Carlisle, Massachusetts
Location in Middlesex County in Massachusetts
Coordinates: 42°31′45″N 71°21′00″W / 42.52917, -71.35
Country	United States
State	Massachusetts
County	Middlesex
Settled	1650
Incorporated	1780
Government
- Type	Open town meeting
Area
- Total	15.5 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 (2000)
- Total	4,717
- Density	307.1/sq mi (118.6/km²)
Time zone	Eastern (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	Eastern (UTC-4)
ZIP code	01741
Area code(s)	351 / 978
FIPS code	25-11525
GNIS feature ID	0619397
Website: www.carlislema.gov

Carlisle is a small, rural, affluent town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The town maintains a quaint New England feel, with winding roads, a classic town center, and much woodland and farmland. 2 acre minimum zoning laws keep the area of forest high, and conservation land makes up about a quarter of the town's area. The population was 4,717 at the 2000 census. Carlisle is located about 8 miles south-southwest of Lowell, and 23 miles northwest of Boston.

History

Carlisle was first settled in 1650, became a district of Concord in 1780 and was officially incorporated in 1805. When first settled, Carlisle belonged to Acton, Billerica, Chelmsford and Concord.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 15.5 square miles (40.2 km²), of which, 15.4 square miles (39.8 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.4 km²) of it (1.09%) is water.

Carlisle borders the following towns: Concord, Acton, Westford, Chelmsford, Billerica, and Bedford.

Demographics

An 1875 map of Carlisle

As of the census^[1] of 2000, there were 4,717 people, 1,618 households, and 1,372 families residing in the town. The population density was 307.1 people per square mile (118.6/km²). There were 1,655 housing units at an average density of 107.7/sq mi (41.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 93.47% White, 0.17% African American, 0.06% Native American, 4.83% 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 was $129,811, and the median income for a family was $142,350. Males had a median income of $100,000 versus $55,395 for females. The per capita income for the town was $59,559. About 1.5% of families and 2.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.6% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over. The town is ranked as having the third highest income per capita in Massachusetts, behind Weston and Dover.

Trivia

Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines. The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.

• Cartoonist Darby Conley of "Get Fuzzy" fame is a Carlisle native. Many scenes and references to Carlisle are made in the strip.
• During the trip of the Olympic Torch in 2002 to Salt Lake City a runner passed down Route 225, the only state-registered highway in the town.
• The town was featured on the 25th anniversary project of the PBS show, This Old House in 2004. The show remodelled a connected farm style homestead, and visited many other converted barns/farmhouses in the area.
• Carlisle's town newspaper is humorously called "The Mosquito", due to the town's high mosquito population.
• Carlisle does not have a traffic light.
• Carlisle only has one store, called Ferns (it was previously called Daisy's).
• The nearest gas station to Carlisle is 4 miles away.
• Carlisle's John Lakness was a contestant in the first season of the CBS television series "Pirate Masters" in 2007.
• Carlisle is home to Kimball's Ice Cream.
• Carlisle is ranked #207 of the 500 most expensive zip codes by Forbes.com.
• Carlisle is ranked #1 of the safest of the 500 most expensive zip code by Forbes.com, with a crime rate of just 2.

References

External links

• Carlisle official website
• History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, compiled by Samuel Adams Drake, published 1879. Volume 1, page 359 Carlisle by B.F.Heald.

Graves in the Green Cemetery, Carlisle.

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