Belknap County, New Hampshire
Belknap County (/ˈbɛlnæp/) is a county in the U.S. state of New Hampshire. As of the 2020 census, the population was 63,705. The county seat is Laconia. It is located in New Hampshire's Lakes Region, slightly southeast of the state's geographic center. Belknap County comprises the Laconia, NH Micropolitan Statistical Area, which in turn constitutes a portion of the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT Combined Statistical Area.
Belknap County | |
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Laconia District Court on Academy Square in Laconia | |
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Seal | |
Location within the U.S. state of New Hampshire | |
New Hampshire's location within the U.S. | |
| Coordinates: 43°30′55″N 71°26′10″W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New Hampshire |
| Founded | 1840 |
| Named for | Jeremy Belknap |
| Seat | Laconia |
| Largest city | Laconia |
| Area | |
| • Total | 470.0 sq mi (1,217 km2) |
| • Land | 401.8 sq mi (1,041 km2) |
| • Water | 68.2 sq mi (177 km2) 14.5% |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 63,705 |
| • Density | 158.5/sq mi (61.2/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional districts | 1st, 2nd |
| Website | www |
The southwestern half of Lake Winnipesaukee lies in Belknap County, while several other major lakes such as Squam Lake and Lake Winnisquam lie partially or wholly within the county. The Belknap Mountains lie along the shore of Winnipesaukee east of Laconia and feature Mount Major, known for its numerous hiking trails and Gunstock Mountain, home of a popular ski resort. Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion is a concert venue in Gilford which features major national touring music acts, while the Laconia Motorcycle Week attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every June. Funspot Family Fun Center, located in Weirs Beach, is the largest video game arcade in the world.