| Grafton, New Hampshire | |
|---|---|
| — Town — | |
| Location in Grafton County, New Hampshire | |
| Coordinates: | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New Hampshire |
| County | Grafton |
| Incorporated | 1778 |
| Government | |
| • Board of Selectmen | George Curran, Chairman Stephen Darrow David Rienzo |
| Area | |
| • Total | 42.6 sq mi (110.4 km2) |
| • Land | 41.7 sq mi (107.9 km2) |
| • Water | 0.9 sq mi (2.4 km2) 2.19% |
| Elevation | 870 ft (265 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 1,340 |
| • Density | 31.4/sq mi (12.1/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | Eastern (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 03240 |
| Area code(s) | 603 |
| FIPS code | 33-30820 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0873609 |
| Website | http://www.townofgrafton.com/ |
Grafton is a town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,340 at the 2010 census.[1]
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Originally granted in 1761, and re-granted in 1769, Grafton, like the county it resides in, takes its name from Augustus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton, a relative of colonial governor Benning Wentworth. Grafton was incorporated in 1778.
Since 2004, Grafton has become a center for members of the Free State Project.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 42.6 square miles (110.3 km2), of which 41.7 square miles (108.0 km2) is land and 0.9 square miles (2.3 km2) is water, comprising 2.19% of the town.[2] The highest point in Grafton is the summit of Melvin Mountain, at 2,177 feet (664 m) above sea level. Grafton Pond is in the western part of town. Grafton lies mostly within the Merrimack River watershed, though the western edge of town is in the Connecticut River watershed.[3]
As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 1,138 people, 455 households, and 306 families residing in the town. The population density was 27.2 people per square mile (10.5/km²). There were 698 housing units at an average density of 16.7 per square mile (6.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.98% White, 0.26% African American, 0.35% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 0.09% from other races, and 1.05% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.53% of the population.
There were 455 households out of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.9% were married couples living together, 4.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.7% were non-families. 25.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.0% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 26.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 111.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $38,654, and the median income for a family was $41,875. Males had a median income of $30,074 versus $23,750 for females. The per capita income for the town was $16,944. About 4.2% of families and 7.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.0% of those under age 18 and 4.1% of those age 65 or over.
Grafton was the focus of the Free Town Project, a movement that sought to encourage libertarians to move to the town. Despite the fact that the project has become defunct after controversy[5] between organizers and local residents, many libertarians continue to move as part of the overall Free State Project. Since then, Grafton has become a center of libertarian activism with a strong focus on homesteading, marijuana legalization and agorism.[6]
According to a local activists' website,[7] Grafton's appeal as a favorable destination for libertarian-leaning activists is partially due to its absence of zoning laws and very low property tax.[8]
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