The Town FilesCenter Harbor, New Hampshire
Town in Belknap County · population 1,040 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $463,800
- Household income
- $104,313
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 80 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 60.4
Center Harbor is a town of 1,040 people in Belknap County, New Hampshire. The median home is worth $463,800, above the typical New Hampshire town ($357,650). It ranks better for a vacation home than 87% of New Hampshire towns, easier by car than 87% of New Hampshire towns, better for retirees than 77% of New Hampshire towns.
How Center Harbor ranks
Percentile among New Hampshire towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New Hampshire towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Center Harbor is worth $463,800, above the typical New Hampshire town ($357,650). Homes cost about 4.4 times the median household income of $104,313, which is more affordable than 22% of New Hampshire towns. 91.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Center Harbor | Typical New Hampshire town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $463,800 | $357,650 |
| Median rent | — | $1,285 |
| Median household income | $104,313 | $94,107 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.4× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 91.0% | 82.1% |
| Median year built | 1982 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 42.1% | — |
Who lives in Center Harbor
| People | Center Harbor | Typical New Hampshire town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 60.4 | 46.3 |
| Age 65 and over | 39.5% | 22.3% |
| Under 18 | 11.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47.1% | 36.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.0% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 5.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.7% | — |
| Work from home | 8.9% | 14.2% |
| Average commute | 24.6 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.6% | 92.5% |
Weather in Center Harbor
July highs average 80.6°F and January lows 13.3°F. About 47.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 79.7 inches of snow (typical New Hampshire town: 67.7 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 146 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Center Harbor since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New Hampshire town. The strongest, an F1, struck on July 23, 1995 about 6.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 13, 2004.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 12 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on August 15, 1985.
Severe weather in Belknap County since 1996
Belknap County has been included in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 10, 2024 | Winter Storm | DR-4799: Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
| September 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4740: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| March 15, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4693: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4516: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3445: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Belknap County
Belknap County had 25,854 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,999 a year. Unemployment was 2.1% in 2023; in Center Harbor itself the ACS puts it at 2.8%.
Towns near Center Harbor
- Meredith, NH3.5 mi · 2,527 people · home $450,000
- Meredith, NH5.0 mi · 6,662 people · home $480,100
- Holderness, NH5.4 mi · 2,004 people · home $363,100
- Ashland, NH6.2 mi · 1,082 people · home $173,900
- Ashland, NH6.8 mi · 1,938 people · home $227,000
- Moultonborough, NH7.2 mi · 4,918 people · home $644,200
- New Hampton, NH8.2 mi · 2,377 people · home $383,700
- Laconia, NH8.8 mi · 16,871 people · home $340,300
Center Harbor questions
Is Center Harbor, New Hampshire a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Center Harbor scores better for retirees than 77% of New Hampshire towns and quieter than 75%. 39.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 60.4).
How much does a house cost in Center Harbor?
The median owner-occupied home in Center Harbor is valued at $463,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $104,313, so homes cost about 4.4 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Center Harbor?
July highs average 80.6°F and January lows 13.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.4 inches of precipitation a year and 79.7 inches of snow.
Does Center Harbor get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Center Harbor since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on July 23, 1995. The typical New Hampshire town has had 5.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)