New Hampshire isn’t just any New England state, it’s actually one of the safest, most family friendly states in America.
Ask any Granite Stater and they will tell you that there are a ton of family friendly activities everywhere you turn, here. The White Mountain State is just one big playground for little and big kids alike.
Yes, if you’re looking for a state with affordable, family friendly staycations, New Hampshire is your place. There are currently 93 State Parks, a plethora of super clean beaches just East of Hampton and over ten skiable mountains just North of Meredith. And if those family friendly activities don’t interest you, the MWV Children’s Museum in Conway or the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center in Concord will surely keep your family entertained for an entire weekend. However, if zoos are more your style, a family visit to Carriage Shack Farm in Londonderry, should do the trick.
More importantly, New Hampshire residents know that keeping a state’s economy strong, jobs plentiful, and salaries competitive is a necessary undertaking if they want to keep families safe, educated, and employed. And that’s just what they’re doing. New Hampshire has some of the best schools in the country. Blue Ribbon elementary schools, gold star high schools, and colleges like the University of New Hampshire in Durham and Dartmouth College in Hanover, have been delivering the next generation to work at major New Hampshire companies like Timberland in North Conway and Planet Fitness Inc. in Dover.
To take a closer look at New Hampshire’s top ten best places to raise a family for 2026, grab your family a pipin’ hot basket of apple cider donuts in Contoocook, find a sunny spot on Wolfeboro’s Lake Winnipesaukee, and read on.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Best Cities To Raise A Family In New Hampshire For 2026
To narrow down the most family friendly places in New Hampshire, we looked to the US Census for several factors: crime, education, family friendly activities and percent of households that currently have children. The cities also had to have a population of at least 5,000.
We ended up with 23 family friendly cities. Needless to say, it was quite difficult to narrow down the most family friendly places in New Hampshire for 2026.
The best place for families in New Hampshire? Kudos to Durham for taking the number one spot.
To see how your favorite New Hampshire place compared, take a look at the list below; and if you don’t see it there, head to the bottom.
More reading about New Hampshire and the best places for families in the country:
- Best Places To Live In New Hampshire
- Cheapest Places To Live In New Hampshire
- Best Cities To Raise A Family In America
- Best States To Raise A Family In America
The 10 Best Places To Raise A Family In New Hampshire For 2026
/10
Population: 10,681
Median Income: $112,070
Average Home Price: $683,122
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 46
Closest Major City: Boston
Households with kids: 27.3%
More on Durham: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 8,479
Median Income: $153,281
Average Home Price: $959,517
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 49
Closest Major City: Worcester
Households with kids: 21.3%
More on Hanover: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 9,964
Median Income: $87,346
Average Home Price: $607,124
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 60
Closest Major City: Boston
Households with kids: 23.2%
More on Exeter: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 12,225
Median Income: $119,571
Average Home Price: $609,580
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 41
Closest Major City: Boston
Households with kids: 28.7%
More on Londonderry: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 8,956
Median Income: $78,684
Average Home Price: $508,125
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 46
Closest Major City: Worcester
Households with kids: 31.9%
More on Milford: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 5,679
Median Income: $87,196
Average Home Price: $553,162
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 54
Closest Major City: Boston
Households with kids: 19.1%
More on Newmarket: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 10,101
Median Income: $97,163
Average Home Price: $618,202
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 56
Closest Major City: Boston
Households with kids: 22.1%
More on Hampton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 21,339
Median Income: $91,673
Average Home Price: $493,914
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 58
Closest Major City: Boston
Households with kids: 28.7%
More on Derry: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 22,545
Median Income: $106,219
Average Home Price: $798,497
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 76
Closest Major City: Boston
Households with kids: 15.0%
More on Portsmouth: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 5,876
Median Income: $101,053
Average Home Price: $522,158
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 37
Closest Major City: Boston
Households with kids: 22.4%
More on Hooksett: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Methodology: How do you determine which place is best for families in New Hampshire anyways?
To give you the places in New Hampshire that are best for families, we must look at a handful of metrics. We want to measure the criteria people want in a family-friendly city utilizing Saturday Night Science.
After researching U.S. Census data produced for the state of New Hampshire, we looked at the data for every single city in the state. We paid particular attention to:
- Crime (Both violent and property)
- Quality of local schools
- Distance to a major city without necessarily being in it
- % of households with children
- Family-friendly amenities nearby (museums, libraries, and colleges)
We then gave each city a “Family Score.”
The higher the score, the better the city is for families. We also limited our results to cities with over 5,000 people. For New Hampshire, that meant a total of 23 cities.
We updated this article for 2026. This is our eleventh time ranking the best cities for families in New Hampshire.
Summary: The Best Places To Raise A Family In New Hampshire
If you’re looking for a breakdown of cities in New Hampshire ranked by criteria that most agree make a place a great spot for families, this is an accurate list.
The best places for families in New Hampshire are Durham, Hanover, Exeter, Londonderry, Milford, Newmarket, Hampton, Derry, Portsmouth, and Hooksett.
Here’s a look at the best cities for singles New Hampshire according to the data:
- Claremont
- Somersworth
- Rochester
For more New Hampshire reading, check out:
- Best Places To Raise A Family In New Hampshire
- Worst Places To Live In New Hampshire
- Cheapest Places To Live In New Hampshire
Best Places For Families In New Hampshire
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | Amenities Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Durham, NH | 10,681 | $112,070 | $683,122 | 57 |
| 2 | Hanover, NH | 8,479 | $153,281 | $959,517 | 35 |
| 3 | Exeter, NH | 9,964 | $87,346 | $607,124 | 40 |
| 4 | Londonderry, NH | 12,225 | $119,571 | $609,580 | 33 |
| 5 | Milford, NH | 8,956 | $78,684 | $508,125 | 34 |
| 6 | Newmarket, NH | 5,679 | $87,196 | $553,162 | 36 |
| 7 | Hampton, NH | 10,101 | $97,163 | $618,202 | 60 |
| 8 | Derry, NH | 21,339 | $91,673 | $493,914 | 66 |
| 9 | Portsmouth, NH | 22,545 | $106,219 | $798,497 | 73 |
| 10 | Hooksett, NH | 5,876 | $101,053 | $522,158 | 39 |