Compare towns
Hampton vs Lunenburg vs Townsend
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 people working from home (21.7%).
Lunenburg has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.8%).
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
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 | Lunenburg | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,426Highest |
11,902 |
9,100Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.8±2.1Highest 43% above U.S. |
43.2±2.1 11% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 11.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Lunenburg and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.9%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
44%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,233±$9kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$112,828±$11k 40% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Lunenburg 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. |
$463,900±$24k 39% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,628±$94 15% above U.S. |
$1,974±$586Highest 40% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Lunenburg 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. |
$6,401 105% above U.S. |
$6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.8%±10.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.8%±13.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hampton and Townsend 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% |
4.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
82%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
36 min 37% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.7%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.8%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hampton and Lunenburg 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 | #87 of 282 in MA | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hampton School District · Winnacunnet Cooperative School District | Lunenburg | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | Winnacunnet High School | Lunenburg High | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.1Lowest |
12.4 |
13.1Highest |
| 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.