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 High-density area
- $73,241
- Median income Near-median income area
- $339,700
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 27.2%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
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.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 03246 (Laconia, NH) rose +17.4% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 286.5 in 2023 to 336.4 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
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 average New Hampshire ZIP), while per-capita income is $46,884. The poverty rate is 12.6%, with unemployment at 3.1%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $339,700 (16% below the average New Hampshire ZIP), and median rent is $1,224; owner occupancy is 64.3%.
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. The page also surfaces 7 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Belknap County, so 03246 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
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.
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
80 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
76 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
65 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
61 establishments
- Construction
Construction
53 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, 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
Who lives in ZIP 03246?
45.3
Median Age
49.0%
Male
51.0%
Female
2.6%
Foreign-Born
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 ZIP avg
$46,884
Per Capita Income
12.6%
Poverty Rate
3.1%
Unemployment Rate
17.0 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 03246 ranks among New Hampshire ZIPs
Laconia, NH household income vs. every New Hampshire ZIP code
Median household income among 236 reporting New Hampshire ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$73,241 17th percentile higher than 17% of 236 New Hampshire ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more New Hampshire 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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
10,340housing units
10,340
Total Housing Units
7,244
Occupied Units
3,096
Vacant Units
2.29
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$339,700
Median Home Value
-16% vs state ZIP avg
$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.
- 03246
Laconia (03246)
15,963 residents
- 03276
Tilton (03276)
8,324 residents
- 03220
Belmont (03220)
7,430 residents
- 03249
Gilford (03249)
7,113 residents
- 03253 6,219
Meredith (03253)
6,219 residents
- 03269 2,966
Sanbornton (03269)
2,966 residents
- 03237 2,254
Gilmanton (03237)
2,254 residents
- 03226 1,117
Center Harbor (03226)
1,117 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 03246 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 03246 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 03249
Gilford (03249)
$116,635 median income
- 03237
Gilmanton (03237)
$111,359 median income
- 03226
Center Harbor (03226)
$107,500 median income
- 03269
Sanbornton (03269)
$107,083 median income
- 03253
Meredith (03253)
$84,719 median income
- 03276
Tilton (03276)
$82,425 median income
- 03246
Laconia (03246)
$73,241 median income
- 03220
Belmont (03220)
$68,242 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.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 03246, both outside NH so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (15,963 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Belknap County
Related Areas
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.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 03246's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 03246 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Laconia, NH ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.