New Hampshire is one of the original 13 colonies that led to the achievement of the United States’ independence from Great Britain. It was founded in 1623 and became the ninth state to join the Union on June 21, 1788. It was named after Hampshire County in England. The state is divided into 10 counties and 234 municipalities, including 13 cities and 221 towns.
Unlike most states in the US, New Hampshire follows the Dillon Rule, meaning municipalities only have powers explicitly granted by the state. However, local governance is highly decentralized, with towns typically governed by town meetings and select boards. At the same time, cities operate under council-manager or mayor-council systems.
What makes the municipalities in New Hampshire stand out from other states is that they are defined by their governance structures rather than size or population. Therefore, towns are governed through direct democracy in town meetings, while cities require charters granted by the legislature. Also, since 1979, towns can adopt representative forms of government without becoming cities.
State Information Overview
| Category | Data |
|---|---|
| Total Municipalities | 234 |
| Number of Cities | 13 |
| Number of Towns | 221 |
| Total Counties | 10 |
| Land Area | ~9,349 square miles |
| Population (2025 estimate.) | ~1.4 million residents |
Alphabetical List of Cities and Towns
Cities in New Hampshire that start with A
- Acworth
- Albany
- Alexandria
- Allenstown
- Alstead
- Alton
- Amherst
- Andover
- Antrim
- Ashland
- Atkinson
- Auburn
Cities in New Hampshire that start with B
- Barnstead
- Barrington
- Bartlett
- Bath
- Bedford
- Belmont
- Bennington
- Benton
- Berlin
- Bethlehem
- Boscawen
- Bow
- Bradford
- Brentwood
- Bridgewater
- Bristol
- Brookfield
- Brookline
Cities in New Hampshire that start with C
- Cambridge
- Campton
- Canaan
- Candia
- Canterbury
- Carroll
- Center Harbor
- Charlestown
- Chatham
- Chester
- Chesterfield
- Chichester
- Claremont
- Clarksville
- Colebrook
- Columbia
- Concord
- Conway
- Cornish
- Croydon
Cities in New Hampshire that start with D
- Dalton
- Danbury
- Danville
- Deerfield
- Deering
- Derry
- Dixville
- Dorchester
- Dover
- Dublin
- Dummer
- Dunbarton
- Durham
Cities in New Hampshire that start with E
- East Kingston
- Easton
- Eaton
- Effingham
- Ellsworth
- Enfield
- Epping
- Epsom
- Errol
- Exeter
Cities in New Hampshire that start with F
- Farmington
- Fitzwilliam
- Francestown
- Franconia
- Franklin
- Freedom
- Fremont
Cities in New Hampshire that start with G
- Gilford
- Gilmanton
- Gilsum
- Goffstown
- Gorham
- Goshen
- Grafton
- Grantham
- Greenfield
- Greenland
- Greenville
- Groton
Cities in New Hampshire that start with H
- Hampstead
- Hampton
- Hampton Falls
- Hancock
- Hanover
- Harrisville
- Hart’s Location
- Haverhill
- Hebron
- Henniker
- Hill
- Hillsborough
- Hinsdale
- Holderness
- Hollis
- Hooksett
- Hopkinton
- Hudson
Cities in New Hampshire that start with J
- Jackson
- Jaffrey
- Jefferson
Cities in New Hampshire that start with K
- Keene
- Kensington
- Kingston
Cities in New Hampshire that start with L
- Laconia
- Lancaster
- Landaff
- Langdon
- Lebanon
- Lee
- Lempster
- Lincoln
- Lisbon
- Litchfield
- Littleton
- Londonderry
- Loudon
- Lyman
- Lyme
- Lyndeborough
Cities in New Hampshire that start with M
- Madbury
- Madison
- Manchester
- Marlborough
- Marlow
- Mason
- Meredith
- Merrimack
- Middleton
- Milan
- Milford
- Millsfield
- Milton
- Monroe
- Mont Vernon
- Moultonborough
Cities in New Hampshire that start with N
- Nashua
- Nelson
- New Boston
- Newbury
- New Castle
- New Durham
- Newfields
- New Hampton
- Newington
- New Ipswich
- New London
- Newmarket
- Newport
- Newton
- Northfield
- North Hampton
- Northumberland
- Northwood
- Nottingham
Cities in New Hampshire that start with O
- Orange
- Orford
- Ossipee
Cities in New Hampshire that start with P
- Pelham
- Pembroke
- Peterborough
- Piermont
- Pittsburg
- Pittsfield
- Plainfield
- Plaistow
- Plymouth
- Portsmouth
Cities in New Hampshire that start with R
- Randolph
- Raymond
- Richmond
- Rindge
- Rochester
- Rollinsford
- Roxbury
- Rumney
- Rye
Cities in New Hampshire that start with S
- Salem
- Salisbury
- Sanbornton
- Sandown
- Sandwich
- Seabrook
- Sharon
- Shelburne
- Somersworth
- South Hampton
- Springfield
- Stark
- Stewartstown
- Stoddard
- Strafford
- Stratford
- Stratham
- Success
- Sugar Hill
- Sullivan
- Sunapee
- Surry
- Sutton
- Swanzey
Cities in New Hampshire that start with T
- Tamworth
- Temple
- Thornton
- Tilton
- Troy
- Tuftonboro
Cities in New Hampshire that start with U
- Unity
Cities in New Hampshire that start with W
- Wakefield
- Walpole
- Warner
- Warren
- Washington
- Waterville Valley
- Weare
- Webster
- Wentworth
- Westmoreland
- Whitefield
- Wilmot
- Wilton
- Winchester
- Windham
- Windsor
- Wolfeboro
- Woodstock
Note
New Hampshire has no towns in alphabetical order, beginning with the letters I, Q, V, X, Y, and Z.
Interactive New Hampshire Map
Questions & Answers
What are the 13 cities in New Hampshire?
As of 2025, the thirteen New Hampshire cities ranked from most to least populous are Manchester, Nashua, Concord, Derry, Rochester, Dover, Salem, Merrimack, Londonderry, Hudson, Bedford, Keene, and Portsmouth.
What are the 3 capitals of New Hampshire?
New Hampshire has only one capital, Concord. There are no other capitals for the state.
What were the major towns in New Hampshire colony?
The first four settlements in New Hampshire—Portsmouth, Dover, Exeter, and Hampton
