Greenfield is a

town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...

in Hillsborough County,

New Hampshire New Hampshire ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders 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, to Greenfield State Park, and to part of the Wapack Trail.

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 Crotched Mountain Rehabilitation Center 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 75% of cases are asymptomatic; mild symptoms which can occur include sore throat and fever; in a proportion of cases more severe ...

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, spasticity, stiff muscles, Paresis, weak muscles, and tremors. There may b ...

spina bifida Spina bifida (SB; ; Latin for 'split spine') is a birth defect in which there is incomplete closing of the vertebral column, spine and the meninges, membranes around the spinal cord during embryonic development, early development in pregnancy. T ...

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

Sussex County, Delaware Sussex County is a county 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, making it the state's second most populated county behind New Castle and ahead of Ke ...

, 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, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the town has a total area of , of which are land and are water, comprising 2.04% of the town. The southeastern part of Greenfield is drained by Stony Brook, flowing southeast to the Souhegan River in Wilton, while the western part, including the town center, is drained by the Contoocook River and its tributary Otter Brook; the Contoocook forms the northwestern border of the town, where it passes through Powder Mill Pond. The northeastern 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 M ...

watershed. North Pack Monadnock, elevation above

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

, is the northernmost summit of the Wapack Range and the highest point in Greenfield, located in the extreme southern part of the town.

Adjacent municipalities

* Bennington, New Hampshire (north) *

Francestown, New Hampshire Francestown is a New England town, town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,610 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The village of Francestown (CDP), New Hampshi ...

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

Peterborough, New Hampshire Peterborough is a New England town, town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 6,418 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The main village, with 3,090 people at the ...

(southwest) * Hancock, New Hampshire (west)

Demographics

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2000, there were 1,657 people, 563 households, and 405 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 640 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 97.28%

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

, 0.72%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

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

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

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 recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

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 average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

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