Carlisle, Massachusetts | |
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![]() Downtown Carlisle in 2009 | |
![]() Location in Middlesex County in Massachusetts | |
Coordinates: 42°31′45″N71°21′00″W / 42.52917°N 71.35000°W | |
Country | United States |
State | Massachusetts |
County | Middlesex |
Settled | 1651 |
Incorporated | 1805 |
Area | |
• Total | 15.6 sq mi (40.2 km2) |
• Land | 15.4 sq mi (39.8 km2) |
• Water | 0.2 sq mi (0.4 km2) |
Elevation | 205 ft (62 m) |
Population (2020) | |
• Total | 5,237 |
• Density | 340.1/sq mi (131.6/km2) |
Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (Eastern) |
ZIP code | 01741 |
Area code | 351 / 978 |
FIPS code | 25-11525 |
GNIS feature ID | 0619397 |
Website | www.carlislema.gov |
Carlisle is a town located northwest of Boston in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the town had a population of 5,237. [1]
English colonists first settled the area now incorporated as the town of Carlisle in 1651 on parcels of land of the neighboring towns of Acton, Billerica, Chelmsford and Concord. Carlisle became a district of Concord in 1780 and was incorporated as a town by an act of the legislature in 1805.
Carlisle contains a library, a country store, a book store, a dentist's office, many residential buildings, and the largest playground in the state of Massachusetts (Carlisle Castle). There are two ice cream stores: one of the four branches of Kimball Farms, and Great Brook Farm State Park which is home to the first robotic milking system in Massachusetts [2] and serves ice cream made from the farm's milk. Great Brook Farm is also the site of one of the premiere cross-country ski touring centers in New England. [3] On the east end of town there is an auto body shop and the former (closed in 2012) Blue Jay Recording Studio, where artists such as the Platters, Aerosmith, Aimee Mann, Amy Grant, Alice Cooper, Boston, John Williams and the Boston Pops, Buckwheat Zydeco, Billy Joel, Lauryn Hill, Rihanna, Roy Orbison, k. d. lang, Pat Metheny, Yo Yo Ma, Carly Simon, the Pussycat Dolls, Genesis and Lady Gaga have recorded. [4]
The town newspaper, the Carlisle Mosquito, has appeared as the weekly independent newspaper of the town since 1972. It is a non-profit publication distributed free to all town residents. The paper includes local news, announcements, and logs. [5]
The Gleason Public Library [6] is one of the 36 libraries in the Merrimack Valley Library Consortium. Gleason Public Library also contains a seismograph.
Cultural organizations include the Carlisle Chamber Orchestra, [7] the Carlisle Community Chorus, [8] and the Savoyard Light Opera Company. [9]
Carlisle Old Home Day [10] has been held for over 100 years on the weekend prior to the Fourth of July as a free public event with family-friendly games and activities.
Carlisle is located about 8 miles (13 km) south-southwest of Lowell and 19 miles (31 km) northwest of Boston. It borders the towns of Concord, Acton, Westford, Chelmsford, Billerica, and Bedford.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 15.5 square miles (40 km2), of which 15.4 square miles (40 km2) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km2) (1.09%) is water.
Conservation land makes up about a quarter of the town's area. Besides town-owned land overseen by the town's conservation committee, Carlisle is home to Great Brook Farm State Park and a portion of the Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge neighboring the Concord River.
Year | Pop. | ±% |
---|---|---|
1850 | 632 | — |
1860 | 621 | −1.7% |
1870 | 569 | −8.4% |
1880 | 478 | −16.0% |
1890 | 481 | +0.6% |
1900 | 480 | −0.2% |
1910 | 551 | +14.8% |
1920 | 463 | −16.0% |
1930 | 560 | +21.0% |
1940 | 747 | +33.4% |
1950 | 876 | +17.3% |
1960 | 1,488 | +69.9% |
1970 | 2,871 | +92.9% |
1980 | 3,306 | +15.2% |
1990 | 4,333 | +31.1% |
2000 | 4,717 | +8.9% |
2010 | 4,852 | +2.9% |
2020 | 5,237 | +7.9% |
2022* | 5,157 | −1.5% |
* = population estimate. Source: United States census records and Population Estimates Program data. [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] |
As of the census [22] of 2000, there were 4,717 people, 1,618 households, and 1,372 families residing in the town. The population density was 307.1 inhabitants per square mile (118.6/km2). There were 1,655 housing units at an average density of 107.7 per square mile (41.6/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 93.47% White, 0.17% African American, 0.06% Native American, 4.69% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.13% from other races, and 1.29% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.19% of the population.
There were 1,618 households, out of which 46.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 78.6% were married couples living together, 4.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 15.2% were non-families. 11.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.92 and the average family size was 3.18.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 30.6% under the age of 18, 3.4% from 18 to 24, 23.3% from 25 to 44, 34.3% from 45 to 64, and 8.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town $176,228 (Average household income is $244,544). The per capita income for the town was $87,470.
Carlisle maintains a 2-acre (8,100 m2) zoning law on new development. [23]
In a typical year, Carlisle, Massachusetts temperatures fall below 50 °F (10 °C) for 195 days per year. Annual precipitation is typically 45.6 inches (115.8 centimeters) per year (high for the US) and snow covers the ground 62 days per year, or 17.0% of the year (high in the US). It may be helpful to understand the yearly precipitation by imagining nine straight days of moderate rain per year. The humidity is below 60% for approximately 25.4 days, or 7.0% of the year. [24]
Carlisle has one public K–8 school, the Carlisle Public School. High School students attend Concord Carlisle High School in Concord or private schools such as Middlesex School in Concord.
Middlesex County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,632,002, making it the most populous county in both Massachusetts and New England and the 22nd most populous county in the United States. Middlesex County is one of two U.S. counties to be amongst the top 25 counties with the highest household income and the 25 most populated counties. It is included in the Census Bureau's Boston–Cambridge–Newton, MA–NH Metropolitan Statistical Area. As part of the 2020 United States census, the Commonwealth's mean center of population for that year was geo-centered in Middlesex County, in the town of Natick.
Georgetown is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 8,470 at the 2020 census. It was incorporated in 1838 from part of Rowley.
Shutesbury is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,717 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Acton is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, approximately 21 miles (34 km) west-northwest of Boston along Massachusetts Route 2 west of Concord and about ten miles (16 km) southwest of Lowell. The population was 24,021 in April 2020, according to the United States Census Bureau. It is bordered by Westford and Littleton to the north, Concord and Carlisle to the east, Stow, Maynard, and Sudbury to the south and Boxborough to the west. Acton became an incorporated town in 1735. The town employs the Open Town Meeting form of government with a town manager and an elected, five-member select board. Acton was named the 11th Best Place To Live among small towns in the country by Money Magazine in 2015, and the 16th best in 2009 and in 2011. The local high school, Acton-Boxborough Regional High School, was named a Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education in 2009.
Ashby is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,193 at the 2020 census, which makes it the least populous municipality in Middlesex County. Ashby is primarily a bedroom community, consisting almost entirely of single family homes and a limited number of businesses.
Bedford is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population of Bedford was 14,161 at the 2022 United States census.
Billerica is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 42,119 according to the 2020 census. It takes its name from the town of Billericay in Essex, England.
Boxborough is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,506 at the 2020 census. The town name is often simplified to "Boxboro" on highway signs and official documents.
Chelmsford is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It was established in 1655. The Chelmsford militia played a role in the American Revolution at the Battle of Lexington and Concord and the Battle of Bunker Hill.
Concord is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. In the 2020 census, the town population was 18,491. The United States Census Bureau considers Concord part of Greater Boston. The town center is near where the Sudbury and Assabet rivers join to form the Concord River.
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Littleton is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 10,141 at the 2020 census.
Stow is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The town is located 21 miles (34 km) west of Boston, in the MetroWest region of Massachusetts. The population was 7,174 at the 2020 census. Stow was officially incorporated in 1683 with an area of approximately 40 square miles (100 km2).
Wayland is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The town was founded in 1638, and incorporated in 1780 and was originally part of neighboring Sudbury. At the 2020 United States census, the population was 13,943.
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