Compare towns
Hampton Beach vs Meredith vs Gray vs Hampton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hampton Beach has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
Gray has the most kids (19% 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.
| Measure | Hampton Beach | Meredith | Gray | Hampton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,605Lowest |
6,758 |
8,429 |
16,426Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 60.4±2.4Highest 55% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7 43% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
55.8±2.1 43% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 3.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Gray and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 33.7%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.9%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Meredith and Hampton Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
42.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $82,557±$17kLowest about the U.S. average |
$87,019±$19k 8% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8kHighest 18% above U.S. |
$95,233±$9k 18% above U.S. |
| Gray and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $508,900±$76k 53% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48k 44% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$550,200±$39kHighest 65% above U.S. |
| Hampton and Hampton Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$130 about the U.S. average |
$1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,628±$94Highest 15% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,115 96% above U.S. |
$5,006 61% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$6,813Highest 118% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.7%±20.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.8%±10.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hampton Beach and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 4% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 26.9%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.7%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hampton 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 | — | #62 of 120 in NH | #10 of 133 in ME | #31 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Hampton School District · Winnacunnet Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | — | Inter-Lakes High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Winnacunnet High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
12.5Highest |
10.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 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.