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These Are The 10 Hardest Working Places In New Hampshire

By Chris Kolmar
May. 18, 2016
Last Modified and Fact Checked on: Jan. 24, 2026

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Discover the 10 Hardest Working Places in New Hampshire for 2026

New Hampshire is renowned for its vibrant work ethic and commitment to building better lives for families and individuals. In 2026, this spirit of hard work continues to thrive across the Granite State, with some communities exemplifying the quintessential American determination.

Among these hard-working areas, Raymond stands out as the hardest working place in New Hampshire, where residents go above and beyond, making every moment count—including their commute.

Curious about other towns that are burning the midnight oil and striving for success? Here are the top contenders in New Hampshire for those looking to excel in their careers:

  1. Raymond
  2. Portsmouth
  3. Hampton
  4. Hanover
  5. Plymouth
  6. Londonderry
  7. Peterborough
  8. Belmont
  9. Lebanon
  10. Exeter

Berlin, take note—there’s much to learn from these industrious towns!

How We Ranked the Hardest Working Places in New Hampshire

At Zippia, our mission is to provide data-driven insights to tackle the tough questions about work and employment. To identify the hardest working places in New Hampshire, we utilized the most recent American Community Survey data.

Our methodology involved analyzing a comprehensive set of criteria, including:

  • Average hours worked
  • Average commute time
  • Workers per household (Employed labor force divided by the number of households)
  • Labor force participation rate
  • Percentage of adults with a college degree

Our reasoning was simple: if individuals are dedicated enough to pursue higher education, actively seek employment, work substantial hours, and navigate long commutes, they earn the Zippia stamp of hard work.

We ranked each of New Hampshire’s locations on these criteria, assigning scores from 1 to 40 (with 1 being the hardest working). The average of these rankings formed a hardworking index, and with the lowest score, Raymond earned the title of the hardest working place in New Hampshire.

For an in-depth look at how each location ranked, refer to the detailed chart below.

1. Raymond

Population: 2,789 College Graduates: 28.2%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 40.2
Workers Per Household: 1.5

2. Portsmouth

Source: Wikipedia

Population: 21,366 College Graduates: 55.3%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 39.7
Workers Per Household: 1.3

3. Hampton

Population: 9,417 College Graduates: 48.0%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 38.7
Workers Per Household: 1.4

4. Hanover

Population: 8,411 College Graduates: 82.2%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 30.0
Workers Per Household: 1.8

5. Plymouth

Population: 3,807 College Graduates: 59.9%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 29.9
Workers Per Household: 2.1

6. Londonderry

Population: 10,637 College Graduates: 41.3%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 38.3
Workers Per Household: 1.6

7. Peterborough

Population: 2,993 College Graduates: 52.3%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 39.1
Workers Per Household: 1.0

8. Belmont

Population: 2,066 College Graduates: 13.7%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 42.9
Workers Per Household: 1.5

9. Lebanon

Population: 13,474 College Graduates: 44.9%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 40.0
Workers Per Household: 1.2

10. Exeter

Population: 9,303 College Graduates: 45.6%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 38.2
Workers Per Household: 1.3

Complete List of Hardest Working Places in New Hampshire

City Rank Population College Graduates Average Hours Worked Per Week Workers Per Household
Raymond 1 2,789 28.2% 40.2 1.5
Portsmouth 2 21,366 55.3% 39.7 1.3
Hampton 3 9,417 48.0% 38.7 1.4
Hanover 4 8,411 82.2% 30.0 1.8
Plymouth 5 3,807 59.9% 29.9 2.1
Londonderry 6 10,637 41.3% 38.3 1.6
Peterborough 7 2,993 52.3% 39.1 1.0
Belmont 8 2,066 13.7% 42.9 1.5
Lebanon 9 13,474 44.9% 40.0 1.2
Exeter 10 9,303 45.6% 38.2 1.3
South Hooksett 11 5,378 33.4% 35.7 1.8
Hooksett 12 4,112 33.2% 39.9 1.5
Durham 13 10,288 82.7% 25.3 3.7
Goffstown 14 3,197 37.4% 36.6 1.3
Milford 15 8,970 30.0% 39.0 1.3
Dover 16 30,332 39.7% 38.3 1.4
Newmarket 17 5,589 41.2% 38.5 1.5
Pinardville 18 4,601 26.3% 39.2 1.4
Derry 19 22,129 26.7% 38.0 1.4
Newport 20 4,818 19.0% 40.6 1.3
East Merrimack 21 3,784 29.7% 39.5 1.2
Nashua 22 86,799 35.0% 38.3 1.4
Somersworth 23 11,765 25.0% 36.6 1.5
Hudson 24 7,725 21.2% 39.0 1.6
Concord 25 42,514 35.0% 38.5 1.3
Tilton Northfield 26 3,919 20.8% 39.8 1.3
Manchester 27 110,065 26.4% 38.7 1.4
North Conway 28 2,347 24.6% 37.4 1.2
Rochester 29 29,883 20.2% 38.0 1.3
Keene 30 23,281 39.7% 35.4 1.4
Wolfeboro 31 2,679 41.8% 37.2 1.1
Suncook 32 5,017 21.5% 39.1 1.2
Jaffrey 33 2,421 16.3% 35.4 1.2
Laconia 34 16,007 24.7% 38.4 1.2
Claremont 35 13,169 18.6% 38.0 1.3
Franklin 36 8,462 17.4% 38.3 1.2
Farmington 37 3,562 15.6% 37.8 1.3
Littleton 38 4,576 22.8% 38.9 1.2
Hillsborough 39 2,058 19.4% 38.4 1.2
Berlin 40 9,710 10.8% 35.9 1.0
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Author

Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.

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