Compare towns
Springfield vs Meredith vs Hampton Beach
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($384k median).
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 | Springfield | Meredith | Hampton Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,122Lowest |
6,758Highest |
2,605 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
+14.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 51.4±8.8Lowest 19% above NH |
55.5±3.7 28% above NH |
60.4±2.4Highest 39% above NH |
| Hampton Beach and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±8Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Springfield and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
33.7%±4.1 NH: 20.1% |
| 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+ | 36.4% NH: 40.6% |
45.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
34%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
0.6%±0.7 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,893±$19kHighest about the NH average |
$87,019±$19k 12% below NH |
$82,557±$17kLowest 17% below NH |
| Springfield and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $384,100±$50kLowest 5% below NH |
$480,100±$48k 19% above NH |
$508,900±$76kHighest 26% above NH |
| Hampton Beach and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$217Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,149±$304 23% below NH |
$1,375±$130Highest 8% below NH |
| Hampton Beach and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,946 11% below NH |
$5,006Lowest 25% below NH |
$6,115Highest 8% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.9%±64.8Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
61.7%±20.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Hampton Beach and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
8.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.8% NH: 72.8% |
62.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 29% above NH |
26 min about the NH average |
25 minLowest 5% below NH |
| Work from home | 16.7%±11.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9 NH: 16.8% |
26.9%±6.1Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Hampton Beach and Meredith 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 | — | #62 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | — |
| High school in town | — | Inter-Lakes High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.