Compare towns
Alstead vs Appleton vs Hampton Beach vs Gilsum
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has the most kids (15.3% under 18).
Hampton Beach has the most people working from home (26.9%).
Gilsum has the most homeowners (93.5%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Alstead | Appleton | Hampton Beach | Gilsum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,551 |
1,360 |
2,605Highest |
716Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56±3.3 44% above U.S. |
49.2±7.4 26% above U.S. |
60.4±2.4Highest 55% above U.S. |
44.8±8.1Lowest 15% above U.S. |
| Hampton Beach and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
12%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Appleton and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±9.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hampton Beach and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34% U.S.: 35.7% |
18.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Appleton and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $64,526±$11k 20% below U.S. |
$53,618±$19kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$82,557±$17kHighest about the U.S. average |
$80,417±$7k about the U.S. average |
| Hampton Beach and Gilsum are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,600±$37k 18% below U.S. |
$235,600±$33kLowest 29% below U.S. |
$508,900±$76kHighest 53% above U.S. |
$241,500±$32k 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,104±$82Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,375±$130 about the U.S. average |
$1,575±$894Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Gilsum and Hampton Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,322 71% above U.S. |
$3,588Lowest 15% above U.S. |
$6,115Highest 96% above U.S. |
$5,579 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.1%±22.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
85.4%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±20.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
76.5%±55.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Appleton and Gilsum are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 4% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.1%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.9%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.9%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Appleton Public Schools | — | Monadnock Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.