Compare towns
Hampton vs Eliot vs Wells 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).
Eliot has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Hampton Beach has the most people working from home (26.9%).
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 | Eliot | Wells | Hampton Beach |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,426Highest |
7,146 |
11,713 |
2,605Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.8±2.1 43% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Lowest 31% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
60.4±2.4Highest 55% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 11.6%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Wells and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 30.9%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hampton Beach and Wells 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% |
43.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wells 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. |
$101,522±$10kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11k 9% above U.S. |
$82,557±$17kLowest 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. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $550,200±$39kHighest 65% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23kLowest 46% 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. |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$1,375±$130 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 | $6,813Highest 118% above U.S. |
$4,549 46% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$6,115 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.8%±10.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest 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% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
25 min 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.7%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.9%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hampton Beach and Hampton 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Hampton School District · Winnacunnet Cooperative School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | — |
| High school in town | Winnacunnet High School | None in town | Wells High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.1Lowest |
— | 11.4Highest |
— |
| 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.