Charlestown, New Hampshire Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 659, Charlestown's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Charlestown is a small community located in New Hampshire, within Sullivan County. The total population is 659. It ranks as the 73rd most populous out of 100 Census-designated places in New Hampshire.

Age Demographics

The median age in Charlestown is 40.4 years. This is 7% lower than the state median of 43.3 years. With 28.8% of the population under 18, Charlestown has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Charlestown is $31,078. This is 69% lower than the state median of $99,031. It is also 62% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 46.6%. This is 542% higher than the state poverty rate of 7.2%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The survey records no unemployed residents in Charlestown, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $119,800. Housing costs are 70% lower than the state median of $402,500. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.9x. 62.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 14% lower than the state average of 72.8%.

Race & Ethnicity

Charlestown has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 91.0% of all residents.

Education

13.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 67% lower than the state rate of 40.6%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. No surveyed resident aged 25 or older reported leaving school before earning a high school diploma, though a rate of exactly 100% reflects the limits of a small sample.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Charlestown, New Hampshire is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against New Hampshire state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 100 Census-designated places in New Hampshire. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.