LAND UTILIZATION IN NEW HAMPSHIRE 13 



Geographical differences in the general level of income were brought 

 about by differences in land values, reputation and popularity of the areas, 

 and the attraction of friends and natural environment. Lake Winnepe- 

 saukee, for example, attracted a larger proportion of corporation execu- 

 tives and other high-income groups from far-distant points. Around the 

 smaller and lesser known lakes in Sanbornton, a majority of the summer 

 residents were lower-income small business, managerial, and professional 

 groups, half of whom were from New Hampshire cities. Similar tendencies 

 were noted in the case of open country residents, although the dispersed 

 and varied homes attracted a more heterogeneous group of residents in all 

 areas than did the more compact waterfront developments. 



Place of Residence 



Most of the summer families were from localities within a few hours' 

 driving distance of their vacation homes. More than half were from the 

 metropolitan Boston area, four-fifths were from either Massachusetts or 

 New Hampshire, and only one in ten was from outside New England or 

 New York State. 



The open country owners in all three areas were drawn mainly from 

 metropolitan Boston, persons from this area outnumbering all others by 

 nearly two to one. Winnepesaukee lakefront owners came from more 

 widely dispersed areas throughout Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and 

 other states, while Sanbornton waterfront owners came from the most 

 restricted area, half of them from New Hampshire cities, and nearly all 

 from either New Hampshire or Massachusetts. 



Most summer residents evidenced stability of tenure in their home 

 communities. Two-thirds of them owned winter homes; the rest either 

 rented or, in a few cases, lived with children or relatives during the 

 winter. 



Family Characteristics 



A majority of the summer residents acquired their summer properties 

 before reaching middle age. Half came into possession of them before 

 reaching the age of 40, nearly four-fifths before the age of 50, and vir- 

 tually all before reaching 60. At the time of the survey, Tuftonboro 

 waterfront owners were generally older than those in Sanbornton, and 

 the waterfront owners as a group were slightly older than the open coun- 

 try owners, reflecting differences in the ages of the several developments. 



Less than half of the summer residents had children of school age at 

 the time the properties were acquired. Because of the lapse of time since 

 the purchase of many properties, the proportion with children was 

 only one-quarter at the time of the survey. There were fewer children 

 of school age in the households of Tuftonboro summer residents, re- 

 flecting earlier settlement and a more advanced age of owners. 



Analysis of the forces underlying past recreational development in 

 the three towns indicates a broad and expanding base for future develop- 

 ment in the State. If present trends continue, a greater number of income 

 and occupational groups will be represented in the future summer popu- 



