Study: Happiest Cities in New Hampshire

While it's renowned for its colorful fall foliage, New Hampshire is an exceptional place to live year-round. In winter, residents can ski to their heart's content at Loon Mountain but come summer, you'll find them stretched out on the sand at Hampton Beach State Park. A lack of income tax gets big grins from professionals and retirees, while families delight in the quality of the local schools and Vermont's overall safety. Curious about which cities offer the highest level of satisfaction? Here's what the CreditDonkey experts uncovered.

Study Methodology

To find out which of New Hampshire's cities are the happiest, we collected U.S. Census data and FBI crime statistics for all of its incorporated areas. We evaluated each city across seven key measures and used the results to assign a ranking to each of them. The top 5 cities are the ones that had the best rank overall based on the following:

1. Restaurants
   
2. Crime rate
   
3. Commute
   
4. Departure time
   
5. Income
   
6. Divorce rate
   
7. Housing

New England cuisine tends to center on locally grown foods and fresh seafood. All of the cities on our list feature an ample number of unique dining options. To see where you have the most opportunities to grab a bite with friends or family, check out how they ranked based on the number of restaurants per capita.

New Hampshire is one of the safest states in the nation, but crime rates vary from one location to the next. We decided to focus on the odds of being the victim of a violent crime in each city for our next study measure.

When the daily drive to work eats up a substantial part of your day, it can quickly turn your mood sour. We took a look at each city's average commute to determine where the commute times are shortest.

Hopping out of bed before the sunrise can potentially set you up for a more productive, happier day. Our rankings took into account the percentage of residents who leave for work before 5 a.m. each day.

New Hampshire is one of the country's top-ranking states for income, which is sure to put a smile on residents' faces. We considered the median household income for each city to gauge how well workers are doing financially.

There's no place like New Hampshire for a fall wedding but for some couples, the honeymoon is over by spring. If you're curious about where marriages tend to have the most staying power, check out how each city ranked based on the percentage of divorced men and women.

Whether you prefer a quaint country farmhouse or a well-manicured suburban home, there's something for everyone here. For our final study measure, we looked at how affordable each city is based on the percentage of income residents spend on housing.

Happiest Cities in New Hampshire

5. Berlin

• Restaurants per capita: 1 per 650 inhabitants
  
• Odds of being the victim of a violent crime: 1 in 711.7
  
• Average commute time: 17 minutes
  
• Percentage of residents leaving for work before 5 a.m.: 8.1%
  
• Median household income: $36,811
  
• Percentage of residents who are divorced: 17.5% of males, 14.8% of females
  
• Percentage of income spent on housing: 23.1%

The peaceful little hamlet of Berlin sits just north of the White Mountain National Forest, not too far from the Maine border. The city's location along the Androscoggin River contributed to its role as a major player in the pulp and paper industry but today, small business is the cornerstone of the economy. It has the highest percentage of residents leaving for work before 5 a.m. and it takes them 17 minutes on average to get where they're going.

Berlin's reputation for safety also makes it a popular choice for families and retirees. Home prices have increased slightly over the last year but overall, the local housing market offers a good value based on what people earn. There are plenty of places to chow down with friends, and Tea Birds Cafe is known around town for being a favorite breakfast spot.

Did You Know: Earl Silas Tupper, best known for inventing Tupperware, was born in Berlin.

4. Nashua

• Restaurants per capita: 1 per 404 inhabitants
  
• Odds of being the victim of a violent crime: 1 in 425.8
  
• Average commute time: 25.2 minutes
  
• Percentage of residents leaving for work before 5 a.m.: 2.9%
  
• Median household income: $65,671
  
• Percentage of residents who are divorced: 11.4% of males, 13.9% of females
  
• Percentage of income spent on housing: 23%

Nashua lies along the Merrimack River, adjacent to the New Hampshire-Massachusetts border. Close to 87,000 people live here, making it one of the state's largest cities and from what we can see, one of its happiest as well. The working crowd enjoys perks like a nearly $66,000 median income and an average commute of about 25 minutes. For families, there are the safe neighborhoods and excellent schools.

As far as housing goes, Nashua residents spend the least amount of their income on a home compared to the other cities on our list. The cost of renting is slightly higher compared to the rest of the Manchester metro area but on the whole, living here won't put too much of a strain on your wallet. Residents have an abundant number of dining choices and MT's Local Kitchen & Wine Bar should be at the top of your must-try list.

Did You Know: On the Road author Jack Kerouac's parents were married in Nashua.

3. Lebanon

• Restaurants per capita: 1 per 293 inhabitants
  
• Odds of being the victim of a violent crime: 1 in 337.1
  
• Average commute time: 15.6 minutes
  
• Percentage of residents leaving for work before 5 a.m.: 3.6%
  
• Median household income: $54,628
  
• Percentage of residents who are divorced: 8.8% of males, 14.8% of females
  
• Percentage of income spent on housing: 25.4%

The city of Lebanon sits along the Connecticut River, just across the water from White River Junction. Just over 13,000 people make their home here, and they seem to be pleased with their choice. Lebanon looks to be an ideal place for married couples, with the lowest combined divorce rate in our study, and it's not too bad for working professionals either.

Close to 4% of residents are on their way to work before 5 a.m., and getting there doesn't infringe on too much of their time. At the end of the day, they're raking in some decent dough, about 25% of which goes toward housing. Violent crime doesn't happen too often and residents enjoy great eats at places like Cantore's Pizza and 4 Aces Diner.

Did You Know: One of the Lebanon area's most popular attractions is the Quechee Gorge, nicknamed the "Grand Canyon of the East."

2. Dover

• Restaurants per capita: 1 per 398 inhabitants
  
• Odds of being the victim of a violent crime: 1 in 839.6
  
• Average commute time: 23.3 minutes
  
• Percentage of residents leaving for work before 5 a.m.: 3.1%
  
• Median household income: $55,890
  
• Percentage of residents who are divorced: 8.9% of males, 14.8% of females
  
• Percentage of income spent on housing: 24.3%

Dover offers a superior quality of life to its 30,000 residents, and people of all ages are taken in by its charm. The city ranked second on our list for having the best violent crime rate overall, but it also had a strong showing in several other study categories. A solid economy and low unemployment are major pluses for professionals, as is the nearly $56,000 median income.

If you're in the market to buy a home, you shouldn't have too much trouble finding a reasonably priced property. Renters can also find deals, making Dover attractive to students attending the nearby University of New Hampshire. The local dining scene features an eclectic mix of choices; you can't go wrong with brunch, lunch or dinner at Christopher's Third Street Grille.

Did You Know: Dover's Woodman Institute features a number of exhibits that celebrate the city's history, including the oldest intact garrison house in the state.

1. Portsmouth

• Restaurants per capita: 1 per 153 inhabitants
  
• Odds of being the victim of a violent crime: 1 in 614.4
  
• Average commute time: 19.7 minutes
  
• Percentage of residents leaving for work before 5 a.m.: 2.2%
  
• Median household income: $65,347
  
• Percentage of residents who are divorced: 9% of males, 14.8% of females
  
• Percentage of income spent on housing: 23.8%

Situated south of Dover, the city of Portsmouth is a prime destination for folks who prefer a hometown with a waterfront view. A little over 21,000 people reside here and based on its number one ranking, we'd say they're quite thrilled about it. The median income is second only to Nashua, and Portsmouth also has one of the better violent crime rates in our study.

You won't see too many residents heading to work first thing in the morning, but that might be because getting to the office takes under 20 minutes on average. Residents don't have to cough up too much of their cash for housing, although homes do sell for a bit more compared to neighboring cities. The icing on the cake is the wide variety of restaurants you'll find here, including highlights like Black Trumpet Bistro and Portsmouth Brewery.

Did You Know: Portsmouth's Albacore Museum is home to the Albacore, the original submarine prototype upon which modern subs are based.

New Hampshire is proof that good things come in small packages. The cities included in our study are a vibrant lot. If you're planning to settle down here for the first time or simply looking to relocate in the state, you can't go wrong with any of the cities we've profiled.