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Allenstown Municipal Building, Allenstown NHAllenstown, #1 on this list · Photo: John Phelan · CC BY-SA 3.0
New Hampshire rankings · Outdoors

Best towns for the outdoors in New Hampshire

Allenstown ranks first on outdoors among New Hampshire’s 126 towns of 2,500+; 88 of the 126 grade A− or better on outdoors nationally.

The Outdoors grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): the share of land conserved and the trail miles per square mile. How grades work

#1

Allenstown

Merrimack County · 4,882 people
A+

Outdoors grade, among the top in the U.S.·Overall B− · #88 of 125 in NH

#2

Lebanon

Grafton County · 15,481 people
A+

Outdoors grade, better than 98% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #62 of 125 in NH

#3

Exeter

Rockingham County · 16,213 people
A+

Outdoors grade, better than 98% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #28 of 125 in NH

All 126 towns

Outdoors grade, best first (the letter is national). Towns with the same score share a rank; the overall grade and state rank are beside each.

126 towns ranked. Not here? See why a town may be missing.

#TownGradeOverall
1AllenstownMerrimack County · 4,882 peopleA+among the top in the U.S.·Overall B− · #88 of 125
2LebanonGrafton County · 15,481 peopleA+better than 98% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #62 of 125
3ExeterRockingham County · 16,213 peopleA+better than 98% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #28 of 125
4KeeneCheshire County · 23,072 peopleA+better than 97% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #103 of 125
5BerlinCoos County · 9,502 peopleA+better than 96% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #124 of 125
6HanoverGrafton County · 12,054 peopleA+better than 96% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #15 of 125
7GorhamCoos County · 2,661 peopleA+better than 96% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #89 of 125
8HollisHillsborough County · 8,819 peopleA+better than 96% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #1 of 125
9AtkinsonRockingham County · 7,397 peopleA+better than 96% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #7 of 125
10BowMerrimack County · 8,415 peopleA+better than 95% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #16 of 125
11JaffreyCheshire County · 5,633 peopleA+better than 95% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #56 of 125
12Durham College campusStrafford County · 15,346 peopleAbetter than 94% of U.S. towns·Overall A+
13ConwayCarroll County · 10,308 peopleAbetter than 94% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #115 of 125
14MilfordHillsborough County · 16,686 peopleAbetter than 94% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #50 of 125
15MerrimackHillsborough County · 29,699 peopleAbetter than 93% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #47 of 125
16GilfordBelknap County · 7,898 peopleAbetter than 93% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #41 of 125
17BrooklineHillsborough County · 5,858 peopleAbetter than 92% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #4 of 125
18ConcordMerrimack County · 44,597 peopleAbetter than 92% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #98 of 125
19EppingRockingham County · 7,973 peopleAbetter than 91% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #87 of 125
20BethlehemGrafton County · 2,575 peopleAbetter than 91% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #61 of 125
21New LondonMerrimack County · 4,411 peopleAbetter than 90% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #29 of 125
22HampsteadRockingham County · 9,110 peopleAbetter than 90% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #18 of 125
23WinchesterCheshire County · 4,281 peopleAbetter than 90% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #125 of 125
24RyeRockingham County · 5,689 peopleAbetter than 90% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #17 of 125
25NottinghamRockingham County · 5,490 peopleAbetter than 90% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #26 of 125
26DunbartonMerrimack County · 3,233 peopleAbetter than 89% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #35 of 125
27TamworthCarroll County · 2,895 peopleAbetter than 89% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #82 of 125
28North HamptonRockingham County · 4,526 peopleAbetter than 89% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #31 of 125
29GoffstownHillsborough County · 18,607 peopleAbetter than 89% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #14 of 125
30MeredithBelknap County · 6,854 peopleAbetter than 89% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #71 of 125
31DeerfieldRockingham County · 4,989 peopleAbetter than 89% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #23 of 125
32ChesterfieldCheshire County · 3,684 peopleAbetter than 89% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #80 of 125
33RollinsfordStrafford County · 2,621 peopleAbetter than 88% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #69 of 125
34PeterboroughHillsborough County · 6,499 peopleAbetter than 88% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #36 of 125
35FranklinMerrimack County · 8,839 peopleAbetter than 88% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #102 of 125
36PelhamHillsborough County · 14,828 peopleAbetter than 88% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #39 of 125
37AuburnRockingham County · 6,336 peopleAbetter than 88% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #8 of 125
38NewportSullivan County · 6,417 peopleAbetter than 88% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #116 of 125
39HennikerMerrimack County · 6,256 peopleAbetter than 87% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #34 of 125
40SomersworthStrafford County · 12,171 peopleAbetter than 87% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #109 of 125
41GranthamSullivan County · 3,482 peopleAbetter than 87% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #25 of 125
42MoultonboroughCarroll County · 5,293 peopleAbetter than 86% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #55 of 125
43AmherstHillsborough County · 11,985 peopleAbetter than 86% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #21 of 125
44WarnerMerrimack County · 2,902 peopleAbetter than 86% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #30 of 125
45HopkintonMerrimack County · 6,120 peopleAbetter than 86% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #6 of 125
46NashuaHillsborough County · 92,435 peopleAbetter than 86% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #91 of 125
47NorthwoodRockingham County · 4,757 peopleAbetter than 85% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #9 of 125
48PlymouthGrafton County · 6,721 peopleA−better than 85% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #78 of 125
49New DurhamStrafford County · 2,890 peopleA−better than 84% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #58 of 125
50DoverStrafford County · 34,623 peopleA−better than 84% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #60 of 125
51WiltonHillsborough County · 4,015 peopleA−better than 84% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #63 of 125
52GilmantonBelknap County · 4,060 peopleA−better than 84% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #22 of 125
53MadisonCarroll County · 2,728 peopleA−better than 84% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #79 of 125
54HooksettMerrimack County · 15,346 peopleA−better than 83% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #24 of 125
55OssipeeCarroll County · 4,599 peopleA−better than 83% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #100 of 125
56HinsdaleCheshire County · 4,034 peopleA−better than 83% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #122 of 125
57WeareHillsborough County · 9,291 peopleA−better than 83% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #74 of 125
58HillsboroughHillsborough County · 6,134 peopleA−better than 83% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #93 of 125
59ChesterRockingham County · 5,322 peopleA−better than 83% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #45 of 125
60AltonBelknap County · 6,036 peopleA−better than 82% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #85 of 125
61BartlettCarroll County · 3,335 peopleA−better than 82% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #108 of 125
62StraffordStrafford County · 4,338 peopleA−better than 81% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #72 of 125
63PortsmouthRockingham County · 23,028 peopleA−better than 81% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #33 of 125
64CandiaRockingham County · 4,248 peopleA−better than 81% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #3 of 125
65NewtonRockingham County · 4,851 peopleA−better than 81% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #46 of 125
66WolfeboroCarroll County · 6,637 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #66 of 125
67LeeStrafford County · 4,563 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #13 of 125
68New BostonHillsborough County · 6,276 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #12 of 125
69LaconiaBelknap County · 17,246 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #121 of 125
70ClaremontSullivan County · 13,032 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #123 of 125
71LancasterCoos County · 3,218 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #105 of 125
72ManchesterHillsborough County · 116,818 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #120 of 125
73CharlestownSullivan County · 4,924 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #110 of 125
74FremontRockingham County · 4,923 peopleA−better than 79% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #70 of 125
75BarringtonStrafford County · 9,642 peopleA−better than 78% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #44 of 125
76LittletonGrafton County · 6,003 peopleA−better than 78% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #113 of 125
77SunapeeSullivan County · 3,442 peopleA−better than 77% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #64 of 125
78SwanzeyCheshire County · 7,461 peopleA−better than 77% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #114 of 125
79PembrokeMerrimack County · 7,579 peopleA−better than 77% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #92 of 125
80WalpoleCheshire County · 3,706 peopleA−better than 76% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #94 of 125
81SanborntonBelknap County · 3,038 peopleA−better than 76% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #73 of 125
82LitchfieldHillsborough County · 8,704 peopleA−better than 76% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #32 of 125
83WindhamRockingham County · 16,259 peopleA−better than 76% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #5 of 125
84BedfordHillsborough County · 23,973 peopleA−better than 75% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #10 of 125
85FitzwilliamCheshire County · 2,500 peopleA−better than 75% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #118 of 125
86KingstonRockingham County · 6,288 peopleA−better than 75% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #57 of 125
87NewmarketRockingham County · 9,647 peopleA−better than 75% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #37 of 125
88PittsfieldMerrimack County · 4,148 peopleA−better than 75% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #101 of 125
89NorthfieldMerrimack County · 5,081 peopleB+better than 74% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #86 of 125
90RaymondRockingham County · 11,050 peopleB+better than 74% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #75 of 125
91HudsonHillsborough County · 26,001 peopleB+better than 74% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #84 of 125
92TuftonboroCarroll County · 2,678 peopleB+better than 74% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #42 of 125
93DerryRockingham County · 33,990 peopleB+better than 73% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #81 of 125
94BristolGrafton County · 3,251 peopleB+better than 72% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #106 of 125
95BrentwoodRockingham County · 4,923 peopleB+better than 72% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #19 of 125
96FarmingtonStrafford County · 6,781 peopleB+better than 71% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #111 of 125
97MiltonStrafford County · 4,562 peopleB+better than 71% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #112 of 125
98LondonderryRockingham County · 27,844 peopleB+better than 71% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #40 of 125
99SeabrookRockingham County · 8,430 peopleB+better than 71% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #119 of 125
100HamptonRockingham County · 16,381 peopleB+better than 70% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #48 of 125
101EnfieldGrafton County · 4,470 peopleB+better than 70% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #77 of 125
102StrathamRockingham County · 7,735 peopleB+better than 70% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #11 of 125
103RochesterStrafford County · 33,716 peopleB+better than 69% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #95 of 125
104BoscawenMerrimack County · 4,255 peopleB+better than 68% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #83 of 125
105PlaistowRockingham County · 7,848 peopleB+better than 68% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #43 of 125
106HaverhillGrafton County · 4,667 peopleB+better than 68% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #99 of 125
107SandownRockingham County · 6,753 peopleB+better than 67% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #67 of 125
108RindgeCheshire County · 6,502 peopleB+better than 66% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #54 of 125
109DanvilleRockingham County · 4,650 peopleB+better than 66% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #49 of 125
110PlainfieldSullivan County · 2,560 peopleBbetter than 63% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #27 of 125
111BelmontBelknap County · 7,408 peopleBbetter than 62% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #107 of 125
112EpsomMerrimack County · 5,057 peopleBbetter than 57% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #38 of 125
113WhitefieldCoos County · 2,535 peopleBbetter than 57% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #117 of 125
114New IpswichHillsborough County · 5,467 peopleBbetter than 56% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #59 of 125
115WakefieldCarroll County · 5,558 peopleBbetter than 56% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #97 of 125
116ChichesterMerrimack County · 2,834 peopleBbetter than 55% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #65 of 125
117ThorntonGrafton County · 2,895 peopleBbetter than 55% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #51 of 125
118TiltonBelknap County · 4,092 peopleBbetter than 55% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #104 of 125
119SalemRockingham County · 31,868 peopleB−better than 54% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #53 of 125
120AntrimHillsborough County · 2,757 peopleB−better than 53% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #68 of 125
121BarnsteadBelknap County · 5,038 peopleB−better than 52% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #90 of 125
122LoudonMerrimack County · 5,781 peopleB−better than 52% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #52 of 125
123Mont VernonHillsborough County · 2,698 peopleB−better than 52% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #2 of 125
124GreenlandRockingham County · 4,143 peopleB−better than 48% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #20 of 125
125CanaanGrafton County · 3,833 peopleB−better than 45% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #96 of 125
126CamptonGrafton County · 3,436 peopleC+better than 44% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #76 of 125
Quick answers

Questions people ask

Which New Hampshire town is best for the outdoors?

Allenstown (Merrimack County) ranks first on outdoors among 126 towns, with an A+; Lebanon and Exeter follow.

How are these towns ranked?

The Outdoors grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): the share of land conserved and the trail miles per square mile. Towns are sorted on the grade’s score; the letter and rank are the same as on each town’s page. How grades work.

Why isn’t my town on this list?

The list covers towns of 2,500+ residents with a outdoors grade (126 in New Hampshire). Smaller towns have the grade on their page but no rank. Every town is on the New Hampshire page.

Go deeper

More New Hampshire lists

Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.

All New Hampshire rankings →
Best places to live125 towns · #1 HollisBest small towns97 towns · #1 HollisMost affordable towns126 towns · #1 NorthwoodSafest towns124 towns · #1 DanvilleTowns with the best schools126 towns · #1 GranthamHealthiest towns126 towns · #1 HanoverBest towns for jobs & income126 towns · #1 BedfordMost walkable towns126 towns · #1 HanoverTowns with the lowest natural-hazard risk126 towns · #1 Mont VernonMost historic towns126 towns · #1 TamworthTowns with the most civic life126 towns · #1 MeredithTowns with the least snow126 towns · #1 BarringtonDescribed, no lettersSnowiest towns126 towns · #1 BartlettDescribed, no lettersTowns with the mildest winters126 towns · #1 SeabrookDescribed, no lettersTowns with the hottest summers126 towns · #1 Hinsdale and LitchfieldDescribed, no lettersTowns with the coolest summers126 towns · #1 BartlettDescribed, no lettersTowns with the highest incomes126 towns · #1 WindhamDescribed, no lettersTowns with the lowest property taxes120 towns · #1 BartlettDescribed, no lettersFastest-growing towns121 towns · #1 EppingDescribed, no lettersTowns with the most-used libraries109 towns · #1 GilfordDescribed, no letters
Other states

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