Editing Deerfield, New Hampshire

{{Short description|Town in New Hampshire, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Deerfield, New Hampshire
|nickname                 =
|motto                    =
|image_skyline            = Deerfield Town Offices, Deerfield NH.jpg
|image_seal               = Deerfield Town Seal.png
|imagesize                =
|image_caption            = Town hall
|image_flag               =
|image_map                = Rockingham County New Hampshire incorporated and unincorporated areas Deerfield highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 260px
|map_caption              = Location in [[Rockingham County, New Hampshire|Rockingham County]] and the state of [[New Hampshire]].
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[New Hampshire]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in New Hampshire|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Rockingham County, New Hampshire|Rockingham]]
| parts_type              = Villages
| parts                   = {{ubl|Deerfield|Deerfield Center|Deerfield Parade|South Deerfield}}
|government_type          =
|leader_title             = [[Board of Selectmen]]
|leader_name              = {{ubl|Frederick&nbsp;J.&nbsp;McGarry,&nbsp;Chair|Richard W. Pitman|Alden Dill|Steve Barry|William Huebner}}
|leader_title1            = Town Administrator
|leader_name1             = Karen Clement
|established_title        = [[Incorporation (municipal government)|Incorporated]]
|established_date         = 1766
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2021">{{cite web |title=2021 U.S. Gazetteer Files – New Hampshire |url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2021_Gazetteer/2021_gaz_cousubs_33.txt |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=December 20, 2021}}</ref>
|area_total_km2           = 134.93
|area_total_sq_mi         = 
|area_land_km2            = 131.46
|area_land_sq_mi          = 
|area_water_km2           = 3.47
|area_water_sq_mi         = 
|area_water_percent       = 2.57
|population_as_of         = 2020
|population_footnotes     = <ref name="Census 2020">{{Cite web| url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=&g=0600000US3301517460&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P1| title=Deerfield town, Rockingham County, New Hampshire: 2020 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171)| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| access-date=December 20, 2021}}</ref>
|population_total         = 4855
|population_density_km2   = 36.9
|population_density_sq_mi = 
|timezone                 = [[Eastern Standard Time Zone|Eastern]]
|utc_offset               = -5
|timezone_DST             = [[Eastern Daylight Time Zone|Eastern]]
|utc_offset_DST           = -4
|coordinates              = {{coord|43|08|46|N|71|12|59|W|region:US-NH|display=inline,title}}
|elevation_m              = 
|elevation_ft             = 515
|website                  = {{URL|www.townofdeerfieldnh.com}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 03037
|area_code                = [[Area code 603|603]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 33-17460
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 0873576
|footnotes                =
}}
'''Deerfield''' is a [[New England town|town]] in [[Rockingham County, New Hampshire]], United States. The population was 4,855 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]],<ref name="Census 2020"/> up from 4,280 in [[2010 United States census|2010]]. Deerfield is the location of the annual Deerfield Fair.

== Public Safety ==
Deerfield is served by a full-time police department and volunteer fire department. Deerfield's ambulance service is provided Raymond Ambulance, Inc. out of Raymond. The town's emergency services are dispatched by the Rockingham County Sheriff's Office Dispatch Center.

Deerfield falls within Troop A of the [[New Hampshire State Police]].

== History ==
Deerfield was originally part of [[Nottingham, New Hampshire|Nottingham]]. In 1756, residents petitioned for organization of a separate parish, but were denied. In 1765, while a second petition was pending, two local hunters presented colonial governor [[Benning Wentworth]] with a [[deer]]. Permission was granted, and "Deerfield" was incorporated in 1766. The incorporation act for Deerfield was signed by three members of the Leavitt family, including [[Samuel Leavitt|Capt. Samuel Leavitt]] who later was one of the town's first selectmen. Leavitts Hill in Deerfield was named for the family, who had first settled in nearby [[Exeter, New Hampshire|Exeter]].<ref>[https://archive.today/20120709074603/http://history.rays-place.com/nh/deerfield-nh.htm "History of Deerfield, History of Rockingham and Strafford Counties", D. Hamilton Hurd, 1882]<br>- [https://archive.org/details/genealogicaland00chicgoog/page/n255 <!-- pg=1681 quote="samuel leavitt". --> Genealogical and Family History of the State of New Hampshire, Ezra Scollay Stearns, 1908]</ref>

"Deerfield Parade", a hilltop district first settled ''circa'' 1740, was located on the early postal route between [[Concord, New Hampshire|Concord]] and [[Portsmouth, New Hampshire|Portsmouth]]. Here, the [[militia]] of the [[American Revolutionary War|Revolutionary]] and [[American Civil War|Civil]] wars trained and "paraded" on the village [[Common land|common]]. The "Parade" was then a professional, cultural and trade center. About 1798, citizens founded Deerfield Academy, a high school. It burned in 1842.

Once a thriving farm community which was disappointed when bypassed by [[railroad]]s, the town in 1876 established the Deerfield Fair. Now billed as "New England's Oldest Family Fair", the four-day event draws huge crowds each autumn to admire animals, produce and crafts, or to enjoy [[amusement park]] rides.

== Geography ==
Deerfield is in southeastern [[New Hampshire]], on the western side of Rockingham County. The town's western border is the [[Merrimack County, New Hampshire|Merrimack County]] line. The highest point in Deerfield as well as in Rockingham County is the summit of Nottingham Mountain, at {{convert|1345|ft|m}} above [[sea level]], near the town's western border. Portions of the Pawtuckaway Mountains, including a small portion of [[Pawtuckaway State Park]], are along the eastern border of the town. A part of [[Bear Brook State Park]], including the campground area at Spruce Pond and Beaver Pond, is in the southwestern corner of the town.

According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|134.9|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|131.5|sqkm|order=flip}} are land and {{convert|3.5|sqkm|order=flip}} are water, comprising 2.57% of the town.<ref name="CenPopGazetteer2021"/> Deerfield is primarily drained by the [[Lamprey River]] and its tributary the [[North Branch River]], within the [[Piscataqua River]] (Coastal) [[Drainage basin|watershed]], while the western edge and northernmost section of town is in the [[Merrimack River]] watershed.<ref name=watershed>{{cite book |title=Water Use in New Hampshire: An Activities Guide for Teachers |url=http://nh.water.usgs.gov/Publications/nh.intro.html |last=Foster |first=Debra H. |author2=Batorfalvy, Tatianna N. |author3= Medalie, Laura  |publisher=U.S. Department of the Interior and U.S. Geological Survey |year=1995}}</ref>

===Adjacent municipalities===
* [[Northwood, New Hampshire|Northwood]], New Hampshire (north)
* [[Nottingham, New Hampshire|Nottingham]], New Hampshire (east)
* [[Raymond, New Hampshire|Raymond]], New Hampshire (southeast)
* [[Candia, New Hampshire|Candia]], New Hampshire (south)
* [[Allenstown, New Hampshire|Allenstown]], New Hampshire (west)
* [[Epsom, New Hampshire|Epsom]], New Hampshire (northwest)

== Demographics ==
{{US Census population
|1790= 1619
|1800= 1878
|1810= 1851
|1820= 2133
|1830= 2086
|1840= 1953
|1850= 2022
|1860= 2066
|1870= 1768
|1880= 1569
|1890= 1220
|1900= 1162
|1910= 917
|1920= 746
|1930= 635
|1940= 749
|1950= 706
|1960= 714
|1970= 1178
|1980= 1979
|1990= 3124
|2000= 3678
|2010= 4280
|2020= 4855
|estyear=
|estimate=
|estref=
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="Census 2020"/><ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html |title=Census of Population and Housing |publisher=Census.gov |access-date=June 4, 2016 }}</ref>
}}
[[Image:DeerfieldNH CenterChurch.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Deerfield Community Church, near the town center]]
At the 2000 [[census]],<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> there were 3,678 people, 1,225 households and 986 families residing in the town. The [[population density]] was {{convert|72.2|/sqmi}}. There were 1,406 housing units at an average density of {{convert|27.6|/sqmi}}. The racial make-up was 98.53% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.16% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.14% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.14% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.22% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]] and 0.82% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.30% of the population.

There were 1,225 households, of which 43.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.0% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 5.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.5% were non-families. 12.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.98 and the average family size was 3.27.

Age distribution was 30.0% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 33.0% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 6.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.1 males.

The [[median household income]] was $61,367 and the median family income was $64,737. Males had a median income of $40,568 and females $30,682. The [[per capita income]] was $24,160. About 1.3% of families and 3.2% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 1.0% of those under age 18 and 10.4% of those age 65 or over.

In 2022, the [[median household income]] was $119,375.00.{{cite web |url=https://www.des.nh.gov/sites/g/files/ehbemt341/files/documents/2020-01/mhi-table.pdf|publisher=[[State of NH]] |access-date=July 15, 2024 |title=SRF Annual Median Household Income }}

== Transportation ==
Two [[List of state routes in New Hampshire|New Hampshire state route]]s cross Deerfield.

*[[New Hampshire Route 43|NH 43]] connects Candia in the south and Northwood in the north. It follows Old Candia Road, South Road, Stage Road, Raymond Road, North Road, and Mountain View Road, and has a concurrency with NH 107 along Raymond and North Roads.
*[[New Hampshire Route 107|NH 107]] connects Raymond in the south and Epsom in the north. It follows Raymond Road and North Road, and has a concurrency with NH 43 through the central part of town.

== Education ==

There is one public school in Deerfield, the Deerfield Community School on North Road, which serves students in grades Pre-K–8. The current{{when|date=January 2021}} principal is Kristen Withee. Deerfield Community School was opened in 1990 and replaced the George B. White School. The George B. White Building is now commercial space and houses, among other things, the town offices and the police department. Deerfield students have attended various local high schools over the years, as there is no high school in the town. Starting with the DCS graduating class of 1995, the town has sent students graduating from Deerfield Community School to [[Concord High School (New Hampshire)|Concord High School]]. Other options have included [[Coe-Brown Northwood Academy]] in Northwood, [[Manchester Central High School|Central High School]] in Manchester, [[Manchester High School West|West High School]] in Manchester, [[Pembroke Academy]] in Pembroke, and [[Oyster River High School]] in Durham. The students graduating from Deerfield community school still continue to go to Concord high unless given opportunities to go to other schools.

== Notable organizations ==
* Troop 138 of the [[Boy Scouts of America]]
* [[American Legion]]
* [https://deerfieldnhpolicedepartment.squarespace.com/ Deerfield Police Department]

== Notable people ==
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* [[Benjamin Butler|Benjamin Franklin Butler]] (1818–1893), Civil War era general; U.S. congressman and 33rd [[List of Governors of Massachusetts|governor of Massachusetts]]<ref>{{cite web|url= http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=B001174|title= BUTLER, Benjamin Franklin, (1818 - 1893)|publisher= Biographical Directory of the United States Congress|access-date= November 20, 2013}}</ref>
* [[Josiah Butler]] (1779–1854), U.S. congressman
* [[Julia Knowlton Dyer]] (1829–1927), philanthropist
* [[Lorenzo D. Harvey]] (1848–1922), [[Superintendent of Public Instruction of Wisconsin]] in the late 1880s and early 1900s<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/dictionary/index.asp?action=view&term_id=2288&term_type_id=1&term_type_text=people&letter=H|title=Term: Harvey, Lorenzo Dow 1848 - 1922|publisher=Wisconsin Historical Society|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060721042448/http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/dictionary/index.asp?action=view&term_id=2288&term_type_id=1&term_type_text=people&letter=H|archive-date=July 21, 2006|access-date=November 19, 2013}}</ref>
* [[Benning Wentworth Jenness]] (1806–1879), U.S. senator
* [[Mary Stuart James MacMurphy]] (1846–1934), teacher, lecturer, clubwoman, author
* [[Jon Schillaci]] (born 1971), convicted rapist, [[FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives|FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitive]]
* [[John Simpson (soldier)|Major John Simpson]] (1748–1825), Revolutionary War soldier; considered one of several men to fire first at the [[Battle of Bunker Hill]]
* [[Nathaniel Upham]] (1774–1829), U.S. congressman

== See also ==

{{portal|New Hampshire}}
{{commons category}}
* [[Deerfield Center Historic District]]
* [[Old Deerfield Center Historic District]]

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
* {{Official website|www.townofdeerfieldnh.com}}
* [https://dcs.sau53.org/ Deerfield Community School]
* [https://www.deerfieldfair.com/ Deerfield Fair]
* [https://philbrickjameslibrary.org Philbrick-James Library]
* [https://www.nhes.nh.gov/elmi/products/cp/profiles-htm/deerfield.htm New Hampshire Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau Profile]
* [http://www.forumhome.org ''The Forum''], all-volunteer local online newspaper

{{Geographic location
 | Centre    = Deerfield
 | North     = [[Northwood, New Hampshire|Northwood]]
 | Northeast = [[Nottingham, New Hampshire|Nottingham]]
 | East      = [[Nottingham, New Hampshire|Nottingham]]
 | Southeast = [[Raymond, New Hampshire|Raymond]]
 | South     = [[Candia, New Hampshire|Candia]]
 | Southwest = [[Hooksett, New Hampshire|Hooksett]]
 | West      = [[Allenstown, New Hampshire|Allenstown]]
 | Northwest = [[Epsom, New Hampshire|Epsom]]
}}
{{Rockingham County, New Hampshire}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Deerfield, New Hampshire| ]]
[[Category:Towns in Rockingham County, New Hampshire]]
[[Category:Towns in New Hampshire]]