View of boats in Paugus Bay in Laconia, New Hampshire.

8 Best Small Towns To Retire In New Hampshire

There's a reason people who retire in New Hampshire tend to stay put. The lakes, the mountains, the maple-syrup-and-flannel small towns; it captivates you fast. You can spend a morning hiking Mount Monadnock, grab lunch at a farmers market where the tomatoes were picked that morning, and still make it to a community theater show by 7. The hospitals are excellent. The downtowns are walkable. The neighbors actually wave. And the four seasons here aren't a marketing line; winter really does turn the whole state into a snow globe, and fall will ruin every other autumn for you. These eight towns each have their own personality, from old mill towns turned art havens to lakeside spots where summer never seems to end.

Wolfeboro

Known as the oldest summer resort in America, Wolfeboro is a lakeside town with plenty of things to do to keep retirees entertained for days on end. One of these things is the Wolfeboro Area Farmers Market, which has over thirty vendors that sell fresh fruit, vegetables, baked goods, meat, cheese, and even jewelry. There is also live music and storytime sessions for the kids as well.

For a more exciting change of pace, visit the Brown's Ridge Family Farm. On the farm, families can meet and learn about the farm animals like donkeys, chickens, pigs, and sheep. They may also feed and pet the animals, sign up for pony rides, and take seasonal trail rides. If you are looking for around-the-clock care for rehabilitation and to mix and mingle with fellow retirees, spend your time at the Wolfeboro Bay Center, with amenities such as a salon and spa, housekeeping and laundry, routine wellness calls, and services that deal with memory care, rehabilitation therapy, and residents who need long-term care.

Keene

Are you looking for a mix of outdoor adventures, cultural experiences, and family-friendly fun? You are in luck because Keene might be the perfect place to spend your golden years, as there is something for everyone to do. If visiting a farm may be your cup of tea, then you can spend the day at Stonewall Farm. With a history dating back to the 1700s, the farm is a nonprofit working farm and educational center that demonstrates ecological sustainability and cultivates community through engagement with local and natural resources.

Central Square gazebo in Keene, New Hampshire. Photo Credit: Andy Sutherland via Shutterstock.

For a classic Monadnock Region hike, drive from Keene to Monadnock State Park in Jaffrey, where Mount Monadnock rises to 3,165 feet and offers expansive summit views. While the mountain itself is a bit of a challenge to climb, the trek is worth it because you will be treated to stunning 360-degree summit views of the woods below. If dining on Italian food satisfies your taste buds, then you will not have to make the trip to Italy because you can dine on pizza, pasta, salads, and much more at Papagallos Restaurant. The Cheshire Medical Center has an emergency department entrance that is open twenty-four hours a day and offers specialized geriatric care and inpatient rehabilitation to foster independence for retirees.

Laconia

If you are looking for a little more excitement during your retirement, the Laconia is the place for many outdoor activities and all sorts of events that take place all year round, Motorcycle Week being one of them. For some fun in the sun, plan a day at Weirs Beach, which is perhaps one of New Hampshire’s most famous beaches, as it is more than just a run-of-the-mill beach. Aside from the sand and surf, the beach is home to a variety of games and activities for everyone to enjoy, a drive-in movie theater where you can catch some of your favorite films under the stars, and a boardwalk where you can catch scenic views of the beach itself.

Aerial view of houses near Lake Winnipesaukee in Laconia, New Hampshire.

For a night at the theatre, then grab a seat at the Lakeport Opera House, where you can catch live musical performances, theatre productions, comedy, and other community-focused events inside this 140-year-old building. To get the creative juices flowing, pay a visit to Art Escape. The facility has all sorts of arts and crafts for everyone to do, from clay sculpting to the more exciting splatter painting. No matter what project you want to tackle, Art Escape has everything you need ready to go. Located on Main Street in Laconia is the Laconia Senior Center. The center is a place where seniors can sign up to do all sorts of activities like playing Scrabble, playing the piano, or bid whist on the computer, Tai Chi classes, creative writing groups, and Senior Yoga classes. Every day, there is always something exhilarating to do so that retirees won't be bored all the time.

Hanover

Hanover is a town that has a lot of charming local experiences, making it a wonderful destination for retirees to settle down in. The Connecticut River is a serene place, perfect for picnicking, watching wildlife go about their day, and taking part in all sorts of water activities. You will also find an abundance of riverfront parks where grass and trees are the main attractions. For more fun with water, take a trip down to Occom Pond. Located near Sachem Village, the pond is a great place to take a walk and take in all of the sights and sounds of nature. The pond is so peaceful that it will make you want to stop what you are doing and just take a moment to reflect. Lebanon. The medical services and amenities are real, but the town is wrong.While Hanover has local amenities such as Occom Pond and the Connecticut River, the region’s major academic medical center is Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in nearby Lebanon, whose campus offers dining, pharmacy access, arts programming, walking paths, discharge care coordination, and the Aging Resource Center’s dementia resources.

Claremont

Known for its historic architecture, particularly with its Victorian and Queen Anne buildings, Claremont invites retirees to explore the stories, artifacts, and heritage that make this town unique. Claremont also invites retirees to discover all there is to do around here. One of these things is to hike the Sugar River Rail Trail. The trail is the perfect place to go for a nature walk, ride your bikes, and explore the local wildlife through activities like birdwatching. It provides a peaceful escape from the city. The best times to visit the trail are May through October, as the weather will be more pleasant for doing all of these outdoor activities.

Downtown Claremont, New Hampshire. Image credit Djmaschek via Wikimedia Commons

To practice getting your golf swing just right, you can sign up for a membership at the Claremont Country Club, where golf enthusiasts of all different levels can go through round after round before finally making that hole-in-one. After golfing the day away, golfers can unwind and grab a bite to eat with the accommodating staff. For some retail fun, come to the Claremont Plaza Shopping Center for a diverse shopping experience. The plaza is home to various retailers, from clothing stores to specialty shops. To receive the best care for either a long-term or a short stay rehabilitation, the Elm Wood Center is the place to be. At the center, the skilled nursing team is prepared to provide seniors with continuous care, complete with daily housekeeping, complimentary laundry, personal care, rehabilitation services, and daily activities to keep everyone busy throughout the day.

Franklin

Next—explore the town of Franklin. The town itself has a rich background in its industrial past, where it was once a bustling mill town. Now, Franklin welcomes retirees with open arms as it has a perfect blend of historical landmarks and outdoor recreation. One way to get a history lesson about the town of Franklin is to visit the Franklin Historical Museum, which shows the rich heritage the town has. Visitors can gaze at photos, documents, and personal items that once belonged to town residents who called Franklin home over the years.

Another tranquil activity Franklin has in store for you is to take a walk along the Pemigewasset River, or the “pemi” as the locals call it. The river is a natural playground for all sorts of outdoor enthusiasts, offering opportunities for fishing, birdwatching, or simply enjoying the scenery around you. To foster a strong sense of community, the Franklin Public Library offers a variety of communal activities for you to join. There are workshops for both kids and adults, book club meetings, lectures, and art exhibitions all year round. Each of these events encourages people to share their ideas and engage with one another, promoting a strong sense of community and belonging. Concord Hospital is known for its Home First Program, which focuses on comfortable recovery at home. The hospital is also across the street from several senior communities, so that patients will not have to be alone during their stay.

Peterborough

Peterborough is a picturesque town in the Monadnock region, where it is known to be the site of the first tax-supported library, and is a renowned art community where music, composers, writers, and nature enthusiasts alike gather at the central hub of its historic downtown. One attraction that retirees want to spend the day in is Miller State Park, the oldest state-run park in New Hampshire. At the park, park-goers can enjoy hiking up to the top of the 2,290-foot summit, picnicking, birdwatching, and visiting the fire tower.

Aerial view of Peterborough, New Hampshire.

To get your nose stuck in a book, visit The Toadstool Bookshop, where you will find new and used books for sale, enjoy coffee at the cafe, and attend regular author events like book signings and discussions. Aside from the books, the shop is also home to unique gifts and stationery for you to take home. Speaking of books, an afternoon at the Peterborough Town Library will tickle your fancy as the library not only holds books of every kind, but is also home to community events that everyone can partake in, like storytimes, a sketch club, yoga and meditation hours, and book club meetings. To surround themselves with a sense of community, seniors can join the community of Scott-Farrar, where they engage in weekly art classes, daily exercise classes, and game nights. Amenities include daily chef-prepared meals, on-site salon services, private apartment complexes with sunrooms, and walking trails to hike.

Warner

If retirees plan to settle down in Warner, they are in for a charming, small-town atmosphere with access to local history, museums, and outdoor beauty as far as the eye can see. To explore the outdoor beauty of Warner, you can take a horseback riding tour with Twin Ridge Farm. The facility offers riding lessons, horseback riding tours across Warner to gaze at the beautiful countryside, and even a Pony Camp for the kids during the summer, where they can learn about how to take care of their assigned horses for a week.

The New Hampshire Telephone Museum, Warner, New Hampshire. Image credit JTTucker via Shutterstock

In October, retirees can mark the beginning of the autumn season strongly by attending the Warner Fall Foliage Festival to experience a true autumn in New Hampshire. At the festival, you will be able to witness over 100 craft vendors showcase their work, dine on a delicious lobster and chicken barbecue, cheer on lumberjacks at a woodsmen’s competition, and catch the Grande Parade as it marches down the street. The New Hampshire Telephone Museum is a unique tourist attraction, as it tells the history of the telephone and how it has evolved and changed over time. You will find telephones of every shape, size, and form, and you will discover important highlights in the telephone's history to get where it is today.

While there are so many places to settle down and retire in, New Hampshire might be the best place in the Northeastern United States for its strong sense of community. It is a wonderful choice for people who have never experienced all four seasons in a year before, like the snowy white winters that melt into beautiful springs and warm summers. Whichever one of these eight towns you choose to spend your golden years in, you will be in for not only a new outlook on life but also creating memories to last a lifetime.

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