What stands out worked out from the figures below

Salisbury has the most kids (20.1% 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Salisbury	Hampton Beach
People
Population	1,609Lowest	2,605Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+14.2%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	51.5±4.5Lowest 19% above NH	60.4±2.4Highest 39% above NH
Kids under 18	20.1%±9.6Highest NH: 18.2%	3.1%±2.8Lowest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	24.9%±4Lowest NH: 20.1%	33.7%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	37.3%Highest NH: 40.6%	34%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2%±1.1Highest NH: 6%	0.6%±0.7Lowest NH: 6%
	Salisbury and Hampton Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$111,591±$17kHighest 13% above NH	$82,557±$17kLowest 17% below NH
	Salisbury and Hampton Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$363,400±$47kLowest 10% below NH	$508,900±$76kHighest 26% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,917±$632Highest 29% above NH	$1,375±$130Lowest 8% below NH
	Salisbury and Hampton Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,859Lowest 12% below NH	$6,115Highest 8% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2%	61.7%±20.2Highest NH: 48.2%
	Hampton Beach and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.1%Lowest NH: 7.2%	8.2%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	96.9%Highest NH: 72.8%	62.9%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH	1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 20% above NH	25 minLowest 5% below NH
Work from home	23.3%±10.6Lowest NH: 16.8%	26.9%±6.1Highest NH: 16.8%
	Hampton Beach and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Merrimack Valley School District	—
High school in town	None in town	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	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.