Most rural counties in New Hampshire
A surprising number of U.S. counties have 100% rural land-702, in fact. Stacker compiled a list of the most rural counties in New Hampshire using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Counties are ranked by the percent of land area that is rural, as of the 2010 Census, with ties broken by residents per square mile, according to 2020 5-year population estimates.
According to the Census Bureau, rural land encompasses any land that isn't an urban area. To be considered an urban area, a place has to have a densely settled core of census tracts or blocks and count at least 2,500 people, at least 1,500 of whom must be residents of non-institutional buildings. Areas with 50,000 people or more are considered urbanized areas, while areas with between 2,500 and 50,000 people are considered urban clusters.
#10. Rockingham County
- Rural area: 62.7% (436 square miles)
- Urban area: 37.3% (259 square miles)
- Total land area: 695 square miles
--- #7 largest county in state, #1,345 nationwide
- Population density: 443.6 people / square mile (308,211 residents)
--- #9 lowest density county in state, #2,853 nationwide
#9. Hillsborough County
- Rural area: 77.5% (679 square miles)
- Urban area: 22.5% (197 square miles)
- Total land area: 876 square miles
--- #5 largest county in state, #922 nationwide
- Population density: 474.0 people / square mile (415,305 residents)
--- #10 lowest density county in state, #2,868 nationwide
#8. Strafford County
- Rural area: 83.6% (309 square miles)
- Urban area: 16.4% (60 square miles)
- Total land area: 369 square miles
--- #10 largest county in state, #2,634 nationwide
- Population density: 352.8 people / square mile (130,161 residents)
--- #8 lowest density county in state, #2,780 nationwide
#7. Merrimack County
- Rural area: 94.3% (880 square miles)
- Urban area: 5.8% (54 square miles)
- Total land area: 934 square miles
--- #3 largest county in state, #764 nationwide
- Population density: 161.5 people / square mile (150,902 residents)
--- #7 lowest density county in state, #2,509 nationwide
#6. Belknap County
- Rural area: 96.3% (385 square miles)
- Urban area: 3.8% (15 square miles)
- Total land area: 400 square miles
--- #9 largest county in state, #2,526 nationwide
- Population density: 152.8 people / square mile (61,174 residents)
--- #6 lowest density county in state, #2,482 nationwide
#5. Sullivan County
- Rural area: 97.9% (526 square miles)
- Urban area: 2.1% (11 square miles)
- Total land area: 537 square miles
--- #8 largest county in state, #1,943 nationwide
- Population density: 80.3 people / square mile (43,173 residents)
--- #4 lowest density county in state, #2,097 nationwide
#4. Cheshire County
- Rural area: 97.9% (692 square miles)
- Urban area: 2.1% (15 square miles)
- Total land area: 707 square miles
--- #6 largest county in state, #1,306 nationwide
- Population density: 107.6 people / square mile (76,040 residents)
--- #5 lowest density county in state, #2,307 nationwide
#3. Grafton County
- Rural area: 98.8% (1,689 square miles)
- Urban area: 1.2% (20 square miles)
- Total land area: 1,709 square miles
--- #2 largest county in state, #350 nationwide
- Population density: 52.9 people / square mile (90,331 residents)
--- #3 lowest density county in state, #1,736 nationwide
#2. Carroll County
- Rural area: 99.2% (923 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.8% (8 square miles)
- Total land area: 931 square miles
--- #4 largest county in state, #770 nationwide
- Population density: 52.0 people / square mile (48,461 residents)
--- #2 lowest density county in state, #1,725 nationwide
#1. Coos County
- Rural area: 99.7% (1,789 square miles)
- Urban area: 0.3% (5 square miles)
- Total land area: 1,795 square miles
--- #1 largest county in state, #330 nationwide
- Population density: 17.5 people / square mile (31,486 residents)
--- #1 lowest density county in state, #812 nationwide
