What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hampton has the most expensive homes ($550k median).

Gardner has the most kids (18.3% 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Hampton	Gardner
People
Population	16,426Lowest	21,148Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	55.8±2.1Highest 43% above U.S.	43.7±2.3Lowest 12% above U.S.
Kids under 18	11.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22%	18.3%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	30.9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%	19.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	42.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.1%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	4.6%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Gardner 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±$9kHighest 18% above U.S.	$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$550,200±$39kHighest 65% above U.S.	$301,600±$20kLowest 9% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,628±$94Highest 15% above U.S.	$1,109±$51Lowest 22% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,813Highest 118% above U.S.	$4,150Lowest 33% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	56.8%±10.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%	49.7%±8.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Hampton and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S.	1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest about the U.S. average	31 minHighest 16% above U.S.
Work from home	21.7%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%	13.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#31 of 120 in NH	#273 of 282 in MA
School district	Hampton School District · Winnacunnet Cooperative School District	Gardner
High school in town	Winnacunnet High School	Gardner High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.1Lowest	13.5Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.