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Concord station (New Hampshire)

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Concord
City
CountryUnited States
StateNew Hampshire
CountyMerrimack
Settled1659
Incorporated (as Rumford)1734
Renamed Concord1765
Incorporated (city)Not specified
Area
 • Total
Template:Infobox settlement/areadisp
 • LandTemplate:Infobox settlement/areadisp
 • WaterTemplate:Infobox settlement/areadisp
Elevation
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Population
 (2020)
 • Total
43,976
 • DensityTemplate:Infobox settlement/densdisp
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Area code603
Websiteconcordnh.gov

Concord () serves as the capital city of New Hampshire and acts as the administrative center of Merrimack County. According to the 2020 United States census, its population reached 43,976, ranking it as the third-largest city in New Hampshire after Manchester and Nashua.

Originally settled in 1659, the area was first designated as the Plantation of Penacook in 1725 before being incorporated under the name Town of Rumford in 1734. In 1765, Governor Benning Wentworth changed its name to Concord to represent unity following a territorial dispute with Bow. The city was officially named the state capital in 1808, with the completion of the New Hampshire State House in 1819; this structure remains the oldest state capitol building in the United States where legislative sessions continue to be held in their original chambers.

Situated entirely within the Merrimack River watershed, Concord’s core is centered along this river, which flows from northwest to southeast through the city. Its eastern border is defined by the Soucook River, which separates it from Pembroke. The municipality encompasses downtown areas and four distinct villages: Penacook, Concord Heights, East Concord, and West Concord. Penacook lies along the Contoocook River, near where it joins the Merrimack.

The State of New Hampshire stands as Concord’s largest employer, while Concord Hospital holds the position of the biggest private employer. The city is home to important educational institutions such as the University of New Hampshire School of Law, which is New Hampshire’s sole law school; St. Paul's School, a private preparatory academy; and NHTI, a two-year community college. Additionally, Concord hosts both the New Hampshire Police Academy and Fire Academy. The city’s Old North Cemetery is historically significant as the final resting place of Franklin Pierce, the nation’s 14th President.

Transportation options include access via Interstate 89 and Interstate 93, with general aviation services provided by Concord Municipal Airport. The closest commercial airport is Manchester–Boston Regional Airport, located roughly south of Concord. Passenger rail service ceased in 1981; historically, rail connections were provided by the Boston and Maine Railroad.

History

The region now called Concord was originally inhabited by the Abenaki people known as the Pennacook, who relied on the Merrimack River for fishing and travel. European settlers arrived in 1659, establishing Penacook—named for the river’s winding bends. In 1725, this land was granted by the Province of Massachusetts Bay as the Plantation of Penacook and soon settled by Captain Ebenezer Eastman alongside others from Massachusetts. Incorporated under the name "Rumford" in 1734, it was renamed "Concord" in 1765 to reflect reconciliation after a boundary conflict with neighboring Bow.

Concord’s advantageous location spurred development through the 18th century. After improvements to river navigation were completed in 1807, it was designated New Hampshire’s capital in 1808. The New Hampshire State House, finished in 1819, is still notable as the oldest state capitol building where legislative chambers remain active. The city became Merrimack County’s seat in 1823, with a courthouse constructed in 1857.

In the early 1800s, Concord’s economy revolved around furniture production, printing industries, and granite quarrying—its granite featured prominently in landmark structures like the State House and the Library of Congress. In 1828, Lewis Downing and J. Stephens Abbot founded Abbot and Downing, manufacturers of the famous Concord coach, which played a significant role in local industry growth and westward expansion. The city also developed railroad links and textile mills powered by water from the Contoocook River.

Concord became a center for healthcare with establishment of New Hampshire State Hospital in 1842—one of America’s earliest psychiatric facilities—and later Concord Hospital (originally Margaret Pillsbury General Hospital) in 1891, marking it as the state’s first general hospital.

During the twentieth century, as railroad and textile sectors declined, Concord evolved into a political hub due to New Hampshire’s first-in-the-nation presidential primary. The city also embraced its aerospace legacy with the opening of the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center in 1990, honoring astronaut Alan Shepard and teacher Christa McAuliffe from Concord High School.

Currently, Concord continues to serve as a prominent center for politics, legal affairs, healthcare services, and insurance industries.

Geography

Concord is situated in the south-central region of New Hampshire at coordinates (43.2070, −71.5371). It is positioned northward of the Massachusetts state line, westward of Maine, eastward of Vermont, and lies south of the Canadian border near Pittsburg.

The city encompasses a total area of , consisting of land and water, which accounts for 4.81% of its area. The Merrimack River traverses the city, with Penacook Lake—the largest lake and primary water supply—located to the west. Oak Hill, near Loudon, stands as the city's highest elevation at .

Entirely within the Merrimack River basin, Concord is centered along this river flowing from northwest to southeast. The downtown district rests on a terrace west of the river, with residential neighborhoods spreading westward and southward toward Bow. On the river’s eastern side, Concord Heights—a level sandy plateau atop a bluff—has been the focal point for most commercial expansion since the 1960s. The city's eastern border with Pembroke follows the course of the Soucook River, a tributary feeding into the Merrimack. The Turkey River crosses through southwestern Concord, flowing past St. Paul's School before joining the Merrimack in Bow. In northern Concord, the Contoocook River converges with the Merrimack at Penacook village.

Concord lies north of Manchester—the largest city in New Hampshire—and also north of Boston.

Villages

The city includes its central downtown area—comprising North End and South End neighborhoods—and four separate villages: Penacook, Concord Heights, East Concord, and West Concord.

Adjacent municipalities

Climate

Concord experiences a humid continental climate (Köppen classification Dfb), marked by prolonged cold winters with consistent snow cover and warm summers that can be humid at times. Winter temperatures fall below 0°F approximately 15 nights each year, while mild spells with highs above 50°F occur one to three times monthly during winter. Summers bring humid conditions alongside thunderstorms, with an average of 12 days annually exceeding 90°F. The frost-free interval typically spans from mid-May through late September. Average monthly temperatures range from 20.6°F in January to 70.0°F in July. Historical temperature extremes have varied between −37°F (February 1943) and 102°F (July 1966).

Demographics

According to the 2020 census data, Concord had a population of 43,976 residents with a density near 688 individuals per square mile. The racial makeup was predominantly 84.5% White, followed by 4.9% Black or African American, 4.9% Asian, and 1.0% Native American; smaller proportions represented other races. Hispanic or Latino individuals accounted for 4.9% of the population. In 2010, there were 17,592 households: 28.7% included children under age 18; married couples made up 41.3%; and non-family households comprised 42.9%. The average household size was recorded at 2.26 persons; average family size was 2.90.

The median age stood at 39.4 years with a nearly equal gender distribution. Between 2019 and 2023, median household income reached $83,701 while per capita income was $45,420. Approximately 8.7% of residents lived below the poverty threshold.

Concord city – Racial composition
Note: Hispanic/Latino is treated as an ethnic category separate from race.
Race (NH = Non-Hispanic) % 2020 % 2010 % 2000 Pop 2020 Pop 2010 Pop 2000
White alone (NH) 84.5% 90.5% 94.6% 37,155 38,630 38,484
Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans alone (NH) 3.7% 2.1% 1% 1,625 917 398
Native Americans in the United States alone (NH) 0.3% 0.3% 0.3% 116 118 117
"Asian" alone (NH) "4.1%" "3.4%" "1.5%" "1,784" "1,445" "594"

The most frequently reported ancestries recorded in the 2020 census included English (22.5%), Irish (20.1%), French (10.8%), German (9.1%), Italian (7.5%), Scottish (5.9%), French Canadian (3.2%), Polish (2.8%), African American (2.3%), and Swedish (1.7%).

Leading Employers

In 2020, the State of New Hampshire stood as Concord's largest employer, with a workforce exceeding 6,000 individuals. The top private sector employer was Concord Hospital, employing close to 3,000 people. The City's Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for Fiscal Year 2020 identifies the ten largest employers as follows:

# Employer Employees
1 State of New Hampshire 6,069
2 Capital Region Health Care – Concord Hospital 2,998
3 Concord School District 809
4 City of Concord 556
5 Lincoln Financial Group 405
6 Market Basket 405
7 Genesis HealthCare 385
8 NHHEAF Network Organizations 332
9 St. Paul's School 330
10 Merrimack Valley School District 328

Highways

Two primary interstate highways serve Concord: Interstate 89, which provides a northwest route toward Lebanon, New Hampshire and Vermont, and Interstate 93, connecting northward to the White Mountains (New Hampshire) and southward to Manchester, New Hampshire and Boston. These interstates intersect just to the south of the city limits. Additionally, Interstate 393 branches eastward from Concord and merges with U.S. Route 4 en route to the Seacoast area.

Significant thoroughfares include north-south U.S. Route 3, which functions as Main Street; east-west corridors such as U.S. Route 202 and New Hampshire Route 9. State routes like New Hampshire Route 13 and New Hampshire Route 132 provide southwest connections to Goffstown, New Hampshire and run northward parallel to I-93, respectively. Meanwhile, New Hampshire Route 106 crosses Concord’s eastern boundary, linking it with nearby towns including Pembroke, Loudon, Belmont, and Laconia.

Railroads

Historically, Concord served as a pivotal terminal for the Boston and Maine Railroad. The original station was constructed in 1860 and underwent redesign in 1885 by architect Bradford L. Gilbert, situated on Storrs Street where a Burlington now operates. The distinctive brick head house was demolished in 1959 and replaced with a smaller facility. Passenger rail service ceased by 1967, with a brief resumption under MBTA commuter rail from 1980 to 1981. Since then, Concord has lacked regular passenger train service.

In 2021, Amtrak revealed intentions to introduce new rail service connecting Boston and Concord by the year 2035.

Bus

Public transportation within the city is managed by Concord Area Transit (CAT), which runs three routes throughout Concord. Regional bus connections are available through carriers such as Concord Coach Lines and Greyhound Lines, departing from the Concord Transportation Center near Interstate 93 and providing access to destinations including Boston, Littleton, and Berlin.

Other Transportation Modes

General aviation is accommodated at the Concord Municipal Airport, located approximately two miles east of downtown Concord. For commercial air travel, residents typically rely on the nearest major airport, Manchester–Boston Regional Airport, situated about 23 miles south of the city.

Complete Streets Improvement Project

From 2015 to 2016, Concord allocated nearly $12 million toward the "Complete Streets Improvement Project," aiming to upgrade downtown infrastructure, boost accessibility, encourage sustainability, enhance pedestrian and cyclist safety, and drive economic development.

Main Street was transformed by narrowing from four lanes to two lanes with a center turn lane, reallocating space for bike lanes marked with shared lane indicators rather than dedicated protected lanes. The sidewalks were expanded to accommodate more pedestrian space, along with the addition of street trees, benches, public art, and underground power lines to foster a more welcoming urban atmosphere.

To calm traffic, the project introduced angled parking, broader sidewalks, textured medians, vibrant crosswalks, and heated sidewalks utilizing surplus steam from the nearby Concord Steam plant—helping to lower winter upkeep expenses.

Funding was secured through a combination of a $4.71 million USDOT TIGER grant and municipal resources. Although the initial budget estimate stood at $7.85 million, it increased to $14.2 million due to project scope enlargement; after removing some costly elements, the final cost was $1.1 million below budget. The city council decided to set aside the remaining funds for future financial requirements. The design was managed by McFarland Johnson, IBI Group, and Concord's Engineering Department.

Government

Concord city vote
by party in presidential elections
Year Democratic Republican Third Parties
align="center" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2024 align="center" Template:Party shading/Democratic|63.00% 15,216 align="center" Template:Party shading/Republican|35.90% 8,670 align="center" Template:Party shading/Independent|1.11% 267
align="center" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2020 align="center" Template:Party shading/Democratic|64.99% 15,511 align="center" Template:Party shading/Republican|33.45% 7,983 align="center" Template:Party shading/Independent|1.57% 374
align="center" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2016 align="center" Template:Party shading/Democratic|58.09% 12,984 align="center" Template:Party shading/Republican|34.95% 7,812 align="center" Template:Party shading/Independent|6.95% 1,554
Concord city election results from state and federal races
Year Office Results
2010 Senator align="right" Template:Party shading/Democratic |Hodes 50–47%
House align="right" Template:Party shading/Democratic |Kuster 59–38%
Governor align="right" Template:Party shading/Democratic |Lynch 67–30%

Concord functions under a council-manager form of government. The governing body is composed of a mayor plus fourteen council members—ten elected from wards for two-year terms and four at-large members serving four years each. The mayor is chosen directly by voters every two years; as of 2024, Byron Champlin holds this position after securing over 75% of the vote.

According to the city charter, the mayor presides over council meetings but holds limited executive power regarding daily administration, which is overseen by the city manager—currently Thomas J. Aspell Jr. The police department is led by Chief Bradley S. Osgood.

On the state level, Concord belongs to New Hampshire’s 15th Senate District represented by Democrat Becky Whitley since 2020 and falls within the 2nd Executive Council District under Democrat Cinde Warmington’s representation. Federally, it is part of New Hampshire’s 2nd congressional district with Democrat Maggie Goodlander as its congresswoman.

The New Hampshire Department of Corrections operates both the State Prison for Men and Women within Concord.

In presidential elections, Concord has consistently favored Democratic candidates; the last Republican to win here was George H. W. Bush in 1988. Voter participation reached 72.7% during the 2020 general election—higher than the national average but slightly lower than the 76.2% turnout recorded in 2016.

Media

Print Media

Radio Stations

  • WKXL 1450 AM (News and Talk)
  • WNHN-LP 94.7 FM (Jazz, Blues, Progressive Talk formats)
  • WEVO 89.1 FM (Public Radio)
  • WCNH 90.5 FM (Classical Music programming)
  • WJYY 105.5 FM (Top 40 hits)
  • WAKC 102.3 FM (Contemporary Christian music)
  • WICX 102.7 FM (Catholic Radio content)

Concord also receives broadcasts from Manchester area stations. The headquarters of New Hampshire Public Radio is located in the city.

Television

  • WPXG-TV Channel 21 (Ion Television affiliate)
  • Concord TV, a public-access cable television channel

Sites of interest

The New Hampshire State House, crafted by Stuart Park and constructed between 1815 and 1818, stands as the oldest statehouse still used by its legislature in the original chambers. Renovations took place in 1866, with a third floor and west wing added in 1910.

Facing the State House is the historic Eagle Hotel, a downtown icon since 1827. It welcomed U.S. Presidents such as Ulysses S. Grant, Rutherford Hayes, Benjamin Harrison, and Franklin Pierce prior to his inauguration. Distinguished visitors also included Jefferson Davis, Charles Lindbergh, Eleanor Roosevelt, Richard Nixon, and Thomas E. Dewey. The hotel ceased operations in 1961.

Located south of the Eagle Hotel on Main Street is Phenix Hall, which was rebuilt after a fire destroyed the original structure in 1893. Both the original and rebuilt halls featured versatile auditoriums used for political events and theater performances; Abraham Lincoln delivered a speech at the initial hall in 1860, while Theodore Roosevelt spoke at the newer venue in 1912.

Further north along Main Street is the Walker-Woodman House—also referred to as Reverend Timothy Walker House—the oldest two-story residence in Concord, constructed between 1733 and 1735.

At Main Street’s northern terminus stands the Pierce Manse, the home of President Franklin Pierce before and after his term in office. This Greek Revival house from the mid-1830s was relocated in 1971 to avoid demolition.

Beaver Meadow Golf Course, located in northern Concord, ranks among New England’s earliest golf courses. Additional prominent sports facilities include Everett Arena and Memorial Field.

The SNOB (Somewhat North Of Boston) Film Festival began in 2002 to highlight independent cinema and played a role in founding Red River Theatres in 2007—a nonprofit local movie theater named after the classic John Wayne film from 1948.

Other notable cultural venues comprise the Capitol Center for the Arts, the New Hampshire Historical Society which operates two sites in Concord, and the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center, a science museum dedicated to Christa McAuliffe and astronaut Alan Shepard.

Public schools

Most public education in Concord is managed by the Concord School District, except for schools situated in Penacook, which fall under the Merrimack Valley School District that serves northern Concord and adjacent communities. As of Fall 2023, Concord High School—the district's only public high school—had an enrollment near 1,450 students. Rundlett Middle School is the district’s sole middle school with approximately 770 students.

In 2012, elementary education was reorganized: six older schools were consolidated into three new ones—Christa McAuliffe School replaced Kimball and Walker Schools; Abbot-Downing School substituted Conant and Rumford Schools; Mill Brook School now serves kindergarten through second grade alongside Broken Ground Elementary for grades three through five. Beaver Meadow School remained as it was.

Within the Merrimack Valley District are Merrimack Valley High School, Merrimack Valley Middle School, and Penacook Elementary School—all situated near Penacook village.

Private and Charter Educational Institutions

Among private schooling alternatives are parochial institutions such as Bishop Brady High School and Saint John Regional School, alongside Concord Christian Academy, Parker Academy, Trinity Christian School, and Shaker Road School. The distinguished boarding institution, St. Paul's School, is located in the West End area of Concord.

Higher Education Institutions

Concord is home to New Hampshire Technical Institute, the primary community college serving the city, as well as Granite State College, which provides online degree programs at both associate and bachelor's levels. The University of New Hampshire School of Law can be found near the downtown district, complemented by the presence of Franklin Pierce University’s Doctorate of Physical Therapy program.

In a recent collaboration, Concord Hospital partnered with New England College to establish a Bachelor of Nursing degree program. Furthermore, Concord functions as an essential clinical training location for Dartmouth College’s Geisel School of Medicine, which is New Hampshire’s sole medical school.

Further reading

  • Watson, David. The Concord City Directory. McFarland & Jenks, Concord, 1864.

External links

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