Greenfield is a

town A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an o ...

in Hillsborough County,

New Hampshire New Hampshire is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...

, United States. The population was 1,716 at the 2020 census. Greenfield is home to the

Crotched Mountain Rehabilitation Center Crotched Mountain Rehabilitation Center is located in Greenfield, New Hampshire, United States. It began as a rehabilitation center for children with polio and over the years has evolved into one of New Hampshire's largest human services organizat ...

, to Greenfield State Park, and to part of the

Wapack Trail The Wapack Trail is one of the oldest public, interstate hiking trails in the United States. Opened in 1923, it follows the Wapack Range north-south for , between Mount Watatic in Ashburnham, Massachusetts, and North Pack Monadnock mountain in G ...

History

Originally known as " Lyndeborough Addition", the area was first settled by the Lynde family in 1753. Separated from the nearest church and school by the Monadnock hills, the residents successfully petitioned to form a new town in 1791, using the name "Greenfield" to highlight the area's level, fertile ground. In 1953, the

began operation in Greenfield. Established by Harry Gregg, the facility on Crotched Mountain originally treated for

polio Poliomyelitis, commonly shortened to polio, is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. Approximately 70% of cases are asymptomatic; mild symptoms which can occur include sore throat and fever; in a proportion of cases more severe sy ...

cerebral palsy Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of movement disorders that appear in early childhood. Signs and symptoms vary among people and over time, but include poor coordination, stiff muscles, weak muscles, and tremors. There may be problems with sens ...

spina bifida Spina bifida (Latin for 'split spine'; SB) is a birth defect in which there is incomplete closing of the spine and the membranes around the spinal cord during early development in pregnancy. There are three main types: spina bifida occulta, men ...

and other physical and neurological disabilities. A center for adult rehabilitation opened in 1961, and a rehabilitation center for adults with brain injuries in 1986. The complex today provides service to over 2,000 children and adults. In 2004, it unveiled the first wheelchair-accessible tree house in

. Greenfield is home to the Yankee Siege, considered the most powerful (current)

trebuchet A trebuchet (french: trébuchet) is a type of catapult that uses a long arm to throw a projectile. It was a common powerful siege engine until the advent of gunpowder. The design of a trebuchet allows it to launch projectiles of greater weight ...

in the world, which has participated in the annual World Championship Punkin' Chunkin' Contest in

Sussex County, Delaware Sussex County is located in the southern part of the U.S. state of Delaware, on the Delmarva Peninsula. As of the 2020 census, the population was 237,378. The county seat is Georgetown. The first European settlement in the state of Delaware ...

, since 2004. The farthest official toss is as of 2008, although there are unofficial reports of throws as of 2009. Bird's-eye View, Greenfield, NH.jpg, Bird's-eye view in 1907 Harvesting Ice, Zephyr Lake.jpg, Harvesting ice Graveyard in Greenfield, New Hampshire.jpg, Town graveyard Bennington Road, Greenfield, NH.jpg, Bennington Road Hancock-Greenfield Bridge, Spanning Contoocook River, Forest Road (formerly O, Hancock (Hillsborough County, New Hampshire).jpg, Old Hancock-Greenfield Bridge

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...

, the town has a total area of , of which are land and are water, comprising 2.04% of the town. The southeast part of Greenfield is drained by Stony Brook, flowing southeast to the

Souhegan River The Souhegan River is a tributary of the Merrimack River in the northeastern United States. It is long, with a drainage area of , and flows north and east through southern New Hampshire to the Merrimack River. The river begins in New Ipswich, Ne ...

in Wilton, while the western part, including the town center, is drained by the

Contoocook River The Contoocook River () is a river in New Hampshire. It flows from Contoocook Lake on the Jaffrey/ Rindge border to Penacook (just north of Concord), where it empties into the Merrimack River. It is one of only a few rivers in New Hampshire th ...

and its tributary Otter Brook; the Contoocook forms the northwest border of the town, where it passes through

Powder Mill Pond Powder Mill Pond is a impoundment on the Contoocook River in Hillsborough County in southern New Hampshire, United States. The pond's dam is located in the town of Bennington, with water impounded into the towns of Hancock and Greenfield. The ...

. The northeast corner of the town is drained by Rand Brook, a tributary of the South Branch of the Piscataquog River. Greenfield lies fully within the

Merrimack River The Merrimack River (or Merrimac River, an occasional earlier spelling) is a river in the northeastern United States. It rises at the confluence of the Pemigewasset and Winnipesaukee rivers in Franklin, New Hampshire, flows southward into Mas ...

watershed Watershed is a hydrological term, which has been adopted in other fields in a more or less figurative sense. It may refer to: Hydrology * Drainage divide, the line that separates neighbouring drainage basins * Drainage basin, called a "watershe ...

. North Pack Monadnock, elevation above

sea level Mean sea level (MSL, often shortened to sea level) is an average surface level of one or more among Earth's coastal bodies of water from which heights such as elevation may be measured. The global MSL is a type of vertical datuma standardis ...

, is the northernmost summit of the

Wapack Range The Wapack Range, sometimes referred to as the Pack Monadnock Range, is a range of mountains in south-central New Hampshire and adjacent Massachusetts, in the northeastern United States. The range is considered very scenic and rugged with many ba ...

and the highest point in Greenfield, located in the extreme south part of the town.

Adjacent municipalities

Bennington, New Hampshire Bennington is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,501 at the 2020 census. The main village of the town, where 338 people resided at the 2020 census, is defined as the Bennington census-designated pla ...

(north) *

Francestown, New Hampshire Francestown is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,610 at the 2020 census. The village of Francestown, population 201 in 2020, is in the center of the town. History Incorporated in 1772, Francestow ...

(northeast) *

Lyndeborough, New Hampshire Lyndeborough is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,702 at the 2020 census. History Originally granted by the Massachusetts General Court to veterans from Salem, Massachusetts, of New England's f ...

(east) * Temple, New Hampshire (south) *

Peterborough, New Hampshire Peterborough is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 6,418 at the 2020 census. The main village, with 3,090 people at the 2020 census, is defined as the Peterborough census-designated place (CDP) an ...

(southwest) *

Hancock, New Hampshire Hancock is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,731 at the 2020 census. Hancock is home to the Welch Family Farm Forest. The main village of the town, where 213 people resided at the 2020 census, is de ...

(west)

Demographics

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...

of 2000, there were 1,657 people, 563 households, and 405 families residing in the town. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...

was 65.1 people per square mile (25.1/km²). There were 640 housing units at an average density of 25.1 per square mile (9.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.28%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...

, 0.72%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.84% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.48% from other races, and 0.42% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race were 0.60% of the population. There were 563 households, out of which 38.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.0% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...

living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.9% were non-families. 19.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.12. In the town, the population was spread out, with 30.8% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 32.1% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 7.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.9 males. The median income for a household in the town was $48,833, and the median income for a family was $56,250. Males had a median income of $36,250 versus $24,438 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the town was $19,895. About 2.4% of families and 5.4% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 6.9% of those under age 18 and 8.5% of those age 65 or over.

References

External links

*
New Hampshire Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau Profile
{{authority control Towns in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire Towns in New Hampshire