Loudon is a town located in central New Hampshire in the Merrimack Valley region of the state. It is situated in the Eastern part of Merrimack Count and encompasses a total area of 47.5 square miles, .7 of which is water. As of the 2010 United States Census, Loudon was home to 5,317 people.
The town of Loudon was formed out of land taken from the nearby town of Canterbury. It was incorporated by Governor John Wentworth in 1773 and was named in honor the fourth Earl of Loudoun, John Campbell, who was a soldier during the French and Indian War. According to the first census taken in Loudon in 1790, the town was home to 1,084 residents
Less than 2 percent of Loudon’s total area is made up of water. Its highest point is located at a unnamed summit near its northern border, where elevation reaches 1,050 feet above sea level. The town is served by New Hampshire Routes 106 and 129, as well as Interstates 393 and 93. Notable sites in the area include the New Hampshire Motor Speedway, which hosts NASCAR races, and the Maxfield Public Library. The nearest airport is just 31 miles away, at Manchester-Boston Regional.
Loudon is governed by an elected Board of Selectmen. The town boasts a full-time police department, a full-time and volunteer fire department and volunteer emergency medical services. Top employers in the area include New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Pleasant View Gardens, DS Cole Growers Inc., Plan Tech, Interstate Concrete, Eastern Propane, Capitol Fire Protection and Fillmore Industries.
Children in the area attend schools in the Merrimack Valley Regional School District, which also serves the nearby towns of Boscawen, Penacook, Salisbury and Webster. For recreation and entertainment, Loudon residents can enjoy the town’s municipal parks, golf courses, tennis courts, youth organizations, sports leagues, campgrounds, fishing and hunting areas, snowmobile and bicycle trails and local beach areas.