The Town FilesLempster, New Hampshire
Town in Sullivan County · population 1,118 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $241,900
- Household income
- $86,607
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 80 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 50.8
Lempster is a town of 1,118 people in Sullivan County, New Hampshire. The median home is worth $241,900, below the typical New Hampshire town ($357,650). It ranks quieter than 83% of New Hampshire towns, better for first-time buyers than 82% of New Hampshire towns, better for a vacation home than 79% of New Hampshire towns.
How Lempster 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 Lempster is worth $241,900, below the typical New Hampshire town ($357,650). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $86,607, which is more affordable than 95% of New Hampshire towns. 98.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lempster | Typical New Hampshire town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $241,900 | $357,650 |
| Median rent | — | $1,285 |
| Median household income | $86,607 | $94,107 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 98.2% | 82.1% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 35.9% | — |
Who lives in Lempster
| People | Lempster | Typical New Hampshire town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50.8 | 46.3 |
| Age 65 and over | 25.4% | 22.3% |
| Under 18 | 12.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.5% | 36.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.2% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 9.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.5% | — |
| Work from home | 5.0% | 14.2% |
| Average commute | 37.3 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.9% | 92.5% |
Weather in Lempster
July highs average 78.9°F and January lows 12.9°F. About 48.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 80.0 inches of snow (typical New Hampshire town: 67.7 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 152 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lempster since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New Hampshire town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 9, 1962 about 9.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 4, 2018.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 13 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on June 9, 2011.
Severe weather in Sullivan County since 1996
Sullivan County has been included in 33 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 |
| October 4, 2021 | Flood | DR-4624: 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 Sullivan County
Sullivan County had 13,867 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,062 a year. Unemployment was 1.9% in 2023; in Lempster itself the ACS puts it at 1.7%.
Public schools in Lempster
1 public school with 123 students, about 15.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lempster Community School | PK-8 | 123 | 15.4 |
Towns near Lempster
- Goshen, NH4.9 mi · 796 people · home $255,600
- Acworth, NH5.4 mi · 853 people · home $273,000
- Washington, NH5.6 mi · 1,192 people · home $358,600
- Unity, NH6.3 mi · 1,518 people · home $276,100
- Marlow, NH6.9 mi · 749 people · home $325,400
- Newport, NH8.9 mi · 4,735 people · home $211,200
- Newport, NH9.4 mi · 6,299 people · home $225,900
- Langdon, NH9.4 mi · 651 people · home $281,900
Lempster questions
Is Lempster, New Hampshire a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lempster scores better for retirees than 49% of New Hampshire towns and quieter than 83%. 25.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 50.8).
How much does a house cost in Lempster?
The median owner-occupied home in Lempster is valued at $241,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $86,607, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Lempster?
July highs average 78.9°F and January lows 12.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.5 inches of precipitation a year and 80.0 inches of snow.
Does Lempster get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lempster since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 9, 1962. 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)