Compare towns
Hampton vs Meredith vs Stow 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
Meredith has the most affordable homes ($480k median).
Stow has the highest household income ($186k).
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 | Meredith | Stow | Hampton Beach |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,426Highest |
6,758 |
7,165 |
2,605Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.8±2.1 43% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7 43% above U.S. |
44.1±4.4Lowest 13% above U.S. |
60.4±2.4Highest 55% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 11.6%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
22.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 30.9%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.7%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Meredith and Hampton Beach 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% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Stow 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. |
$87,019±$19k 8% above U.S. |
$185,809±$22kHighest 130% above U.S. |
$82,557±$17kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $550,200±$39k 65% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48kLowest 44% above U.S. |
$729,600±$39kHighest 119% above U.S. |
$508,900±$76k 53% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,628±$94 15% above U.S. |
$1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,782±$126Highest 26% above U.S. |
$1,375±$130 about the U.S. average |
| Stow 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. |
$5,006Lowest 61% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,115 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.8%±10.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.7%±44.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±20.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hampton Beach and Stow 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% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
26 min about the U.S. average |
36 minHighest 35% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.7%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
36.6%±6.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.9%±6.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stow and Hampton Beach 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 | #62 of 120 in NH | #44 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Hampton School District · Winnacunnet Cooperative School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Nashoba | — |
| High school in town | Winnacunnet High School | Inter-Lakes High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.1Lowest |
11.1Highest |
— | — |
| 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.