Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy for Southwest New Hampshire December 2013 SWRPC Southwest Region Planning Commission 37 Ashuelot Street Keene, New Hampshire 03431 www.swrpc.org Prepared with the support of the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration and other partners Acknowledgments The Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy for Southwest New Hampshire was funded by: Economic Development Administration, US Department of Commerce NH Department of Resources and Economic Development NH Community Development Finance Authority Public Service of New Hampshire Monadnock Business Ventures Monadnock Economic Development Corporation Southwest Region Planning Commission The Southwest Region Planning Commission acknowledges the professional contributions of the members of the 2013 Economic Development Advisory Committee who served on the Comprehen- sive Economic Development Strategy Advisory Committee1: Bob Baker, Co-Chair - Keene State College Keith Thibault, Co-Chair - Southwestern Community Services Jack Dugan - Monadnock Economic Development Corporation Brian Foucher - WiValley H. Greg Johnson - Town of Swanzey Morris Klein - Town of Hinsdale Lisa Murray - Franklin Pierce University John M. Pratt - Town of Walpole Jen Risley - Monadnock Buy Local Judy Tomlinson - Town of Dublin Ted Whippie - Town of Winchester Bob Harcke - Hinsdale Industrial and Commercial Development Commission Glenn Coppelman, Ex Officio - NH Community Development Finance Authority Chris Wellington, Ex Officio - NH Department of Resources and Economic Development 1 Since the inception of the CEDS, membership of the committee has changed. We appreciate the contributions made by both current and past committee members to this on-going effort. ii Table of Contents SWRPC ................................................................................................................................................................. I LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................................................ I LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................................................. V EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .............................................................................................................................. VII NEEDS DETERMINATION .................................................................................................................................. VII CEDS PROCESS ............................................................................................................................................... VII STATE OF THE REGION ANALYSIS ................................................................................................................... VIII ACTION PLAN ................................................................................................................................................. VIII Vision ......................................................................................................................................................... viii Goals, Objectives and Tasks ........................................................................................................................ ix Projects ....................................................................................................................................................... xv Evaluation .................................................................................................................................................. xix I. INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................................ 1 1. PURPOSE ........................................................................................................................................................ 1 2. SOUTHWEST REGION...................................................................................................................................... 1 II. CEDS PROCESS ............................................................................................................................................ 2 1. ADVISORY COMMITTEE ................................................................................................................................. 3 2. WORK PROGRAM ........................................................................................................................................... 3 3. PLANNING PROCESS ....................................................................................................................................... 4 4. ORGANIZATIONAL AND MUNICIPAL REPRESENTATION .................................................................................. 5 5. PROJECT FUNDING ......................................................................................................................................... 7 6. SOUTHWEST REGION PLANNING COMMISSION (SWRPC) .............................................................................. 7 III. STATE OF THE REGION .......................................................................................................................... 8 1. BACKGROUND ................................................................................................................................................ 8 A. Historic Development Patterns ............................................................................................................... 8 B. Population and Socio-Economic Conditions ........................................................................................... 9 C. Education .............................................................................................................................................. 18 D. Health Resources .................................................................................................................................. 21 F. Land Use ................................................................................................................................................ 33 G. Infrastructure ........................................................................................................................................ 39 H. Natural Resources ................................................................................................................................. 47 2. REGIONAL ECONOMY .................................................................................................................................. 47 A. Employment ........................................................................................................................................... 47 B. Innovative Strengths .............................................................................................................................. 74 C. Employers .............................................................................................................................................. 76 D. Tourism ................................................................................................................................................. 79 E. Unemployment ....................................................................................................................................... 82 F. Major Layoffs and Plant Closures ......................................................................................................... 84 G. Regional Economy Conclusions ............................................................................................................ 86 3. EVALUATION OF REGIONAL ISSUES ............................................................................................................. 87 A. Strengths and Opportunities .................................................................................................................. 87 B. Weaknesses and Threats ........................................................................................................................ 88 C. Community Survey ................................................................................................................................. 91 D. External Forces ..................................................................................................................................... 91 E. Future Economic Development ............................................................................................................. 91 F. Partners and Resources for Economic Development ............................................................................ 95 1. VISION STATEMENT ................................................................................................................................... 100 iii 2. GOALS, OBJECTIVES AND TASKS ............................................................................................................... 101 V. ACTION PLAN .......................................................................................................................................... 106 1. TASKS RANKING ........................................................................................................................................ 106 2. PROJECT RANKING CRITERIA ....................................................................................................................