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Portsmouth, NH
Community Contact Portsmouth Economic Development Commission
Nancy Carmer, Economic Development Program Manager
1 Junkins Avenue
Portsmouth, NH 03801
Telephone (603) 610-7220
Fax (603) 427-1593
E-mail info@lib.cityofportsmouth.com
Web Site http://cityofportsmouth.com
Municipal Office Hours Monday through Friday, 8:30 am - 5 pm
County Rockingham
Labor Market Area Portsmouth NH-ME Metro-NECTA, NH Portion
Tourism Region Seacoast
Planning Commission Rockingham
Regional Development Seacoast Business Alliance Corp.
Election Districts
US Congress District 1 (All Wards)
Executive Council District 3 (All Wards)
State Senate District 24 (All Wards)
State Representative Rockingham County District 16 (All Wards)
Incorporated: 1653
Origin: First settled in 1630 as Piscataqua, the settlement was soon named Strawberry Banke. The name Portsmouth was adopted in 1653 to honor the colony’s founder, John Mason, Captain of the Port in Portsmouth, England. Portsmouth became the New Hampshire province’s capitol in 1679. It was home to many famous colonials, such as William Whipple, signer of the Declaration of Independence; Governor John
Langdon, first US Senate president; and John Paul Jones, naval hero. Portsmouth was incorporated as a city in 1849. The original Strawberry Banke settlement has been preserved as an example of a colonial American town.
Population, Year of the First Census Taken: 4,720 residents in 1790
Population Trends: Like many cities, Portsmouth's population growth rate was very low over the last five decades. Population increased by a total of 1,954 residents, going from 18,830 in 1950 to 20,784 in 2000. Population in Portsmouth declined over three decades; decennial growth ranged from a 20 percent decrease between 1990-2000 to a 43 percent increase between 1950-1960. The 2004 Census estimate for Portsmouth was 20,786 residents, which ranked 12th among New Hampshire's
incorporated cities and towns.
Population Density, 2004: 1,326.5 persons per square mile of land area, the third highest among the cities and towns. Portsmouth contains 15.7 square miles of land area and 1.1 square miles of inland water area.
Villages and Place Names: Atlantic Heights, Christian Shore, Creek Area, Elwyn Park, Meadowbrook, Pannaway Manor, Portsmouth Plains, Haymarket Square, Sagamore Hill, Strawberry Banke
MUNICIPAL SERVICES
Type of Government City Manager & Council
Budget: Municipal Appropriations, 2004 $68,672,202
Budget: School Appropriations not available
Zoning Ordinance 1927/02
Master Plan 2004
Capital Improvement Plan Yes
Industrial Plans Reviewed By Planning Dept.
Boards and Commissions
Elected: City Council; School; Police
Appointed: Planning; Conservation; Library; Economic
Development; Historic; Board of Appeals
Public Library Portsmouth Athenaeum; Portsmouth Public
EMERGENCY SERVICES
Police Department Full-time
Fire Department Full-time
Town Fire Insurance Rating 4
Emergency Medical Service Municipal
Nearest Hospital(s):
Portsmouth Regional, Portsmouth
Distance: Local Staffed Beds: 165
UTILITIES
Electric Supplier PSNH
Natural Gas Supplier Northern Utilities
Water Supplier Portsmouth Water Department
Sanitation Municipal
Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant Yes
Solid Waste Disposal
Curbside Trash Pickup Municipal
Pay-As-You-Throw Program No
Recycling Program Mandatory
Telephone Company Verizon
Cellular Telephone Access Yes
Cable Television Access Yes
Public Access Television Station Yes
High Speed Internet Service: Business Yes
Residential Yes
PROPERTY TAXES
2004 Total Tax Rate (per $1000 of value) $17.17
2004 Equalization Ratio 88.6
2004 Full Value Tax Rate (per $1000 of value) $14.86
2004 Percent of Property Valuation by Type
Residential Land and Buildings 55.1%
Commercial Land and Buildings 41.0%
Other Property including Utilities 3.8%
HOUSING
2003 Total Housing Units 10,363
2003 Single-Family Units 4,182
Building Permits Issued 18
2003 Multi-Family Units 5,902
Building Permits Issued 50
2003 Manufactured Housing Units 279
DEMOGRAPHICS
Total Population Community County
2004 20,786 292,526
2000 20,822 278,748
1990 26,252 246,744
1980 26,254 190,345
1970 25,717 138,951
Census 2000 Demographics
Population by Gender
Male 10,099 Female 10,685
Population by Age Group
Under age 5 1,009
Age 5 to 19 2,864
Age 20 to 34 5,189
Age 35 to 54 6,476
Age 55 to 64 1,862
Age 65 and over 3,384
Median Age 38.5 years
Educational Attainment, population 25 years and over
High school graduate or higher 91.4%
Bachelor's degree or higher 41.9%
ANNUAL INCOME, 1999 (Census 2000)
Per capita income $27,540
Median 4-person family income $59,630
Median household income $45,195
Median Earnings, full-time, year-round workers
Male $41,966
Female $29,024
Families below the poverty level 6.4%
LABOR FORCE 1994 2004
Annual Average
Civilian labor force 9,849 13,461
Employed 9,421 13,010
Unemployed 428 451
Unemployment rate 4.3% 3.4%
EMPLOYMENT & WAGES 1994 2004
Goods Producing Industries
Average Employment 1,368 2,746
Average Weekly Wage $578 $995
Service Providing Industries
Average Employment 16,957 23,489
Average Weekly Wage $468 $886
Total Private Industry
Average Employment 18,324 26,235
Average Weekly Wage $476 $897
Government (Federal, State, and Local)
Average Employment 1,628 1,787
Average Weekly Wage $586 $859
Total, Private Industry plus Government
Average Employment 19,953 28,022
Average Weekly Wage $485 $895
EDUCATION AND CHILD CARE
Schools students attend: Portsmouth operates grades K-12 District: SAU 52
Career Technology Center(s): Portsmouth High School Region: 19
Educational Facilities Elementary Middle/Junior High High School Private/Parochial
Number of Schools 4 1 1 1
Grade Levels P K 1-5 6-8 9-12 K-8
Total Enrollment 1,035 548 1,113 n/a
NH Licensed Child Care Facilities, 2004: Total Facilities: 20 Total Capacity: 1,242
Nearest Community/Technical College: Stratham
Nearest Colleges or Universities: McIntosh; University of NH
LARGEST EMPLOYERS PRODUCT/SERVICE EMPLOYEES ESTABLISHED
Liberty Mutual Insurance Insurance 1,800 1969
Columbia HCA Hospital Health care 1,040 1987
City of Portsmouth Municipal services 881
Demoulas Market Basket Supermarket 425
Lonza Biologies Biotechnology 390
Erie Scientific/Sybron Lab Products Laboratory equipment 310 1978
Pan Am Airlines/ Boston-Maine Airways Airline 300
US Dept of State, National Passport Center Passport services 259
Shaws Supermarket 226
US Dept of State National Visa Center Visa services 215
TRANSPORTATION
Road Access Federal Routes 1, 4
State Routes 1A, 33
Nearest Interstate, Exit I-95, Exit 3-7
Distance Local access
Railroad Boston & Maine
Public Transportation Yes
Nearest Airport Pease
Runway 11,321 feet
Lighted? Yes Navigational Aids? Yes
Nearest Commercial Airport Pease
Distance Local
Driving distance to select cities:
Manchester, NH 44 miles
Portland, Maine 52 miles
Boston, Mass. 56 miles
New York City, NY 264 miles
Montreal, Quebec 300 miles
COMMUTING TO WORK (Census 2000)
Workers 16 years and over
Drove alone, car/truck/van 80.5%
Carpooled, car/truck/van 6.4%
Public transportation 1.5%
Walked 4.9%
Other means 1.3%
Worked at home 5.4%
Mean Travel Time to Work 21.5 minutes
Percent of Working Residents:
Working in community of residence 51%
Commuting to another NH community 33%
Commuting out-of-state 16%
COPYRIGHT 2005 Economic & Labor Market Information Bureau, NH Employment Security. All Rights Reserved. Updated 07/27/05
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