campgrounds, the newspaper (Coos County Democrat), radio WXXS, a dozen or more restaurants, a hardware store, sporting goods, several real estate and law offices, flower shops, agricultural implements and supplies, bookshops, antiques, a supermarket and other grocers, and several drugstores.
This article describes the town as a whole. Additional demographic details are available that describe the more densely populated central settlement with the town. See: Lancaster (CDP), New Hampshire.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 132.8 km² (51.3 mi²). 129.8 km² (50.1 mi²) of it is land and 3.0 km² (1.2 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 2.28% water. The Israel River (also called "Israels River") runs through Lancaster and empties into the Connecticut River.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there are 3,280 people, 1,286 households, and 866 families residing in the town. The population density is 25.3/km² (65.5/mi²). There are 1,501 housing units at an average density of 11.6 persons/km² (30.0 persons/mi²). The racial makeup of the town is 98.08% White, 0.06% African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.21% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.24% from other races, and 1.13% from two or more races. 0.64% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 1,286 households out of which 32.4% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.8% are married couples living together, 10.5% have a woman whose husband does not live with her, and 32.6% are non-families. 27.1% of all households are made up of individuals and 13.5% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.43 and the average family size is 2.94.
In the town the population is spread out with 25.2% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 24.6% from 45 to 64, and 17.1% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 40 years. For every 100 females there are 88.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 84.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town is $40,305, and the median income for a family is $43,333. Males have a median income of $36,923 versus $21,458 for females. The per capita income for the town is $19,905. 9.7% of the population and 6.8% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 10.6% are under the age of 18 and 14.8% are 65 or older.