What stands out worked out from the figures below

Center Harbor has the most homeowners (91%).

Hampton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.1%).

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	Center Harbor	Hampton
People
Population	955Lowest	16,426Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-5.1%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+5.1%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	60.4±4.8Highest 39% above NH	55.8±2.1Lowest 29% above NH
	Center Harbor and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	11.9%±5.4Highest NH: 18.2%	11.6%±2.3Lowest NH: 18.2%
	Center Harbor and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	39.5%±13.2Highest NH: 20.1%	30.9%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1%
	Center Harbor and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	47.1%Highest NH: 40.6%	42.8%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	0.9%±1.1Lowest NH: 6%	3.1%±1.1Highest NH: 6%
	Hampton and Center Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$104,313±$16kHighest 5% above NH	$95,233±$9kLowest 4% below NH
	Center Harbor and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$463,800±$74kLowest 15% above NH	$550,200±$39kHighest 37% above NH
	Hampton and Center Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,628±$94 9% above NH
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,667Lowest 30% below NH	$6,813Highest about the NH average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	14.3%±59.4Lowest NH: 48.2%	56.8%±10.4Highest NH: 48.2%
	Hampton and Center Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2%Lowest NH: 7.2%	5.6%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	91%Highest NH: 72.8%	73.8%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH	1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest 8% below NH	26 minHighest 3% below NH
Work from home	8.9%±5Lowest NH: 16.8%	21.7%±3.3Highest NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	—	#31 of 120 in NH
School district	—	Hampton School District · Winnacunnet Cooperative School District
High school in town	—	Winnacunnet High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	10.1
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.