Merrimack County · Merrimack Valley

Pittsfield

Heart of the Suncook Valley Hot Air Balloon Rally

About Pittsfield

Pittsfield is a classic New Hampshire mill town built along the Suncook River, where a proud manufacturing tradition anchors a community that punches above its weight. Globe Manufacturing — the world's largest maker of firefighter turnout gear — has called Pittsfield home since 1901 and employs nearly 400 people, giving the town an economic backbone most communities this size would envy. The compact downtown along Main Street retains its historic brick architecture, and Drake Field provides a centerpiece for community athletics and events. Catamount Mountain rises at the edge of town, a reminder of the rugged landscape that surrounds the village center. The Suncook Valley Sun newspaper still covers local news, the annual Old Home Day celebration fills the streets each summer, and the recently renovated and expanded middle-high school signals a community investing in its future. Pittsfield delivers honest, working-class New Hampshire charm at a price point that's hard to beat in central New Hampshire.

Why Pittsfield?

Globe Manufacturing — world leader in firefighter gear — provides nearly 400 local jobs
Most affordable home prices in the region with a median around $417,000
Compact, walkable downtown with historic brick buildings along Main Street
Recently renovated and expanded Pittsfield Middle High School
Central location between Concord and the Lakes Region along Route 28

Quick Facts

Population

4,326

County

Merrimack

Region

Merrimack Valley

School District

SAU 51

Weather in Pittsfield

52°F

Partly Cloudy

Today

54 / 29

Sat

57 / 32

Sun

60 / 38

Map

Living in Pittsfield

What you need to know about making Pittsfield your home.

Major Employers

Globe ManufacturingPittsfield School DistrictTown of PittsfieldSuncook Valley SunLocal farms and trades

Schools & Education

Pittsfield operates its own single-town school district (SAU 51) with an elementary school and a recently renovated and expanded middle-high school serving about 400 students each.

Cost of Living

Pittsfield is one of the most affordable towns in central New Hampshire, with median home prices around $417,000 and moderate tax rates making it accessible for first-time buyers and families.

Real Estate

$417,000 median home price

$17.82 per $1,000 property tax rate

No state income or sales tax in NH

View listings in Pittsfield

Commute Times

85 min

Boston

20 min

Concord

25 min

Laconia

40 min

Manchester

55 min

Portsmouth

School District

School district

Pittsfield School District(SAU 51)

Grades served: PreK-12

Website

Pittsfield Elementary School

K-6Elementary

Pittsfield Middle High SchoolPanthers

7-12High School

Parks & Public Spaces

Drake FieldTown Park

Hidden Gems in Pittsfield

Beyond the well-known attractions, Pittsfield has spots that locals love and visitors rarely find.

Pittsfield Mill Dam (Factory Dam)

spring

A spectacular 422-foot-wide concrete dam from 1920 that's been called a 'secret kept among locals.' After heavy rain or spring snowmelt, water thunders over the 139-foot spillway creating an impressive display. At night, color-changing LED floodlights illuminate the dam and Suncook River, creating an otherworldly scene that few visitors know about.

Matras Maple Sugarhouse & Dairy

spring

A working sugarhouse where you can watch maple sap bubble in the wood-fired evaporator and breathe in the sweet maple-scented vapor. Beyond syrup, they sell unique items like Maple Cream Soap by The Sudsy Cow, artwork by Gene Matras, and CSA raw milk from grass-fed Jersey cows. The back room evaporator operation gives an authentic glimpse into traditional maple-making.

Old Meeting House Cemetery

year-round

A historic burial ground where abolitionist Frederick Douglass once sat on a gravestone after being refused hotel service. Founded by town founder John Cram 'in consideration of one ear of corn,' it holds nearly 30 Revolutionary War soldiers, the town's oldest dated tombstone from 1792, and graves of over a dozen children who died in the 1813 Spotted Fever epidemic. Each weathered stone tells a piece of Pittsfield's founding story.