Compare towns
Belmont vs Dummer vs Laconia
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dummer has the highest household income ($91k).
Laconia has the most people working from home (13.5%).
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 | Belmont | Dummer | Laconia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,392 |
299Lowest |
17,085Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
— | +5.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 47.2±3.5 9% above NH |
53.6±6.4Highest 24% above NH |
45.3±3.9Lowest 5% above NH |
| Dummer and Belmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±3.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.4%±5.1Highest NH: 18.2% |
18.4%±2.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Dummer and Belmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±4.1 NH: 20.1% |
21.4%±4.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
22.8%±2.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Laconia and Belmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.1% NH: 40.6% |
16.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
27.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8 NH: 6% |
0%±5.7Lowest NH: 6% |
3.1%±1.1Highest NH: 6% |
| Laconia and Belmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,063±$21kLowest 30% below NH |
$91,250±$21kHighest 8% below NH |
$73,218±$12k 26% below NH |
| Dummer and Laconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $316,300±$31k 21% below NH |
$242,200±$51kLowest 40% below NH |
$340,300±$16kHighest 15% below NH |
| Laconia and Belmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $996±$129Lowest 33% below NH |
— | $1,224±$107Highest 18% below NH |
| Laconia and Belmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,585Highest 16% below NH |
$2,898Lowest 57% below NH |
$4,484 33% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.8%±10.9 NH: 48.2% |
0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
54.5%±10.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Laconia and Belmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.3% NH: 7.2% |
9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
12.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1% NH: 72.8% |
94.2%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 6% below NH |
25 minHighest 6% below NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
| Work from home | 9.6%±3.6 NH: 16.8% |
6.8%±4.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
13.5%±3.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Laconia and Belmont 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 | #92 of 120 in NH | — | #105 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Shaker Regional School District | — | Laconia School District |
| High school in town | Belmont High School | — | Laconia High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0Highest |
— | 10.0Lowest |
| 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.