PlainZIP

Laconia, NH · standard

ZIP Code 03246

Belknap County, New Hampshire - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

15,963
308/sq mi
$73,241
Median income
$339,700
Median home value
27.2%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Laconia pairs an above-median household income with above-median home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 48%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 28%
home value, US ZIPs
308
people per sq mi
64%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 03246 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 03246 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Laconia, Belknap County, New Hampshire, home to 15,963 residents across 51.8 square miles, a density of 308 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 03246 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $73,241 (28% below the New Hampshire average), while per-capita income is $46,884. Local economic indicators show a 12.6% poverty rate alongside 3.1% unemployment. Housing costs here run $339,700 for a typical home value (16% below the state average), with rent averaging $1,224 a month; 64.3% of homes are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 27.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 45.3, and the average commute is 17 minutes. To put 03246 in local context, 7 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Belknap County, for a geography-aware comparison.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 03246

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Laconia, NH

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 03246.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 03246, Laconia, NH · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

15,963

Population

51.8

Area (sq mi)

308

People / sq mi

New York

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 03246?

45.3

Median Age

49.0%

Male

51.0%

Female

2.6%

Foreign-Born

White 90.6%
African American 0.2%
Asian 1.5%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 4.3%
Hispanic or Latino 3.5%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$73,241

Median Household Income

-28% vs state

$46,884

Per Capita Income

12.6%

Poverty Rate

3.1%

Unemployment Rate

17.0 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 03246 ranks nationally

Laconia, NH household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$73,241 Top 48% higher than 52% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 56.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 27.2%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

10,340

Total Housing Units

7,244

Occupied Units

3,096

Vacant Units

2.29

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 64.3%
Renter 35.7%

$339,700

Median Home Value

-16% vs state

$1,224

Median Rent

1974

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+17.4%

YoY Change (2024)

336

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+236%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 03246 have increased 17.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +236% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +7.3% 195
2021 +14.7% 223
2022 +17.9% 263
2023 +8.7% 287
2024 +17.4% 336

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 538 business establishments in ZIP 03246, employing approximately 7,662 people with a combined annual payroll of $431,875,000.

538

Businesses

7,662

Employees

$431.9M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Accommodation and food services 80 14.9%
Retail trade 76 14.1%
Other services (except public administration) 65 12.1%
Health care and social assistance 61 11.3%
Construction 53 9.8%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 40 7.4%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 34 6.3%
Manufacturing 33 6.1%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 22 4.1%
Finance and insurance 20 3.7%
Wholesale trade 17 3.2%
Real estate and rental and leasing 15 2.8%
Transportation and warehousing 8 1.5%
Educational services 6 1.1%
Information 4 0.7%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 03246 vs 03253 →

ZIP 03246 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 03246 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 03246 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 03246 ranks #7 of 8 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
03253 Meredith, NH 6,219 4.2 mi
03249 Gilford, NH 7,113 4.7 mi
03220 Belmont, NH 7,430 7.3 mi
03226 Center Harbor, NH 1,117 9.2 mi
03269 Sanbornton, NH 2,966 6.9 mi
03237 Gilmanton, NH 2,254 11.0 mi
03276 Tilton, NH 8,324 11.1 mi

More ZIP Codes in Belknap County

03220 standard
Belmont, NH
Pop: 7,430
03249 standard
Gilford, NH
Pop: 7,113
03253 standard
Meredith, NH
Pop: 6,219
03809 standard
Alton, NH
Pop: 3,716
03225 standard
Center Barnstead, NH
Pop: 3,660
03269 standard
Sanbornton, NH
Pop: 2,966

Related Areas

Belknap County Laconia, NH New Hampshire

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 03246 in? ▼
ZIP code 03246 (Laconia) is located in Belknap County, New Hampshire. Belknap County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/belknap-nh.
What is the population of ZIP code 03246? ▼
ZIP code 03246 in Laconia, NH has a population of 15,963 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 03246? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 03246 is $73,241, which is 4% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 03246? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 03246 is $339,700, which is 22% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 03246? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 03246 is White at 90.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 03246? ▼
ZIP code 03246 has 538 business establishments employing approximately 7,662 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 03246? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 03246 are: Accommodation and food services (80), Retail trade (76), Other services (except public administration) (65). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 03246? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 03246 increased by 17.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 236%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 03246? ▼
In ZIP code 03246, 56.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 27.2% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 03246? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 03246 is 17.0 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 03246? ▼
In ZIP code 03246, approximately 64.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 35.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 03246? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 03246 is 12.6% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.