Compare towns
Hampton vs Sugar Hill vs Meredith
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hampton has the most renters (26.2% rent).
Sugar Hill has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.9%).
Meredith has the most affordable homes ($480k median).
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 | Sugar Hill | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,426Highest |
658Lowest |
6,758 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+14.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 55.8±2.1 29% above NH |
60.8±2.1Highest 40% above NH |
55.5±3.7Lowest 28% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 11.6%±2.3 NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±3.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Meredith and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.9%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
37.2%±12.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5 NH: 20.1% |
| Sugar Hill and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59%Highest NH: 40.6% |
45.9% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±1.1Highest NH: 6% |
2%±3.1Lowest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2 NH: 6% |
| Hampton and Meredith 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 4% below NH |
$154,091±$32kHighest 56% above NH |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $550,200±$39k 37% above NH |
$639,700±$50kHighest 59% above NH |
$480,100±$48kLowest 19% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,628±$94Highest 9% above NH |
$1,208±$630 19% below NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
| Hampton and Sugar Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,813 about the NH average |
$7,340Highest 10% above NH |
$5,006Lowest 25% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.8%±10.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
40%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Hampton and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6% NH: 7.2% |
0.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.4%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.8% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
1964Lowest 15 yrs older than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 3% below NH |
26 min about the NH average |
26 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 21.7%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
16.8%±4.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith 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 | — | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hampton School District · Winnacunnet Cooperative School District | — | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Winnacunnet High School | — | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.1Lowest |
— | 11.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.