What stands out worked out from the figures below

Fair Haven has the most affordable homes ($177k median).

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	Fair Haven	Hampton
People
Population	2,724Lowest	16,426Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+5.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	39.2±7.6Lowest about the U.S. average	55.8±2.1Highest 43% above U.S.
Kids under 18	19.4%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22%	11.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	18.4%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	30.9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	23.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	42.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.1%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.1%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Fair Haven and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$62,404±$16kLowest 23% below U.S.	$95,233±$9kHighest 18% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$176,500±$14kLowest 47% below U.S.	$550,200±$39kHighest 65% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$830±$116Lowest 41% below U.S.	$1,628±$94Highest 15% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,865Lowest 24% above U.S.	$6,813Highest 118% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.9%±20.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	56.8%±10.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Hampton and Fair Haven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	18.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	5.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	73.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S.	1978Highest 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	4.3%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	21.7%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#66 of 70 in VT	#31 of 120 in NH
School district	Slate Valley Unified Union School District #62	Hampton School District · Winnacunnet Cooperative School District
High school in town	Fair Haven Union Middle and High School	Winnacunnet High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	10.1Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	12 photos →	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.