The Best Towns and Cities in New Hampshire: Where to Live in 2027

By many measures, New Hampshire is a great place to live. The Granite State has landed at or near the top of several major 2026 “best state to live in” rankings, including U.S. News & World Report, with particularly strong marks for safety, quality of life, education and healthcare.

That said, “good” depends on what you’re optimizing for. New Hampshire offers no state income tax and no sales tax, but it leans heavily on property taxes to fund schools and local services, so homeowners should budget for one of the highest effective property tax rates in the country.

The tradeoff tends to work in favor of high earners, remote workers and retirees drawing investment income, and it’s a bigger consideration for buyers stretching for a larger home on a tighter budget. If you’re relocating from a higher-tax state, it’s worth talking with a loan officer about how the shift in taxes and cost of living could affect what you can comfortably afford here.

Quick Facts About Living in New Hampshire State population: Approximately 1.4 million residents Most populated city: Manchester Capital: Concord State income tax: None Sales tax: None Property tax: Among the highest in the country, since it funds most local and school services Statewide median single-family home price: $535,000 (New Hampshire Association of Realtors) Known for: No income tax, strong public schools, low crime, easy access to mountains, lakes and coastline

Trying to find the best place in New Hampshire to call home usually starts with the same question: Which towns actually fit your budget, commute and lifestyle? The table below compares some of the most searched-for towns in New Hampshire side by side, before we go deeper on each community, region by region.

Community	Region	Population	Median Home Price Tier	Best Suited For
Manchester	Merrimack Valley	115,644	Moderate-High	Buyers wanting variety and urban amenities
Nashua	Merrimack Valley	91,322	High	Young professionals, families, Boston commuters
Concord	Merrimack Valley	43,976	Moderate	Families, public-sector employees
Derry	Merrimack Valley	22,879	Moderate	First time home buyers, families
Londonderry	Merrimack Valley	25,826	Moderate-High	Commuters, families
Salem	Merrimack Valley	30,809	High	Commuters, shoppers, Boston-border buyers
Dover	Seacoast	32,741	Moderate-High	Families wanting Seacoast access at a lower cost
Rochester	Seacoast	32,492	Moderate	Budget-conscious buyers
Portsmouth	Seacoast	21,956	High	Young professionals, empty nesters, second home buyers
Exeter	Seacoast	16,049	Moderate-High	Families
Keene	Monadnock	23,047	Moderate	Young professionals, retirees
Hanover	Upper Valley	9,078	High	Academics, retirees
Wolfeboro	Lakes Region	3,300	High (lakefront premium)	Retirees, second home buyers
Laconia	Lakes Region	16,871	Moderate	Budget-conscious buyers wanting lake access
Littleton	White Mountains	4,476	Lower	Outdoor-focused families, first time buyers

 

Population figures reflect U.S. Census Bureau population estimates. Home price tiers are relative to the statewide median and reflect general market positioning rather than a specific dollar figure, since prices shift month to month.

For a real-time read on what you can afford in any of these towns, our mortgage calculator is a good starting point, and a loan officer can walk you through actual numbers for your situation.

The team at Blue Water Mortgage regularly works with buyers moving into every corner of the state, and the communities below consistently come up as strong options for people searching for the best NH towns across a range of budgets. Each profile includes a quick-reference summary box with population, county and what the town is best known for, followed by more context on what it’s actually like to live there.

Best Towns in the White Mountains & North Country

Littleton

• Population: 4,467
• County: Grafton
• Known for: Chutter’s World’s Longest Candy Counter, breweries, ski access
• Best for: Outdoor-focused families, first time home buyers

Littleton sits just outside Franconia Notch and offers small-town character with bigger-city amenities, including well-known local breweries, restaurants and Chutter’s, home to the World’s Longest Candy Counter. Its proximity to major ski areas makes it popular with families and outdoor-minded buyers, and housing costs remain more affordable here than in the state’s southern corridor.

Gorham

• Population: 1,815
• County: Coös
• Known for: Mount Washington Auto Road, moose tours, hiking
• Best for: Buyers prioritizing outdoor access and affordability

Gorham is a classic North Country town in the heart of the White Mountains, with easy access to the Mount Washington Auto Road, moose tours and Great Glen Trails. It’s a good fit for buyers prioritizing outdoor access and a lower cost of living over commute convenience, and it consistently ranks among the more affordable places in New Hampshire to buy a home.

Conway

• Population: 3,576
• County: Carroll
• Known for: North Conway village, skiing, Mount Washington Valley
• Best for: Outdoor enthusiasts, seasonal and year-round residents

Conway, including its North Conway village, has been recognized as one of the best ski towns in the country and serves as the gateway to Mount Washington Valley. Expect a rural feel with a surprising amount of retail, dining and seasonal tourism traffic, a combination that keeps demand, and prices, steady even in a smaller market.

Sugar Hill

• Population: 647
• County: Grafton
• Known for: Mountain views, spring wildflower displays
• Best for: Buyers seeking privacy and scenery over convenience

Sugar Hill is the smallest community on this list and one of the quietest, known for sweeping mountain views and vibrant spring wildflower displays. Housing here trades convenience for scenery, and inventory is limited given the town’s size, so buyers interested in Sugar Hill should expect a longer search.

Best Towns in the Lakes Region

Meredith

• Population: 2,527
• County: Belknap
• Known for: Lake Winnipesaukee, boating, walkable downtown
• Best for: Retirees, second home buyers, boating enthusiasts

Meredith sits on the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee and is one of the more tranquil Lakes Region towns, with a walkable downtown, marina access and a strong seasonal rental and vacation-home market that shapes local housing dynamics. Buyers considering Meredith as a second home or future retirement spot may want to look at our second home financing options, since lake-adjacent property often has different financing considerations than a primary residence.

Wolfeboro

• Population: 3,300
• County: Carroll
• Known for: “Jewel of Lake Winnipesaukee,” strong schools
• Best for: Retirees, second home buyers

Wolfeboro, known as “America’s Oldest Summer Resort,” combines a strong local economy with a well-regarded school system and a robust tourism base tied to the lake. Waterfront and near-water properties command a real premium here, which is one reason it’s often cited among the nicest towns in New Hampshire for a lake lifestyle.

Laconia

• Population: 16,871
• County: Belknap
• Known for: Weirs Beach, Gunstock Mountain, affordability
• Best for: Budget-conscious buyers wanting lake access

Laconia is the Lakes Region’s largest city and county seat of Belknap County, offering more affordable housing than the surrounding lake towns along with a growing downtown and easy access to Weirs Beach and Gunstock Mountain. For buyers comparing the Lakes Region on cost alone, Laconia is consistently one of the better values.

New London

• Population: 1,266
• County: Merrimack
• Known for: Colby-Sawyer College, central location
• Best for: Retirees, small-town shoppers

New London is centrally located and home to Colby-Sawyer College, with a landscape and small-town retail scene that command higher housing costs relative to its size, though buyers get a walkable town center and a strong sense of community in return.

Best Towns on the Seacoast

Portsmouth

• Population: 21,956
• County: Rockingham
• Known for: Historic downtown, food scene, Prescott Park
• Best for: Young professionals, empty nesters, second home buyers

Portsmouth is the Seacoast’s creative and culinary hub, known for its historic downtown, Prescott Park events and a food scene that’s earned national recognition. Housing here runs on the higher end for the state — it’s typically the priciest market on this list — and low crime and strong schools help explain the demand.

Dover

• Population: 32,741
• County: Strafford
• Known for: The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire, healthy local economy
• Best for: Families wanting Seacoast access at a lower cost

Dover is the largest Seacoast community and combines a healthy local economy with family-friendly attractions like The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire, offering more accessible housing than Portsmouth while staying close to the coast.

Rochester

• Population: 32,492
• County: Strafford
• Known for: Affordability, central location
• Best for: Budget-conscious buyers, first time home buyers

Rochester blends small-town character with city-level convenience at a comparatively affordable price point, with easy access to the seacoast, lakes and mountains for buyers who want to stay central. It’s a town worth a serious look for first time home buyers hoping to stretch their budget without leaving southeastern New Hampshire.

Hampton

• Population: 9,597
• County: Rockingham
• Known for: Summer beach town, strong schools
• Best for: Young families, seasonal residents

Hampton turns into a summer beach destination and settles into a quiet coastal town the rest of the year. Affordable housing and strong schools have made it popular with young families, alongside neighboring North Hampton.

Exeter

• Population: 16,049
• County: Rockingham
• Known for: Phillips Exeter Academy, historic downtown
• Best for: Families

Exeter pairs historic charm with strong public and private school systems, most notably Phillips Exeter Academy, and a walkable downtown with a healthy mix of dining and retail.

Stratham

• Population: 7,669
• County: Rockingham
• Known for: Low crime, proximity to Portsmouth and Dover
• Best for: Families, commuters

Stratham is a quieter Rockingham County town close to Portsmouth and Dover, and it has landed on lists of the state’s safest communities in recent years.

Durham

• Population: 2,693
• County: Strafford
• Known for: University of New Hampshire, top-ranked schools
• Best for: Young professionals, university-connected buyers

Durham is home to the University of New Hampshire and offers a lively college-town atmosphere, along with a public school system that consistently ranks near the top of the state and easy access to both the mountains and the Great Bay Estuary.

Best Towns in the Merrimack Valley & Southern New Hampshire

Manchester

• Population: 115,644
• County: Hillsborough
• Known for: Largest city in NH, arts, culture, job market
• Best for: Buyers wanting variety and urban amenities

Manchester is New Hampshire’s largest city and its commercial and cultural hub, having grown from a historic mill town into a diverse urban center anchored by the Currier Museum of Art, the SNHU Arena and the NH Fisher Cats. It offers the widest range of housing stock and price points of any community in the state, from downtown condos to established single-family neighborhoods.

Nashua

• Population: 91,322
• County: Hillsborough
• Known for: “The Gate City,” Boston proximity, tech and manufacturing jobs
• Best for: Young professionals, families, Boston commuters

Nashua is New Hampshire’s second-largest city and known as “The Gate City” for its position just south of Manchester and close to the Massachusetts border. It offers strong schools, a growing tech and manufacturing job base and a short drive to Boston, making it a popular landing spot for buyers who want suburban space without giving up access to bigger-city job markets.

Concord

• Population: 43,976
• County: Merrimack
• Known for: State capital, historic downtown
• Best for: Families, public-sector employees

Concord is the state capital and combines governmental stability with a walkable historic downtown along the Merrimack River. Its strong school system and steady municipal employment base make it a consistent draw for families.

Salem

• Population: 30,089
• County: Rockingham
• Known for: Canobie Lake Park, Mall at Rockingham Park, Tuscan Village, I-93 access
• Best for: Commuters, shoppers, buyers wanting a regional commercial hub

Salem is the first town that drivers reach in New Hampshire heading north on Interstate 93 out of Massachusetts, and it’s grown into one of the busiest commercial hubs in the southern part of the state. The city is anchored by the Mall at Rockingham Park, the mixed-use Tuscan Village development and the long-running Canobie Lake Park. Its position on I-93 makes it one of the most convenient towns on this list for a Boston commute, and the retail and entertainment base gives it more day-to-day amenities than most other Rockingham County suburbs.

Londonderry

• Population: 25,826
• County: Rockingham
• Known for: Airport access, low crime, strong schools
• Best for: Commuters, families

Londonderry benefits from its proximity to Manchester-Boston Regional Airport and a strong local business base, along with a well-regarded school system and low crime rate.

Windham

• Population: 15,817
• County: Rockingham
• Known for: Top-ranked schools, Cobbetts Pond
• Best for: Families

Windham rounds out the list of strong Rockingham County suburbs, with a highly ranked school system, an active community events calendar and lake access at Cobbetts Pond.

Atkinson

• Population: 7,087
• County: Rockingham
• Known for: Best-suburb rankings, Massachusetts border access
• Best for: Commuters into Massachusetts

Atkinson sits on the Massachusetts border in southern Rockingham County and has been recognized as one of the state’s top suburbs, offering relative quiet with easy access to Massachusetts job markets.

Best Towns in the Upper Valley & Monadnock Region

Hanover

• Population: 9,078
• County: Grafton
• Known for: Dartmouth College, Appalachian Trail corridor
• Best for: Academics, retirees

Hanover is home to Dartmouth College and routinely appears on national “best places to live” lists, thanks to its scenic riverside setting along the Appalachian Trail corridor and a highly ranked local high school. It’s also one of the most expensive housing markets in the state relative to its size.

Lebanon

• Population: 14,282
• County: Grafton
• Known for: Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, tech employers
• Best for: Healthcare and tech professionals

Lebanon sits on the Connecticut River in the Upper Valley and is home to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center along with a cluster of technology employers, giving it one of the stronger job bases in the northern half of the state.

Keene

• Population: 23,047
• County: Cheshire
• Known for: Two colleges, Central Square, four-season recreation
• Best for: Young professionals, retirees

Keene anchors the Monadnock Region and benefits from Keene State College, a walkable Central Square and four-season access to farmland, hiking and skiing.

Free Download: 10 Questions You Need to Ask Before Buying a Home

New Hampshire’s largest cities — Manchester, Nashua, Concord and Dover — offer more housing inventory, shorter commutes to major employers and a wider range of price points, but with higher density and less land per property. Small towns, from Sugar Hill and Gorham to Amherst and Stratham, trade some convenience for more space, quiet and a slower pace, though buyers should expect fewer amenities within walking distance and potentially longer drives for shopping, healthcare and entertainment.

Neither approach is inherently better; it comes down to whether you value walkability and job-market access or space and quiet more highly. The following are the most populated areas in the state.

Rank	City
1	Manchester
2	Nashua
3	Concord
4	Derry
5	Dover
6	Rochester
7	Salem
8	Merrimack
9	Londonderry
10	Hudson

Once you’ve narrowed down a region, matching a community to your stage of life makes the search a lot more manageable. Here’s how the towns above tend to sort by lifestyle.

Best Places in New Hampshire for Families

Families tend to prioritize school quality, safety and enough space to grow into, and several New Hampshire communities consistently deliver on all three.

• Exeter
• Windham
• Londonderry
• Durham
• Hampton

These places combine highly ranked school systems with active family-oriented recreation, while Concord and Dover deserve honorable mentions for similar strengths at a somewhat lower price point.

Best Places in New Hampshire for Young Professionals

Young professionals tend to prioritize walkable downtowns, nightlife and a reasonable commute to a job center, and a handful of New Hampshire communities check all three boxes.

• Portsmouth
• Manchester
• Nashua
• Keene

These cities offer the strongest combination of walkable downtowns, a growing restaurant and nightlife scene and reasonable commutes to job centers in southern New Hampshire, Boston or the Upper Valley’s medical and tech employers. Similarly, Durham and Hanover deserve honorable mentions for young professionals connected to the university and college economies in those areas.

Best Places in New Hampshire for Retirees

New Hampshire’s tax structure and healthcare access make it a strong retirement state overall, and a handful of communities stand out for retirees specifically.

• Wolfeboro
• Meredith
• New London
• Hanover
• Laconia

These towns are especially popular with retirees drawn to lake access, walkable village centers and proximity to healthcare systems like Dartmouth-Hitchcock and Concord Hospital, while Portsmouth and Hampton deserve honorable mentions for retirees who want year-round coastal access without a full Florida-style relocation.

Most Affordable Places to Live in New Hampshire

Housing costs vary dramatically by county, and a few areas consistently come in below the statewide median.

• Coös County (North Country)
• Rochester
• Laconia
• Parts of Merrimack County

These areas tend to offer more affordable options than the Rockingham County towns near the Massachusetts border and Seacoast, where demand from Boston-area buyers keeps prices elevated. Buyers focused on affordability should widen their search to include the North Country, the western Monadnock Region and inland Lakes Region towns, and should talk with a loan officer about prequalification early so the search stays grounded in a realistic price range.

Every state has tradeoffs, and New Hampshire is no exception. Here’s a balanced look at what tends to work in the state’s favor and what’s worth weighing before you make the move.

Pros:

• No state income tax and no sales tax
• Consistently ranks among the safest states in the country
• Strong public school systems in many communities
• Easy access to mountains, lakes and coastline
• Growing remote-work-friendly population, especially near the Massachusetts border

Cons:

• High effective property tax rates relative to most other states
• Statewide housing prices have climbed to record levels through 2026, with limited inventory
• Winters are long and snowy, which isn’t for every buyer
• Rural areas can mean longer drives to healthcare, shopping and entertainment
• Housing supply and price growth vary widely by county, so budget expectations should be set locally rather than statewide

Thinking about a move to New Hampshire? Blue Water Mortgage has loan officers who know these communities firsthand and can walk you through your prequalification options before you start touring homes. Get prequalified or get in touch with our team to talk through your next steps.

What is the most populated city in New Hampshire?

Manchester is the most populated city in New Hampshire, with 115,644 residents. Nashua is second at roughly 91,322, followed by the state capital, Concord, at approximately 43,976.

Is New Hampshire a good place to live?

Yes, New Hampshire consistently ranks among the best states to live in for safety, quality of life, education and healthcare, and it has no state income tax or sales tax. The tradeoff is a higher effective property tax rate than most states, which you should factor into your budget.

How does the cost of living in New Hampshire compare to Massachusetts?

New Hampshire generally offers a lower overall tax burden than Massachusetts, since it has no state income tax or sales tax, but housing costs in southern New Hampshire towns near the border have risen enough that the gap in home prices has narrowed in some areas. Many buyers still find meaningful savings once property taxes, income taxes and daily purchases are all factored in together.

How much income do I need to comfortably buy a home in New Hampshire?

The income needed to buy a home in New Hampshire depends on where in the state you’re buying, current interest rates and the loan program you use, since down payment requirements and qualification guidelines vary by borrower. Rather than relying on a general rule of thumb, it’s worth talking with a loan officer directly about your income, savings and the specific communities you’re considering, since programs exist for a range of down payment levels.

Is New Hampshire a good fit for remote workers relocating from out of state?

Many remote workers have relocated to New Hampshire in recent years specifically because of its tax structure and proximity to Boston, without the daily commute. Seacoast towns, the Merrimack Valley and Upper Valley communities near Hanover and Lebanon have all seen growing interest from remote employees who want mountain or coastal access without leaving New England.