Compare towns
Alstead vs Meredith vs Hampton Beach
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Alstead has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Meredith has the highest household income ($87k).
Hampton Beach has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
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 | Meredith | Hampton Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,551Lowest |
6,758Highest |
2,605 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
+14.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 56±3.3 29% above NH |
55.5±3.7Lowest 28% above NH |
60.4±2.4Highest 39% above NH |
| 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 NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Meredith and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±4.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
33.7%±4.1 NH: 20.1% |
| Meredith and Hampton Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
45.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
34% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.6Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2 NH: 6% |
0.6%±0.7Lowest NH: 6% |
| Alstead and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,526±$11kLowest 35% below NH |
$87,019±$19kHighest 12% below NH |
$82,557±$17k 17% below NH |
| Meredith and Hampton Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,600±$37kLowest 33% below NH |
$480,100±$48k 19% above NH |
$508,900±$76kHighest 26% above NH |
| Hampton Beach and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
$1,375±$130Highest 8% below NH |
| Hampton Beach and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,322 20% below NH |
$5,006Lowest 25% below NH |
$6,115Highest 8% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.1%±22.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
61.7%±20.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Alstead and Hampton Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.8% NH: 72.8% |
62.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 6 yrs older than NH |
1975Highest 4 yrs older than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 19% above NH |
26 min about the NH average |
25 minLowest 5% below NH |
| Work from home | 12.1%±5.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9 NH: 16.8% |
26.9%±6.1Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Hampton Beach and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #62 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Inter-Lakes High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NH 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.