Compare towns
Hampton vs Wakefield 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
Hampton has the most homeowners (73.8%).
Wakefield has the most kids (20% under 18).
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 | Wakefield | Hampton Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,426 |
27,793Highest |
2,605Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.8±2.1 43% above U.S. |
42.4±1.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
60.4±2.4Highest 55% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 11.6%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 30.9%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hampton Beach and Hampton 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% |
59.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wakefield 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. |
$134,306±$14kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$82,557±$17kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $550,200±$39k 65% above U.S. |
$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$508,900±$76kLowest 53% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,628±$94 15% above U.S. |
$1,958±$102Highest 39% above U.S. |
$1,375±$130Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,813 118% above U.S. |
$7,779Highest 149% above U.S. |
$6,115Lowest 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.8%±10.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±20.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hampton Beach and Hampton 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% |
4.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.7%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.9%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hampton Beach and Wakefield 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 | #179 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Hampton School District · Winnacunnet Cooperative School District | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | — |
| High school in town | Winnacunnet High School | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.1Lowest |
10.7Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.