What stands out worked out from the figures below

Canton has the most kids (20.4% under 18).

Hampton Beach has the most expensive homes ($509k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Canton	Hampton Beach
People
Population	1,191Lowest	2,605Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+13.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.4±7.2Lowest 6% above U.S.	60.4±2.4Highest 55% above U.S.
Kids under 18	20.4%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22%	3.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	27.7%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	33.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Hampton Beach and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	23.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	34%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.4%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4%	0.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Canton and Hampton Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$52,458±$35kLowest 35% below U.S.	$82,557±$17kHighest about the U.S. average
	Hampton Beach and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$165,000±$50kLowest 50% below U.S.	$508,900±$76kHighest 53% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$485±$18Lowest 66% below U.S.	$1,375±$130Highest about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,277Lowest 27% below U.S.	$6,115Highest 96% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	88.9%±33.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	61.7%±20.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Canton and Hampton Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	8.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	81.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	62.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S.	1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 33% above U.S.	25 minLowest 4% below U.S.
Work from home	16.1%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	26.9%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Hampton Beach and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.