| Middleton, New Hampshire | |
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| Coordinates: | |
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| Country | United States |
| State | New Hampshire |
| County | Strafford |
| Settled | 1749 |
| Incorporated | 1778 |
| Government | |
| - Board of Selectmen | |
| Area | |
| - Total | 18.5 sq mi (47.9 km²) |
| - Land | 18.1 sq mi (46.9 km²) |
| - Water | 0.4 sq mi (1.1 km²) |
| Elevation | 770 ft (235 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| - Total | 1,440 |
| - Density | 79.6/sq mi (30.7/km²) |
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) |
| - Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 03887 |
| Area code(s) | 603 |
| FIPS code | 33-47700 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0873664 |
| Website: www.middletonnh.org | |
Middleton is a town in Strafford County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,440 at the 2000 census.
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History
Granted in 1749 by Colonial Governor Benning Wentworth, the town was named for Sir Charles Middleton, 1st Baron Barham, who was in charge of convoy service between Barbados and the colonies. Middleton was situated on the road between Exeter and Wolfeboro, the location of Colonial Governor John Wentworth's summer home, Kingswood. Neglect of the road caused the governor to bill the proprietors for repairs he had to make for safe travel to Kingswood. Middleton would be incorporated in 1778, and originally included Brookfield, set off in 1794.[chronology source needed]
Middleton's old Town Hall, located on King's Highway, was originally built in 1795 as a meetinghouse on Ridge Road, then moved to its current location in 1812, jacked-up, and the Town Hall added underneath. The original stucco paintings by John Avery were painted in 1811, and touched-up in 1841.[chronology source needed]
It is a beautiful wrap-around landscape mural of trees and scenery -- one of Middleton's treasures.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 18.5 square miles (47.9 km²), of which, 18.1 square miles (46.9 km²) of it is land and 0.4 square miles (1.1 km²) of it (2.27%) is water. That water is primarily contained by Sunrise Lake, previously known as the Old Dump Reservoir. The Moose Mountains, which separate Middleton from Brookfield, have a series of 1,600-1,700 foot peaks, including the highest point in Middleton at an elevation of 1,670 feet (509 meters) above sea level.
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 1,440 people, 514 households, and 389 families residing in the town. The population density was 79.6 people per square mile (30.7/km²). There were 706 housing units at an average density of 39.0/sq mi (15.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.54% White, 0.14% African American, 0.21% Native American, 0.56% Asian, and 0.56% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.35% of the population. There were 514 households out of which 38.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.0% were married couples living together, 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.3% were non-families. 16.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.13. In the town the population was spread out with 28.8% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 34.1% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 110.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.4 males. The median income for a household in the town was $43,942, and the median income for a family was $48,529. Males had a median income of $32,014 versus $26,336 for females. The per capita income for the town was $18,415. About 4.5% of families and 7.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.6% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over. The population is divided between the out-of-state summer occupants of the cottages and homes surrounding Sunrise Lake and the year-round residents who live elsewhere.
