Belknap County History

Located just southeast of the geographic center of the state in New Hampshire's Lakes Region, Belknap County was established in 1840. The county was named for Dr. Jeremy Belknap, Dover Congregational Church minister and author of The History of New Hampshire, which chronicled the early history of the state. Belknap is one of two counties in the state without an interstate border; Merrimack is the other. A large part of Lake Winnipesaukee, all of Lake Winnisquam, and many smaller lakes cover nearly one‐sixth of the county, the largest amount of inland water among New Hampshire's counties. 
 
Belknap County contains 402.7 square miles of land area and 67.3 square miles of inland water area. As of the 2020 Census, the population density was 158.5 persons per square mile. Belknap County includes one city, Laconia, and ten towns. The county seat is Laconia. 

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Court House & Commissioners

Nursing Home

Sheriff's Department

Department of Corrections