What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Laconia has the most kids (18.4% 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	Laconia
People
Population	16,426Lowest	17,085Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.1%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+5.8%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	55.8±2.1Highest 29% above NH	45.3±3.9Lowest 5% above NH
Kids under 18	11.6%±2.3Lowest NH: 18.2%	18.4%±2.9Highest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	30.9%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1%	22.8%±2.7Lowest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	42.8%Highest NH: 40.6%	27.2%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.1%±1.1 NH: 6%	3.1%±1.1 NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$95,233±$9kHighest 4% below NH	$73,218±$12kLowest 26% below NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$550,200±$39kHighest 37% above NH	$340,300±$16kLowest 15% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,628±$94Highest 9% above NH	$1,224±$107Lowest 18% below NH
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,813Highest about the NH average	$4,484Lowest 33% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	56.8%±10.4Highest NH: 48.2%	54.5%±10.2Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Hampton and Laconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.6%Lowest NH: 7.2%	12.6%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.8%Highest NH: 72.8%	64.2%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Highest 1 yr older than NH	1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minHighest 3% below NH	17 minLowest 36% below NH
Work from home	21.7%±3.3Highest NH: 16.8%	13.5%±3.8Lowest NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#31 of 120 in NH	#105 of 120 in NH
School district	Hampton School District · Winnacunnet Cooperative School District	Laconia School District
High school in town	Winnacunnet High School	Laconia High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.1Highest	10.0Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

NH 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.