Concord

As of the 2020 census the population was 43,976, making it the third largest city in New Hampshire behind Manchester and Nashua. The city is home to the University of New Hampshire School of Law, New Hampshire's only law school; St. Paul's School, a private preparatory school; NHTI, a two-year community college; and the New Hampshire Police Academy. Concord's Old North Cemetery is the final resting place of Franklin Pierce, 14th President of the United States. The area was first settled by Europeans in 1659 as Penacook, after the Abenaki word "pannukog" meaning "bend in the river," referencing the steep bends of the Merrimack River through the area. In 1808, Concord was named the official seat of state government,:324326 and in 1816 architect Stuart Park was commissioned to design a new capitol building for the state legislature on land sold to the state by local Quakers. Construction on the State House was completed in 1819, and it remains the oldest capitol in the nation in which the state's legislative branches meet in their original chambers. In the early 19th century, much of the city's economy was dominated by furniture-making, printing, and granite quarrying; granite had become a popular building material for many monumental halls in the early U.S. and Concord granite was used in the construction of the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

History

Concord is the primary city name, but also Boscawen, Penacook, Webster are acceptable city names or spellings. Concord was first settled by Europeans in 1659 as Penacook, after the Abenaki word "pannukog" meaning "bend in the river," referencing the steep bends of the Merrimack River through the area. In 1765, the city was renamed Concord to reflect the new concord, or harmony, between the disputant towns. In 1808, Concord was named the official seat of state government, and in 1816 architect Stuart Park was commissioned to design a new capitol building for the state legislature on land sold to the state by local Quakers. In the early 19th century, much of the city's economy was dominated by furniture-making, printing, and granite quarrying. The city developed into a center for national politics due to New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation presidential election in 1990. Today, Concord remains a hub for politics, law, healthcare, insurance companies, and insurance companies. It is also the home of the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center to commemorate Alan Shepard, the first American in space from nearby Derry, who died in the 1986 Space Shuttle disaster. It was also the site of one of the first psychiatric hospitals in the United States, with Margaret Pillsbury General Hospital opening its doors in 1891 as the first general hospital in the state of New Hampshire. It remains the oldest capitol in the nation in which the state's legislative branches meet in their original chambers. It also remains the only city in the U.S. in which all three branches of the federal government meet in the same building.

Geography

Concord is located in south-central New Hampshire at 43°1224N 71°3217W (43.2070, 71.5371). It is 38 miles (61 km) north of the Massachusetts border, 40 miles (64 km) west of the Maine border, 54 miles (87 km) east of the Vermont border, and 170 miles (270 km) south of the Canadian border at Pittsburg. The city is made up of its downtown, including its North End and South End neighborhoods, plus the four distinct villages of Penacook, Concord Heights, East Concord, and West Concord. The highest point in Concord is 860 feet (260 m) above sea level on Oak Hill. The monthly daily average temperature range from 20.6 °F (6.3 °C) in January to 70.0 °C (21.1 °F) in July. Summer can bring stretches of humid conditions as well as thunderstorms, and there is an average of 12 days of 90°F (32 °C)+ highs annually. The window for freezing temperatures on average begins on September 27 and expires on May 14. In winter, successive storms deliver moderate to at times heavy snowfall amounts, contributing to the relatively reliable snow cover. In addition, lows reach below 0 °C on an average 15 nights per year, and the city straddles the border between USDA Hardiness Zone 5b and 6a. However, thaws are frequent, with one to three days per month with 50 °C+ highs from December to February.

Demographics

As of the census of 2020, there were 43,976 people residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city in 2020 was 84.5% White, 4.9% Black or African American, 1.0% Native American, 4,9% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, and 1.8% from two or more races. In 2010 there were 17,592 households, out of which 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.3% were headed by married couples living together, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42. 9% were non-families. For the period 2009-2011, the estimated median annual income for a household in the City was $52,695, and the median income. for a family was $73,457. The per capita income for the city was $29,296. About 5.5%. of families and 10.1%. of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.4% of those under age 18 and 5. 5%. of those age 65 or over. The median age was 39.4 years. For every 100 females, there Were 98.5 males. For each 100 females age 18 or over, There were 96.9 males. The city has a population of 42,695 residents and 18,852 housing units at an average density of 293.2 per square mile (113.2/km²).

Economy

In 2020, the top employer in the city remained the State of New Hampshire, with over 6,000 employed workers. The largest private employer was Concord Hospital, with just under 3,000 employees. According to the City of Concord's Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, theTop 10 employers in the City for the Fiscal Year 2020 were: New Hampshire State University, Concord University, and Concord Hospital. The top 10 employers for the city for the fiscal year 2020 are: Concord University and Concord University. The city's top employer for Fiscal Year 2019 is Concord University with over 4,000 workers. It is the largest employer for the year for Concord Hospital with over 3,500 employees. The state's top employers for fiscal year 2019 are Concord University at Concord and Concord Medical Center with over 2,000 and over 1,200 employees, respectively. The biggest private employer is Concord Hospital at Concord with more than 3,300 employees. It was the city's largest employer in Fiscal Year 2013 with over 5,000 people employed, and it was the largest for Fiscal year 2012 with over 7,500 workers, according to the city report. The City's top ten employers in fiscal year 2013 were Concord Hospital and Concord State University at  Concord, and the state's largest private employers were Concord University in Concord, New Hampshire and Concord Regional Medical Center at  Concord at  6,000. The number of employees for Fiscal Year 2013 was over 4.5, and in Fiscal year 2014 it was over 5.2, with the largest number of workers being Concord University students at 3,800.

Transportation

Interstate 89 and Interstate 93 are the two main interstate highways serving Concord. North-south U.S. Route 3 serves as Concord's Main Street. For 13 months from 1980 to 1981, MBTA Commuter Rail ran two round trips a day between Boston and Concord. Since then, there has not been any passenger rail service to Concord. General aviation services are available through Concord Municipal Airport, located 2 miles (3 km) east of downtown. There is no commercial air service within the city limits; the nearest such airport is ManchesterBoston Regional Airport, 23 miles (37 km) to the south. The city's downtown underwent a significant renovation between 2015 and 2016, during the city's "Complete Streets Improvement Project". At a proposed cost of $12 million, the project promised to deliver on categories of maintenance to aging infrastructure, improved accessibility, increased sustainability, a safer experience for walkers, bikers and motorists alike, and to stimulate economic growth in an increasingly idle downtown. By adding curb space, this project created new opportunities for pedestrians to enjoy the downtown. Many power lines were buried, and street trees, colorful benches, art installations, and other green spaces were added, all allowing people to reclaim a space long dominated by cars. The project was initially proposed as costing $7,850,000, but ran over budget due to the most expensive offenders, with the project actually coming in at $14.2 million. In 2021, Amtrak announced their plan to implement new service betweenBoston and Concord by 2035.

Government

Concord is governed via the council-manager system. The city council consists of a mayor and 14 councilors, ten of which are elected to two-year terms representing each of the city wards. The current mayor is Jim Bouley, who has served 14 years as mayor and was elected to a record eighth term on November 2, 2021. In the New Hampshire Senate, Concord is in the 15th District, represented by Democrat Becky Whitley since December 2020. Concord leans strongly Democratic in presidential elections; the last Republican nominee to carry the city was then Vice President George H. W. Bush in 1988. Voter turnout was 72.7% in the 2020 general election, down from 76.2% in 2016, but still above the 2020 national turnout of 66.7%. New Hampshire Department of Corrections operates New Hampshire State Prison for Men and New Hampshire state Prison for Women in Concord. The mayor chairs the city council, but has very few formal powers over the day-to-day management of the City. The actual operations of theCity are overseen by the city manager, currently Thomas J. Aspell, Jr. TheCurrent police chief is Bradley S. Osgood, who is also the city's sole Democrat on the council. New Hampshire House of Representatives is in New Hampshire's 2nd congressional district, represented in the House by Democrat Ann McLane Kuster. The City of Concord is home to two state prisons, one for men and one for women, both in the town of Concord.

Sites of interest

The New Hampshire State House, designed by architect Stuart Park and constructed between 1815 and 1818, is the oldest state house in which the legislature meets in its original chambers. The Eagle Hotel on Main Street has been a downtown landmark since its opening in 1827. Beaver Meadow Golf Course, located in the northern part of Concord, is one of the oldest golf courses in New England. The SNOB (Somewhat North Of Boston) Film Festival, started in the fall of 2002, brings independent films and filmmakers to Concord. The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center, a science museum named after Christa McAuliffe, the Concord teacher who died during the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster in 1986, and Alan Shepard, the Derry-born astronaut who was the second person and first American in space as well as the fifth and oldest person to walk on the Moon. Other important sporting venues in Concord include Everett Arena and Memorial Field, and the Capitol Center for the Arts, which has two facilities in Concord. Other sites of interest include the Pierce Manse, in which President Franklin Pierce lived in Concord before and following his presidency. The Walker-Woodman House, also known as the Reverend Timothy Walker House, the oldest standing two-story house in Concord, was built for the Reverend Tim Walker between 1733 and 1735. It was moved from Montgomery Street to North Main Street in 1971 to prevent its demolition. It is located on the corner of Main Street and Washington Avenue. It has been home to the Concord Symphony Orchestra since the 1970s.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Concord, Merrimack County, New Hampshire = 72.9. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 61. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 40. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Concord = 3.2 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 2,142 individuals with a median age of 39.1 age the population grows by 5.43% in Concord, Merrimack County, New Hampshire population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 687.52 residents per square mile of area (265.46/km²). There are average 2.28 people per household in the 17,151 households with an average household income of $51,961 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 5.80% of the available work force and has dropped -2.16% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 29.88%. The number of physicians in Concord per 100,000 population = 262.8.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Concord = 37.2 inches and the annual snowfall = 63.7 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 125. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 197. 82 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 10.4 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 55, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Concord, Merrimack County, New Hampshire which are owned by the occupant = 50.22%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 39 years with median home cost = $178,600 and home appreciation of -5.04%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $24.31 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $6,150 per student. There are 15.2 students for each teacher in the school, 349 students for each Librarian and 276 students for each Counselor. 7.89% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 18.29% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 12.36% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).