What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Hampton has the most expensive homes ($550k 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	Dayton	Hampton
People
Population	2,313Lowest	16,426Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	42.1±5.5Lowest 8% above U.S.	55.8±2.1Highest 43% above U.S.
Kids under 18	20.4%±4Highest U.S.: 22%	11.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	14.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	30.9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	27.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	42.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.1%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Dayton and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$113,750±$24kHighest 41% above U.S.	$95,233±$9kLowest 18% above U.S.
	Dayton and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$398,200±$34kLowest 20% above U.S.	$550,200±$39kHighest 65% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,215±$867Lowest 14% below U.S.	$1,628±$94Highest 15% above U.S.
	Hampton and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,872Lowest 24% above U.S.	$6,813Highest 118% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	38%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	56.8%±10.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Hampton and Dayton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	5.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	73.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S.	1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 17% above U.S.	26 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	21.7%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Hampton and Dayton 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	—	#31 of 120 in NH
School district	Dayton Public Schools	Hampton School District · Winnacunnet Cooperative School District
High school in town	None in town	Winnacunnet High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	10.1
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.