Compare towns
Hampstead vs Meredith vs Seabrook Beach
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hampstead has the most kids (21.3% under 18).
Meredith has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Seabrook Beach has the most expensive homes ($921k 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 | Hampstead | Meredith | Seabrook Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,102Highest |
6,758 |
1,001Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
+8.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.3±6.1Lowest 5% above NH |
55.5±3.7 28% above NH |
62±3.8Highest 43% above NH |
| Seabrook Beach and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±3.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
5.2%±3.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 21.8%±4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5 NH: 20.1% |
42.1%±7.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Seabrook Beach and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.9% NH: 40.6% |
45.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
39.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2 NH: 6% |
2.2%±3.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Hampstead and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,348±$18kHighest 13% above NH |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
$93,571±$43k 6% below NH |
| Hampstead and Seabrook Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $521,100±$45k 29% above NH |
$480,100±$48kLowest 19% above NH |
$920,900±$75kHighest 129% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,299±$149 13% below NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
$1,725±$575Highest 16% above NH |
| Seabrook Beach and Hampstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,634 30% above NH |
$5,006Lowest 25% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±20.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
90.5%±100Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Seabrook Beach and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
7.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.8% NH: 72.8% |
74.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 13% above NH |
26 minLowest about the NH average |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
| Work from home | 21%±4.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9 NH: 16.8% |
39.5%±20Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Seabrook 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 | #49 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Hampstead School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Inter-Lakes High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.