Farm Census

Merrimack County, New Hampshire

Farms, crops and livestock in the 2022 Census of Agriculture

569 farms60,942 acres in farms$66.2 million in farm sales

No other county in New Hampshire with a published figure has more orchard land, or sells more farm products than Merrimack County.

Its largest product group, nursery and greenhouse crops, makes up 65.8% of farm sales, against 27.7% across New Hampshire.

Nursery and greenhouse: 65.8%Nursery and greenhouse65.8%Milk: 11.7%Milk11.7%Vegetables and melons: 5.1%5.1%Fruit and nuts: 3.9%Fruit and nuts3.9%Grains and oilseeds: 3.3%3.3%Hay and other crops: 3.2%3.2%Horses and mules: 2.3%2.3%Cattle and calves: 1.9%1.9%Other animals: 1.1%1.1%Poultry and eggs: 0.9%0.9%Christmas trees: 0.3%Sheep and goats: 0.2%Hogs and pigs: 0.2%Nursery and greenhouse: 65.8%Nursery and greenhouse65.8%Milk: 11.7%Milk11.7%Vegetables and melons: 5.1%5.1%Fruit and nuts: 3.9%3.9%Grains and oilseeds: 3.3%3.3%Hay and other crops: 3.2%3.2%Horses and mules: 2.3%2.3%Cattle and calves: 1.9%Other animals: 1.1%1.1%Poultry and eggs: 0.9%Christmas trees: 0.3%Sheep and goats: 0.2%Hogs and pigs: 0.2%
Farm sales by product group, 2022, sized by value.
Sales by product group
Product groupSalesRank in state
Nursery, greenhouse and floriculture crops$43.6 million1st of 10
Milk from cows$7.8 million5th of 7
Vegetables, melons and potatoes$3.4 million2nd of 10
Fruit, tree nuts and berries$2.6 million3rd of 10
Grains, oilseeds, dry beans and dry peas$2.2 million1st of 8
Hay and other crops$2.1 million6th of 10
Horses, ponies, mules, burros and donkeys$1.5 million1st of 7
Cattle and calves$1.3 million5th of 10
Other animals and animal products$743,0002nd of 7
Poultry and eggs$602,0004th of 7
Christmas trees and short-rotation woody crops$179,0003rd of 8
Sheep, goats, wool, mohair and goat milk$157,0007th of 10
Hogs and pigs$102,0007th of 10

What the fields held

Merrimack County harvested 13,799 acres of cropland in 2022, second of 10 counties in New Hampshire. Hay and haylage covered acreage equal to 62% of that, corn for silage 16%.

CropAcresShare of US
Hay and haylage8,499under 0.1%
Corn for silage2,209under 0.1%
Orchard land941under 0.1%
of which grapes15under 0.1%
of which apples3180.08%
of which pecans5520.09%
Soybeans519under 0.1%
Vegetables481under 0.1%
of which potatoes25under 0.1%
Corn for grain476under 0.1%
Berries111under 0.1%
Oats14under 0.1%

Withheld to protect individual farms: wheat and barley.

How much of the county is farmland

Share of the county land in farms10.2%

Merrimack County ranks fourth of 10 counties in New Hampshire on this measure.

  • 16,375 acres of cropland, 27% of farmland
  • 4,128 acres of pastureland, 7% of farmland
  • 37,334 acres of woodland, 61% of farmland
  • 565 acres irrigated

Farm sizes

The typical farm in Merrimack County is smaller than the national median of 72 acres, at 37 acres. The average, pulled up by the largest operations, is 107 acres, fourth-largest of 10 in New Hampshire. The most common size class is 10–49 acres, with 36.6% of farms. Fewer than 1% of farms have 1,000 acres or more.

1–919%10–4937%50–17926%180–49914%500–9993%1,000–1,9990%2,000+0%
Merrimack County US · farms by size

Barns, pens and pastures

AnimalsHeadShare of US
Sheep and lambs1,410under 0.1%
Horses and ponies632under 0.1%
Milk cows1,364under 0.1%
Goats303under 0.1%
Cattle and calves3,685under 0.1%
Laying hens8,483under 0.1%
Beef cows626under 0.1%
Hogs and pigs508under 0.1%
Turkeys217under 0.1%
Broilers sold in 20224,832under 0.1%

Who farms here

Decisions on Merrimack County's 569 farms are made by 1,059 producers. Their average age is 58.2, 0.8 years below the New Hampshire average. Women are 45.6% of them.

Under 356%35–4413%45–5416%55–6427%65–7428%75+10%
Merrimack County US · producers by age

Five years earlier

Measure2017Change to 2022
Farms545+4.4%
Land in farms, acres54,293+12.2%
Average farm size, acres100+7.0%
Farm products sold (current dollars)$49.3 million+34.1%
Apples, acres202+57.4%
Corn for silage, acres2,514−12.1%
Berries, acres57+94.7%
Sheep and lambs, head759+85.8%

Nearest rivals

Counties with a similar sales mix

Merrimack County accounts for 26.5% of farm sales in New Hampshire and 14.4% of the farms in New Hampshire. Rank New Hampshire counties for pecans.

Source: USDA NASS Census of Agriculture. How to read these pages.