Compare towns
Hampton Beach vs Meredith vs Wells
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 the most renters (37.1% rent).
Meredith has the most affordable homes ($480k median).
Wells has the most kids (18% under 18).
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 | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,605Lowest |
6,758 |
11,713Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 60.4±2.4Highest 55% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7 43% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8Lowest 38% above U.S. |
| Hampton Beach and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 3.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Wells 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% |
31%±3.3Lowest 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% |
43.3% 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% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wells and Meredith 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. |
$88,024±$11kHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Wells and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $508,900±$76kHighest 53% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48kLowest 44% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
| Hampton Beach and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$130Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,350±$297 4% below U.S. |
| Hampton Beach and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,115Highest 96% above U.S. |
$5,006 61% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.7%±20.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hampton Beach and Meredith 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% |
6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 4% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 26.9%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2Lowest 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 | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | — | Inter-Lakes High School | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Lowest |
11.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.