Compare towns
Bow vs Hampton Beach vs Hampton vs Meredith
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Hampton Beach has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
Hampton has the most expensive homes ($545k median).
Meredith has the most affordable homes ($480k median).
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 | Bow | Hampton Beach | Hampton | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
2,605Lowest |
10,101Highest |
6,758 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% NH: +4.6% |
+14.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-0.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
60.4±2.4Highest 39% above NH |
51.2±1.7 18% above NH |
55.5±3.7 28% above NH |
| Hampton Beach and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14.6%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
33.7%±4.1 NH: 20.1% |
26.9%±3.1 NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest 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+ | 60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
34%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
44.2% NH: 40.6% |
45.9% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
0.6%±0.7Lowest NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.7 NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2 NH: 6% |
| Bow and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$82,557±$17kLowest 17% below NH |
$97,163±$4k about the NH average |
$87,019±$19k 12% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
$508,900±$76k 26% above NH |
$545,300±$63kHighest 35% above NH |
$480,100±$48kLowest 19% above NH |
| Hampton and Hampton Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,375±$130 8% below NH |
$1,654±$93Highest 11% above NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
| Hampton and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$6,115 8% below NH |
$6,872 3% above NH |
$5,006Lowest 25% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
61.7%±20.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.9%±13.1 NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Hampton Beach and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4% NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
62.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
74.5% NH: 72.8% |
75.8% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the NH average |
25 minLowest 5% below NH |
26 min 3% below NH |
26 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
26.9%±6.1Highest NH: 16.8% |
20.5%±3.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | — | #31 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | — | — | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | — | — | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | — | 11.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.