Page 16 - Town of Newcomb Comprehensive Plan - 2010

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housing units in the town. Most (91 percent) were single‐family detached homes. In addition,
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mobile homes accounted for 6.8 percent of the town’s housing units, while slightly less than
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one percent of the town’s housing were multiple housing units (e.g., two‐family and apartment
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buildings). In comparison, approximately 76 percent of Essex County housing units were single‐
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family detached homes and the percentage of mobile homes was the same as the Town’s.
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According to the 2000 U.S. Census, more than a third (231) of Newcomb’s housing units were
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built between 1940 and 1959 (this age is consistent with the age of construction of the housing
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stock relocated from the Tahawus community), whereas 39 percent of Essex County housing
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units were built before 1939 and 36 percent were built between 1970 and 1999. In Newcomb,
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since 1959, there has been a continual decline in the number of homes built. From 1990 to
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2000, only 57 homes were constructed and since 2000 only 46 additional housing units were
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built (see Figure 4, Age of Housing Stock).
While the number of housing units built each year has steadily decreased, the value of new
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home construction has increased exponentially. In 2001, five (5) housing units were built at an
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average cost of $49,700. In 2007, the same number of homes were built at an average cost of
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$406,000. Although these figures to some extent reflect a rise in construction costs, they also
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reflect a trend towards the construction of expensive second homes by relatively affluent
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seasonal residents. According U.S. Census Bureau figures, in 2000, Newcomb’s median housing
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value was $78,500. By 2007, the median
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Figure 6 – Year‐Round & Seasonal Housing
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value had increased to $122,762 – a nearly
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36 percent increase since 2000. Essex
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County figures are somewhat comparable
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to that of the Town’s. In 2000, the median
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housing value for Essex County was
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$76,800. By 2007, the median housing
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value in the County had increased to
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$129,951 (see Figure 5, Number & Cost of
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Source: Essex Countty Real Property Tax Services
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Housing Units Trend).
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The majority of housing in Newcomb is occupied throughout the year; however, a significant
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number are seasonal homes. Many of these seasonal homes are part of the Goodnow Flow
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homeowners associaation. Based on real property information, 75 percent of residential homes
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are used year‐round and 25 percent are seasonal (see Figure 6, Year‐Round & Seasonal
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Housing).

1 According to the U.S. Census, a “housing unit” is a house, an apartment, a mobile (manufactured) home or trailer, a group of
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rooms, or a single room that is occupied as separate living quarters or, if vacant, is intended for occupancy as separate living
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Town of Newcomb Comprehensive Plan
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March 2010