Rockingham County, New Hampshire
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Rockingham County, New Hampshire | |
| Map | |
 Location in the state of New Hampshire |
|
 New Hampshire's location in the USA |
|
| Statistics | |
| Founded | 1769 |
|---|---|
| Seat | Exeter, Brentwood |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
2,056 km² (794 mi²) 1800 km² (695 mi²) 256 km² (99 mi²), 12.47% |
| Population - Density |
277,359 154/km² |
| Website: co.rockingham.nh.us | |
Rockingham County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Hampshire. As of 2000, the population was 277,359. The traditional county seat is Exeter, although there is a County Courthouse in both Exeter and the adjacent Town of Brentwood. Both towns may be referred to as the county seat of Rockingham County.6.
Contents |
[edit] History
The area that today is Rockingham County was first settled by Europeans moving north from the Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts as early as 1623. The government was linked tightly with Massachusetts until New Hampshire became a separate colony in 1679, but Counties weren't introduced until 1769.
Rockingham was identified in 1769 as one of five original counties for the colony. It is named for Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham, who had been Prime Minister in 1765-1766. The county was organized in 1771, with its County Seat at Exeter. In 1844 its area was reduced by the formation of Belknap County to the northwest. In 1997 the county court facilities were moved to the current county seat at Brentwood.
[edit] Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,056 km² (794 mi²). 1,800 km² (695 mi²) of it is land and 256 km² (99 mi²) of it (12.47%) is water.
[edit] Adjacent Counties
- Strafford County (north)
- York County, Maine (northeast)
- Essex County, Massachusetts (south)
- Hillsborough County (west)
- Merrimack County (northwest)
[edit] Demographics
As of the census² of 2000, there were 277,359 people, 104,529 households, and 74,320 families residing in the county. The population density was 154/km² (399/mi²). There were 113,023 housing units at an average density of 63/km² (163/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.80% White, 0.58% Black or African American, 0.18% Native American, 1.11% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.38% from other races, and 0.92% from two or more races. 1.19% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 104,529 households out of which 35.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.50% were married couples living together, 8.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.90% were non-families. 22.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.11.
In the county the population was spread out with 26.40% under the age of 18, 6.20% from 18 to 24, 32.80% from 25 to 44, 24.40% from 45 to 64, and 10.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 97.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.40 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $58,150, and the median income for a family was $66,345. Males had a median income of $45,598 versus $30,741 for females. The per capita income for the county was $26,656. About 3.10% of families and 4.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.00% of those under age 18 and 6.40% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Cities and towns
Rockingham County Communities - Population, Land Area, and Population Density Rankings
| City/Town | Population (2000) | Population Ranking | Land Area km² | Area Ranking | Density /km² | Density Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atkinson | 6,178 | 14 | 28.8 | 28 | 214.3 | 11 |
| Auburn | 4,682 | 19 | 65.3 | 11 | 71.7 | 26 |
| Brentwood | 3,197 | 30 | 43.6 | 16 | 73.4 | 25 |
| Candia | 3,911 | 23 | 78.5 | 5 | 49.8 | 31 |
| Chester | 3,792 | 24 | 67.1 | 10 | 56.5 | 37 |
| Danville | 4,023 | 22 | 30.3 | 27 | 132.6 | 18 |
| Deerfield | 3,678 | 26 | 131.9 | 1 | 27.9 | 36 |
| Derry | 34,021 | 1 | 92.7 | 4 | 367.0 | 4 |
| East Kingston | 1,784 | 33 | 25.9 | 31 | 68.9 | 27 |
| Epping | 5,476 | 16 | 67.4 | 9 | 32.9 | 34 |
| Exeter | 14,058 | 6 | 50.9 | 13 | 276.4 | 7 |
| Fremont | 3,510 | 28 | 44.4 | 15 | 79.0 | 24 |
| Greenland | 3,208 | 29 | 27.2 | 30 | 118.1 | 21 |
| Hampstead | 8,297 | 9 | 34.5 | 21 | 240.5 | 9 |
| Hampton | 14,937 | 5 | 33.7 | 22 | 442.6 | 3 |
| Hampton Falls | 1,880 | 32 | 31.6 | 25 | 59.4 | 29 |
| Kensington | 1,893 | 31 | 31.0 | 26 | 61.2 | 28 |
| Kingston | 5,862 | 15 | 50.8 | 14 | 115.4 | 22 |
| Londonderry | 23,236 | 3 | 108.3 | 3 | 214.6 | 10 |
| New Castle | 1,010 | 35 | 2.1 | 37 | 469.8 | 2 |
| Newfields | 1,551 | 34 | 18.2 | 36 | 85.3 | 23 |
| Newington | 775 | 37 | 21.7 | 34 | 35.8 | 33 |
| Newmarket | 8,027 | 10 | 32.5 | 24 | 247.0 | 8 |
| Newton | 4,289 | 20 | 25.7 | 32 | 167.1 | 13 |
| North Hampton | 4,259 | 21 | 36.0 | 20 | 118.2 | 20 |
| Northwood | 3,640 | 27 | 72.5 | 7 | 50.2 | 30 |
| Nottingham | 3,701 | 25 | 120.4 | 2 | 30.8 | 35 |
| Plaistow | 7,747 | 12 | 27.5 | 29 | 281.4 | 6 |
| Portsmouth | 20,784 | 4 | 40.4 | 17 | 514.1 | 1 |
| Raymond | 9,674 | 8 | 74.5 | 6 | 129.8 | 19 |
| Rye | 5,182 | 17 | 32.7 | 23 | 158.5 | 15 |
| Salem | 29,115 | 2 | 64.0 | 12 | 169.9 | 12 |
| Sandown | 5,143 | 18 | 36.0 | 19 | 142.8 | 17 |
| Seabrook | 7,934 | 11 | 22.9 | 33 | 345.7 | 5 |
| South Hampton | 844 | 36 | 20.4 | 35 | 41.4 | 32 |
| Stratham | 6,355 | 13 | 39.1 | 18 | 162.4 | 14 |
| Windham | 10,709 | 7 | 69.4 | 8 | 154.3 | 16 |
| Totals: | 278,362 | 1,800 | 155.0 |
[edit] Attractions
- The Rockingham County Botanical Garden is a new botanical garden now starting to take shape in Brentwood.
- Strawbery Banke Museum in Portsmouth is a collection of historic buildings from the seventeenth through nineteenth centuries.
[edit] External links
- Rockingham County official website
- National Register of Historic Places listing for Rockingham County
