Editing Epsom, New Hampshire

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Epsom, New Hampshire
|nickname                 =
|motto                    =
|image_skyline            = Epsom Town Hall, Epsom NH.jpg
|image_seal               = Epsom Town Seal.png
|imagesize                =
|image_caption            = Epsom Town Hall, listed on the [[New Hampshire State Register of Historic Places]]
|image_flag               =
|image_map                = Merrimack County New Hampshire incorporated and unincorporated areas Epsom highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 300px
|map_caption              = Location in [[Merrimack County, New Hampshire|Merrimack County]] and the state of [[New Hampshire]]
|settlement_type          = [[New England town|Town]]
|image_map1               =
|mapsize1                 =
|map_caption1             =
|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        = [[Merrimack County, New Hampshire|Merrimack]]
| parts_type              = Villages
| parts                   = {{ubl|Epsom|Gossville|Short Falls}}
|government_type          =
|leader_title             = [[Board of Selectmen]]
|leader_name              = {{ubl|Cheryl Gilpatrick, Chair|Virginia Drew|Meadow Wysocki}}
|established_title        = [[Incorporation (municipal government)|Incorporated]]
|established_date         = 1727
|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 14, 2021}}</ref>
|area_total_km2           = 89.65
|area_total_sq_mi         = 
|area_land_km2            = 89.14
|area_land_sq_mi          = 
|area_water_km2           = 0.51
|area_water_sq_mi         = 
|area_water_percent       = 0.57
|population_as_of         = 2020
|population_footnotes     = <ref name="Census 2020">{{Cite web| url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=&g=0600000US3301324900&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P1| title=Epsom town, Merrimack County, New Hampshire: 2020 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171)| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| access-date=December 14, 2021}}</ref>
|population_total         = 4834
|population_density_km2   = 54.2
|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|13|21|N|71|19|57|W|region:US-NH|display=inline,title}}
|elevation_m              = 123
|elevation_ft             = 404
|website                  = {{URL|www.epsomnh.org}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 03234
|area_code                = [[Area code 603|603]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 33-24900
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 0873592
|footnotes                =
}}

'''Epsom''' is a [[New England town|town]] in [[Merrimack County, New Hampshire]], United States. The population was 4,834 at the 2020 census.<ref name="Census 2020"/>

==History==
Incorporated in 1727, Epsom takes its name from [[Epsom]] in [[Surrey]], England.<ref>{{cite book| url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ| title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States| publisher=Govt. Print. Off.| author=Gannett, Henry| year=1905| pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ/page/n119 120]}}</ref> Although dotted with several small mountains, the land was suitable for [[grazing]] and growing [[grain]]. By 1859, when the town's population was 1,366, it had two [[gristmill]]s and two [[sawmill]]s.<ref name=Coolidge>{{Cite book| last = Coolidge| first = Austin J.| author2=John B. Mansfield| title = A History and Description of New England| publisher = A.J. Coolidge| year = 1859| location = Boston, Massachusetts| pages = [https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_OcoMAAAAYAAJ/page/n526 486]–487| url = https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_OcoMAAAAYAAJ| quote = coolidge mansfield history description new england 1859.}}</ref>

==Geography==
Epsom is in central [[New Hampshire]], in the eastern part of Merrimack County. The eastern border of the town is the [[Rockingham County, New Hampshire|Rockingham County]] line. [[Concord, New Hampshire|Concord]], the state capital, is {{convert|11|mi|0}} to the west by [[U.S. Route 4]], while the same highway leads east {{convert|34|mi}} to [[Portsmouth, New Hampshire|Portsmouth]] on New Hampshire's seacoast.

According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the town of Epsom has a total area of {{convert|89.7|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|89.1|sqkm|order=flip}} are land and {{convert|0.5|sqkm|order=flip|1}} are water, comprising 0.57% of the town.<ref name="CenPopGazetteer2021"/> The town is drained by the [[Suncook River]] and its tributary, the [[Little Suncook River]]. Epsom lies fully within the [[Merrimack River]] [[Drainage basin|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> The highest point in Epsom is the summit of Fort Mountain, at {{convert|1413|ft|m}} above [[sea level]], in the eastern part of town. Other small summits in town include McCoy Mountain ({{convert|1270|ft|m|abbr=on|disp=or}}) and Nats Mountain ({{convert|1180|ft|m|abbr=on|disp=or}}).

=== Adjacent municipalities ===
* [[Pittsfield, New Hampshire|Pittsfield]] (north)
* [[Northwood, New Hampshire|Northwood]] (northeast)
* [[Deerfield, New Hampshire|Deerfield]] (east)
* [[Allenstown, New Hampshire|Allenstown]] (south)
* [[Pembroke, New Hampshire|Pembroke]] (southwest)
* [[Chichester, New Hampshire|Chichester]] (west)

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1790= 799
|1800= 1034
|1810= 1156
|1820= 1336
|1830= 1408
|1840= 1205
|1850= 1366
|1860= 1216
|1870= 993
|1880= 909
|1890= 815
|1900= 771
|1910= 725
|1920= 655
|1930= 678
|1940= 797
|1950= 756
|1960= 1002
|1970= 1469
|1980= 2743
|1990= 3591
|2000= 4021
|2010= 4566
|2020= 4834
|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>
}}
As of the [[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> of 2000, there were 4,021 people, 1,491 households, and 1,103 families residing in the town.  The population density was {{convert|117.7|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 1,592 housing units at an average density of {{convert|46.6|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the town was 98.63% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.10% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.10% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.32% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.10% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.75% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.45% of the population.

There were 1,491 households, out of which 34.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.0% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 6.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.0% were non-families. 19.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.5% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 30.9% from 25 to 44, 25.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.1 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.8 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $50,685, and the median income for a family was $56,875. Males had a median income of $40,995 versus $27,106 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $22,026.  About 1.9% of families and 3.1% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 3.4% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.

==Transportation==
Three [[List of state routes in New Hampshire|New Hampshire state route]]s and two [[United States Numbered Highway System|U.S. route]]s cross Epsom.

*[[New Hampshire Route 9|NH 9]], [[U.S. Route 4 in New Hampshire|U.S. Route 4]], and [[U.S. Route 202 in New Hampshire|U.S. Route 202]] run concurrently through town, connecting Chichester in the west to Northwood in the east. It is known locally as Dover Road.
*[[New Hampshire Route 28|NH 28]] crosses the western side of town, roughly paralleling the Suncook River, connecting Pembroke to Chichester along Suncook Valley Road.
*[[New Hampshire Route 107|NH 107]] enters from Deerfield at the eastern edge of town in the vicinity of [[Northwood Lake]], and joins NH 9, US 4, and US 202 to form a four-way concurrency before entering Northwood. It follows North Road before joining the other routes.

== Notable people ==
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* [[John Dolbeer]] (1827–1902), inventor, entrepreneur
* [[Noah Martin]] (1801–1863), doctor; 30th [[List of Governors of New Hampshire|governor of New Hampshire]]
* [[Andrew McClary]] (1730–1775), highest-ranking officer to fall in the [[Battle of Bunker Hill]]; [[Fort McClary]] in [[Kittery, Maine]], is named in his honor<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.usgennet.org/usa/nh/town/epsom/history/McClary.htm|title=Major Andrew McClary|website=www.usgennet.org|access-date=December 16, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mainetrailfinder.com/trails/trail/fort-mcclary-state-historic-site|title=Fort McClary State Historic Site|website=Maine Trail Finder|language=en|access-date=December 16, 2019}}</ref>
* [[John B. Sanborn]] (1826–1904), lawyer and Civil War-era brigadier general; state representative in [[Minnesota]]
* [[Walter Henry Sanborn]] (1845–1928), U.S. federal judge

==In popular culture==
Epsom was the town where Leo Rockway (known initially as "Joe") in Stephen King's ''[[The Stand]]'' was from.

==References==

{{portal|New Hampshire}}
{{commons category}}
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|www.epsomnh.org}}
* [https://www.epsomlibrary.com/ Epsom Public Library]
* [http://www.epsomhistory.com Epsom Historical Association]
* [https://www.nhes.nh.gov/elmi/products/cp/profiles-htm/epsom.htm New Hampshire Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau Profile]

{{Geographic location
 | Centre = Epsom
 | North = [[Pittsfield, New Hampshire|Pittsfield]]
 | Northeast = [[Northwood, New Hampshire|Northwood]]
 | East = [[Northwood, New Hampshire|Northwood]]
 | Southeast = [[Deerfield, New Hampshire|Deerfield]]
 | South = [[Allenstown, New Hampshire|Allenstown]]
 | Southwest = [[Pembroke, New Hampshire|Pembroke]]
 | West = [[Chichester, New Hampshire|Chichester]]
 | Northwest = [[Chichester, New Hampshire|Chichester]]
}}

{{Merrimack County, New Hampshire}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Epsom, New Hampshire| ]]
[[Category:Towns in Merrimack County, New Hampshire]]
[[Category:Towns in New Hampshire]]