What stands out worked out from the figures below

Northampton has the most kids (16% under 18).

Hampton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.1%).

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	Northampton	Hampton
People
Population	30,962Highest	16,426Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+5.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.3±2.2Lowest 6% above U.S.	55.8±2.1Highest 43% above U.S.
Kids under 18	16%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22%	11.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	20.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	30.9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	42.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	14%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.1%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$80,288±$6kLowest about the U.S. average	$95,233±$9kHighest 18% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$429,700±$17kLowest 29% above U.S.	$550,200±$39kHighest 65% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,439±$75Lowest about the U.S. average	$1,628±$94Highest 15% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,680Lowest 82% above U.S.	$6,813Highest 118% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.6%±6.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%	56.8%±10.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Northampton and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	13.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	5.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	57.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	73.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S.	1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 19% below U.S.	26 minHighest about the U.S. average
Work from home	24.1%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%	21.7%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Northampton 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	#159 of 282 in MA	#31 of 120 in NH
School district	Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural	Hampton School District · Winnacunnet Cooperative School District
High school in town	Northampton High	Winnacunnet High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.7Highest	10.1Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.