Historical U.S. Census Totals for Coos County, New Hampshire

This article shows U.S. Census totals for Coos County, New Hampshire, broken down by municipality, from 1900 to 2000.

Most areas of New England are entirely divided into incorporated municipalities, with no unincorporated areas. In the three northern New England states, however, some unincorporated territory does exist, generally in areas that are very sparsely populated. Coos County contains the bulk of New Hampshire’s unincorporated territory, although Grafton and Carroll counties also include smaller amounts.

The unincorporated territory in Coos County consists of 23 distinct entities, covering about 560 square miles (approximately 30% of the county’s land area). Six are townships (essentially, areas that were drawn up as “future towns” in the 18th century, but never attained a large enough permanent population to formally incorporate as towns). The other seventeen are an assortment of grants, locations, and purchases (tracts of land, typically smaller than a town, which were not included in any town when town boundaries were being drawn up in the 18th and 19th centuries). Most of the unincorporated territory in Coos County is in the mountainous north central, northeastern and southeastern parts of the county. Almost all territory in the western, southwestern and south central parts of the county is incorporated.

Due to the large extent of unorganized territory in Coos County, a separate section with detailed historical census totals for such areas follows the main tables below. Note that Wentworth's Location was incorporated as a town for many years, although it never dropped the word “location” from its name. In recent censuses, the population of the unorganized territory (including Wentworth's Location) has typically been between 100 and 200 residents.

There are two types of incorporated municipalities in New Hampshire, towns and cities. The tables below differentiate between towns and cities. For any census, adding up the totals for each municipality and unincorporated entity should yield the county total.

For more information on the New England municipal system, see New England town.

Corporate changes since 1900

*1966 – Wentworth's Location (which, despite retaining the word “location” in its name, had been an incorporated town since the late 19th century) disincorporated and reverted to unorganized territory

1900

County Total: 29,468

*Berlin (city) 8,886
*Lancaster 3,190
*Whitefield 2,157
*Northumberland 1,977
*Gorham 1,797
*Colebrook 1,876
*Stewartstown 1,150
*Milan 1,135
*Jefferson 1,080
*Stratford 968
*Carroll 710
*Columbia 690
*Stark 733
*Pittsburg 687
*Dalton 592
*Dummer 349
*Clarksville 307
*Errol 305
*Shelburne 283
*Randolph 137
*Wentworth's Location 61

Unorganized territory: 398

1910

County Total: 30,753

*Berlin (city) 11,780
*Lancaster 3,054
*Northumberland 2,184
*Gorham 2,155
*Colebrook 1,905
*Whitefield 1,635
*Stewartstown 1,128
*Jefferson 1,061
*Milan 924
*Stratford 844
*Pittsburg 624
*Columbia 619
*Carroll 569
*Dalton 475
*Stark 448
*Shelburne 305
*Dummer 292
*Clarksville 271
*Errol 211
*Randolph 137
*Wentworth’s Location 51

Unorganized territory: 81

1920

County Total: 36,093

*Berlin (city) 16,104
*Lancaster 2,819
*Gorham 2,734
*Northumberland 2,567
*Whitefield 1,935
*Colebrook 1,811
*Stewartstown 1,109
*Jefferson 960
*Pittsburg 887
*Stratford 794
*Milan 730
*Columbia 601
*Dalton 460
*Clarksville 410
*Carroll 388
*Stark 339
*Dummer 266
*Errol 241
*Shelburne 178
*Randolph 67
*Wentworth’s Location 50

Unorganized territory: 643

1930

County Total: 38,959

*Berlin (city) 20,018
*Lancaster 2,887
*Gorham 2,763
*Northumberland 2,360
*Colebrook 1,937
*Whitefield 1,693
*Stewartstown 1,148
*Stratford 918
*Jefferson 771
*Milan 719
*Pittsburg 671
*Dalton 580
*Columbia 524
*Carroll 402
*Stark 329
*Dummer 298
*Errol 293
*Clarksville 215
*Shelburne 196
*Randolph 82
*Wentworth’s Location 38

Unorganized territory: 117

1940

County Total: 39,274

*Berlin (city) 19,084
*Lancaster 3,095
*Northumberland 2,740
*Gorham 2,597
*Colebrook 2,096
*Whitefield 1,834
*Stewartstown 1,203
*Stratford 1,049
*Pittsburg 820
*Milan 782
*Jefferson 763
*Dalton 642
*Carroll 496
*Columbia 483
*Stark 352
*Dummer 274
*Errol 235
*Clarksville 225
*Shelburne 190
*Randolph 114
*Wentworth’s Location 57

Unorganized territory: 143

1950

County Total: 35,932

*Berlin (city) 16,615
*Lancaster 3,113
*Northumberland 2,779
*Gorham 2,639
*Colebrook 2,116
*Whitefield 1,677
*Stratford 973
*Stewartstown 970
*Milan 743
*Jefferson 728
*Pittsburg 697
*Dalton 557
*Columbia 495
*Carroll 359
*Stark 373
*Dummer 229
*Errol 224
*Shelburne 184
*Clarksville 171
*Randolph 158
*Wentworth’s Location 48

Unorganized territory: 84

1960

County Total: 37,140

*Berlin (city) 17,821
*Lancaster 3,138
*Gorham 3,039
*Northumberland 2,586
*Colebrook 2,389
*Whitefield 1,581
*Stratford 1,029
*Stewartstown 918
*Milan 661
*Pittsburg 639
*Jefferson 600
*Dalton 567
*Columbia 457
*Stark 327
*Carroll 295
*Shelburne 226
*Errol 220
*Dummer 202
*Clarksville 179
*Randolph 140
*Wentworth’s Location 58

Unorganized territory: 68

1970

County Total: 34,291

*Berlin (city) 15,256
*Lancaster 3,166
*Gorham 2,998
*Northumberland 2,493
*Colebrook 2,094
*Whitefield 1,538
*Stewartstown 1,008
*Stratford 980
*Pittsburg 726
*Jefferson 714
*Milan 713
*Columbia 467
*Dalton 425
*Stark 343
*Carroll 310
*Dummer 225
*Errol 199
*Shelburne 199
*Randolph 169
*Clarksville 166

Unorganized territory: 102

1980

County Total: 35,147

*Berlin (city) 13,084
*Lancaster 3,401
*Gorham 3,322
*Northumberland 2,520
*Colebrook 2,459
*Whitefield 1,681
*Milan 1,013
*Stratford 989
*Stewartstown 943
*Jefferson 803
*Pittsburg 780
*Columbia 673
*Dalton 672
*Carroll 647
*Stark 470
*Dummer 390
*Shelburne 318
*Errol 313
*Randolph 274
*Clarksville 262

Unorganized territory: 133

1990

County Total: 34,828

*Berlin (city) 11,824
*Lancaster 3,522
*Gorham 3,173
*Northumberland 2,492
*Colebrook 2,444
*Whitefield 1,909
*Milan 1,295
*Stewartstown 1,048
*Jefferson 965
*Stratford 927
*Pittsburg 901
*Dalton 827
*Columbia 661
*Carroll 528
*Stark 518
*Shelburne 437
*Randolph 371
*Dummer 327
*Errol 292
*Clarksville 232

Unorganized territory: 135

2000

County Total: 33,111

*Berlin (city) 10,331
*Lancaster 3,280
*Gorham 2,895
*Northumberland 2,438
*Colebrook 2,321
*Whitefield 2,038
*Milan 1,331
*Stewartstown 1,012
*Jefferson 1,006
*Stratford 942
*Dalton 927
*Pittsburg 867
*Columbia 750
*Carroll 663
*Stark 516
*Shelburne 379
*Randolph 339
*Dummer 309
*Errol 298
*Clarksville 294

Unorganized territory: 175

Unorganized Territory

The unincorporated entities in Coos County are as follows:

*Six townships: Cambridge, Dixville, Kilkenny, Millsfield, Odell and Success

*Eight grants: Atkinson & Gilmanton Academy, Bean's, Cutt's, Dix's, Green's, Low & Burbank's, Pinkham's, and Second College

*Six purchases: Bean's, Chandler's, Crawford's, Hadley's Purchase, Sargent's, and Thompson & Meserve’s

*Three locations: Erving's, Martin's and Wentworth's

Note that there is both a Bean’s Grant and a Bean’s Purchase.

The population of many of the unincorporated entities has historically been transitory, and some have rarely if ever reported any population at all. The only ones that have reported population in each census since 1900 are Dixville Township, Millsfield Township and Wentworth’s Location (bearing in mind that Wentworth’s Location was an incorporated town for many years prior to the 1960s). All three appear to have small but well-established population bases. Wentworth’s Location has reported a population of at least 37 in every post-1900 census. Dixville and Millsfield have consistently been in double figures throughout the same period (the only exceptions being Millsfield in 1960 and 1980); in both communities, a town clerk's office exist for the purpose of conducting elections for state and federal officials. In addition to those noted above, Pinkham’s Grant reported population in every census from 1930 to 1990, although its population exceeded 17 in only one census, and it reported no population in 2000.

Note: The 1920 Census reported population for a Hubbard Township, a Webster Township, and a Colebrook Academy Grant. The 1920 census reports also make reference to a Carlisle township, although it is not shown as having any population. None of these appear on the current roster of unincorporated entities in Coos County; it is unclear what happened to them. The 1930 census reports add the first three into the town of Pittsburg’s 1920 total. The 1900 and 1910 censuses reported population for a Dartmouth College Grant which has since been known as the Second College Grant.

1900

Total: 398

*Success Twp. 220
*Kilkenny Twp. 47
*Millsfield Twp. 41
*Thompson & Meserve’s Purchase 18
*Cambridge Twp. 17
*Dixville Twp. 15
*Dartmouth College Grant 13
*Green’s Grant 13
*Crawford’s Purchase 10
*Pinkham’s Grant 4

1910

Total: 81

*Dix’s Grant 33
*Dixville Twp. 12
*Millsfield Twp. 12
*Dartmouth College Grant 7
*Cambridge Twp. 5
*Green’s Grant 4
*Thompson & Meserve’s Purchase 4
*Martin’s Location 3
*Atkinson & Gilmanton Academy Grant 1

1920

Total: 643

*Hubbard Twp. 358
*Odell Twp. 73
*Webster Twp. 51
*Millsfield Twp. 45
*Erving’s Location 31
*Dixville Twp. 24
*Atkinson & Gilmanton Academy Grant 20
*Colebrook Academy Grant 15
*Success Twp. 8
*Second College Grant 6
*Green’s Grant 5
*Martin’s Location 4
*Kilkenny Twp. 2
*Cambridge Twp. 1

1930

Total: 117

*Millsfield Twp. 33
*Dixville Twp. 25
*Bean’s Purchase 25
*Second College Grant 17
*Pinkham’s Grant 9
*Green’s Grant 4
*Thompson & Meserve’s Purchase 2
*Atkinson & Gilmanton Academy Grant 1
*Cambridge Twp. 1

1940

Total: 143

*Odell Twp. 82
*Millsfield Twp. 34
*Dixville Twp. 13
*Pinkham’s Grant 10
*Green’s Grant 3
*Success Twp. 1

1950

Total: 84

*Pinkham’s Grant 17
*Sargent’s Purchase 16
*Millsfield Twp. 16
*Dixville Twp. 13
*Odell Twp. 12
*Cambridge Twp. 8
*Thompson & Meserve’s Purchase 2

1960

Total: 68

*Dixville Twp. 18
*Sargent’s Purchase 17
*Pinkham’s Grant 15
*Millsfield Twp. 7
*Second College Grant 6
*Green’s Grant 2
*Martin’s Location 2
*Thompson & Meserve’s Purchase 1

1970

Total: 102

*Wentworth’s Location 37
*Dixville Twp. 18
*Millsfield Twp. 18
*Pinkham’s Grant 16
*Cambridge Twp. 4
*Atkinson & Gilmanton Academy Grant 4
*Odell Twp. 3
*Success Twp. 2

1980

Total: 133

*Wentworth’s Location 49
*Dixville Twp. 36
*Pinkham’s Grant 30
*Millsfield Twp. 7
*Cambridge Twp. 5
*Second College Grant 2
*Thompson & Meserve’s Purchase 2
*Low & Burbank’s Grant 1
*Sargent’s Purchase 1

1990

Total: 135

*Wentworth’s Location 53
*Dixville Twp. 50
*Millsfield Twp. 21
*Pinkham’s Grant 11

2000

Total: 175

*Dixville Twp. 75
*Wentworth’s Location 44
*Millsfield Twp. 22
*Atkinson & Gilmanton Academy Grant 12
*Cambridge Twp. 10
*Odell Twp. 5
*Bean’s Purchase 4
*Success Twp. 2
*Erving’s Location 1

ee also

*United States Census
*Coos County, New Hampshire