Compare towns
Hampton vs Bow vs Eliot vs Hampton Beach
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 has the most expensive homes ($550k median).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Eliot has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Hampton Beach has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
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 | Bow | Eliot | Hampton Beach |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,426Highest |
8,335 |
7,146 |
2,605Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.8±2.1 43% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
60.4±2.4Highest 55% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 11.6%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 30.9%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hampton Beach and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,233±$9k 18% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$82,557±$17kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $550,200±$39kHighest 65% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62kLowest 50% above U.S. |
$508,900±$76k 53% 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 | $1,628±$94 15% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,375±$130Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Eliot and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,813 118% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$6,115 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.8%±10.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±20.2Highest 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 | 5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
25 min 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.7%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.9%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hampton Beach and Bow 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #19 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Hampton School District · Winnacunnet Cooperative School District | Bow School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | — |
| High school in town | Winnacunnet High School | Bow High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.1Lowest |
12.8Highest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.