Brookfield, New Hampshire
Encyclopedia
Brookfield is a town
in Carroll County
, New Hampshire
, United States
. The population was 712 at the 2010 census.
. Fertile ground made it popular with farmers. It was later renamed Brookfield, after Brookfield
, Massachusetts
, and made a part of Middleton
. But in 1785 Brookfield petitioned, unsuccessfully, to be set off from Middleton. This was due to the division of the original town of Middleton into two parts by the long, high ridge of Moose Mountain, then a considerable obstacle to travel. Town meetings, traditionally held in the muddy season of March, were particularly difficult to attend for those beyond the ridge. In 1794, however, permission was granted, and Brookfield incorporated. And in 1840, when Carroll County was set off from Strafford County, Brookfield went with Carroll, and Middleton remained with Strafford.
, the town has a total area of 23.3 square miles (60.3 km²), of which 22.9 sq mi (59.3 km²) is land and 0.4 sq mi (1 km²) is water, comprising 1.68% of the town. Brookfield is drained primarily by the Branch River
and Pike Brook, within the Piscataqua River
(coastal) watershed
, though the western edge of the town is in the Merrimack River
watershed and the northernmost tip of the town is in the Saco River
watershed. Copple Crown Mountain, the highest point in Brookfield, has an elevation of 1868 feet (569.4 m) above sea level
.
Brookfield is served by New Hampshire Route 109
.
of 2000, there were 604 people, 236 households, and 180 families residing in the town. The population density
was 26.4 people per square mile (10.2/km²). There were 280 housing units at an average density of 12.2 per square mile (4.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 99.01% White, 0.33% Native American, 0.17% Pacific Islander, and 0.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.33% of the population.
There were 236 households out of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.5% were married couples
living together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.7% were non-families. 18.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.3% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 25.3% from 25 to 44, 29.1% from 45 to 64, and 16.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 94.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $52,132, and the median income for a family was $54,688. Males had a median income of $36,154 versus $26,719 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $25,745. About 1.1% of families and 1.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 1.9% of those age 65 or over.
New England town
The New England town is the basic unit of local government in each of the six New England states. Without a direct counterpart in most other U.S. states, New England towns are conceptually similar to civil townships in other states, but are incorporated, possessing powers like cities in other...
in Carroll County
Carroll County, New Hampshire
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 43,666 people, 18,351 households, and 12,313 families residing in the county. The population density was 18/km² . There were 34,750 housing units at an average density of 14/km²...
, New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 712 at the 2010 census.
History
Settled in 1726 by Scottish-Irish immigrants, the town was first named ColeraineColeraine
Coleraine is a large town near the mouth of the River Bann in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is northwest of Belfast and east of Derry, both of which are linked by major roads and railway connections...
. Fertile ground made it popular with farmers. It was later renamed Brookfield, after Brookfield
Brookfield, Massachusetts
Brookfield is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,390 at the 2010 census.-History:Brookfield was first settled in 1660 and was officially incorporated in 1718...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, and made a part of Middleton
Middleton, New Hampshire
Middleton is a town in Strafford County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,783 at the 2010 census.-History:Granted by the Masonian Proprietors in 1749, the town was named after Sir Charles Middleton, 1st Baron Barham, who was in charge of convoy service between Barbados and the...
. But in 1785 Brookfield petitioned, unsuccessfully, to be set off from Middleton. This was due to the division of the original town of Middleton into two parts by the long, high ridge of Moose Mountain, then a considerable obstacle to travel. Town meetings, traditionally held in the muddy season of March, were particularly difficult to attend for those beyond the ridge. In 1794, however, permission was granted, and Brookfield incorporated. And in 1840, when Carroll County was set off from Strafford County, Brookfield went with Carroll, and Middleton remained with Strafford.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 23.3 square miles (60.3 km²), of which 22.9 sq mi (59.3 km²) is land and 0.4 sq mi (1 km²) is water, comprising 1.68% of the town. Brookfield is drained primarily by the Branch River
Branch River (New Hampshire)
The Branch River is an 11.9 mile long river located in eastern New Hampshire in the United States. It is a tributary of the Salmon Falls River, part of the Piscataqua River watershed leading to the Atlantic Ocean....
and Pike Brook, within the Piscataqua River
Piscataqua River
The Piscataqua River, in the northeastern United States, is a long tidal estuary formed by the confluence of the Salmon Falls and Cocheco rivers...
(coastal) watershed
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
, though the western edge of the town is in the Merrimack River
Merrimack River
The Merrimack River is a river in the northeastern United States. It rises at the confluence of the Pemigewasset and Winnipesaukee rivers in Franklin, New Hampshire, flows southward into Massachusetts, and then flows northeast until it empties into the Atlantic Ocean at Newburyport...
watershed and the northernmost tip of the town is in the Saco River
Saco River
The Saco River is a river in northeastern New Hampshire and southwestern Maine in the United States. It drains a rural area of of forests and farmlands west and southwest of Portland, emptying into the Atlantic Ocean at Saco Bay, from its source. It supplies drinking water to roughly 250,000...
watershed. Copple Crown Mountain, the highest point in Brookfield, has an elevation of 1868 feet (569.4 m) above sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
.
Brookfield is served by New Hampshire Route 109
New Hampshire Route 109
New Hampshire Route 109 is a long north–south highway in Carroll County, New Hampshire. It runs southeast from Sandwich to the Maine border....
.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 604 people, 236 households, and 180 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 26.4 people per square mile (10.2/km²). There were 280 housing units at an average density of 12.2 per square mile (4.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 99.01% White, 0.33% Native American, 0.17% Pacific Islander, and 0.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.33% of the population.
There were 236 households out of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.5% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.7% were non-families. 18.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the town the population was spread out with 23.3% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 25.3% from 25 to 44, 29.1% from 45 to 64, and 16.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 94.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.3 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $52,132, and the median income for a family was $54,688. Males had a median income of $36,154 versus $26,719 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $25,745. About 1.1% of families and 1.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 1.9% of those age 65 or over.