Hampton is a rural but tight-knit community of farms and homesteads
Hampton is a rural town on the outskirts of New Haven and Poultney; the Vermont towns are closer than Hampton’s New York neighbors. “It’s a centralized location. It’s got the small-town pride as well as privacy and scenic views,” says Rachel McNamara, a licensed real estate salesperson at Hunt Real Estate who has lived in the area for 12 years. She says people often move to the area for its country atmosphere and sprawling property sizes, which often stretch across multiple acres. “They want to know their neighbors, but they also want their own space and their own property,” McNamara says. “A lot of people here have actually started their own homesteads. They have their own chickens and they’re starting to get goats.” Farm stands where homesteaders and farmers sell fresh produce, eggs, meat and other locally made goods dot many of Hampton’s winding country roads. And despite the distance that sometimes stretches between neighbors, McNamara says people look out for one another, always providing support and community to help work through problems or major life events.
Acreage and space for homesteading along country roads
Hampton has a mix of Cape Cods, colonials, ranch-style homes and 1990s contemporary-style homes. These homes are stretched along winding country roads or gravel drives and almost always have well over an acre of land, with many possessing acreage in the double digits. It’s this space that makes the neighborhood so attractive to homebuyers looking to start up homesteads. These homes don’t go for sale very often, but prices have ranged from $190,000 to $370,000. McNamara says some working farms and homes with extensive acreage can sell for as much as $600,000. Parcels of land, usually containing well over an acre, sell about as often as houses do.
Students attend Granville or Whitehall schools
Depending on where children live, they attend either Granville or Whitehall schools. Niche gives the Granville Central School District a C. Children attend the C-rated Mary J. Tanner Primary School from pre-kindergarten through third grade before moving on to Granville Elementary School, which has a C-plus. Granville Junior/Senior High School also has a C. Its career and technical education program offers courses on criminal justice, welding, cosmetology and more. The Whitehall Central School District, which contains just two schools, also earns a C from Niche.
Route 22 leads to Poultney or Fair Haven
State Route 22 runs along the length of Hampton, heading south toward Poultney and north toward Fair Haven. U.S. Route 4 also cuts through town, leading east into Vermont or west further into New York. Glens Falls Hospital is about 30 minutes away. Vermont’s Rutland Regional Medical Center is a little closer at 24 miles away, but there may be extra costs associated with out-of-state healthcare.
Easy access to farm-fresh food, a few miles to grocery stores
Hampton is almost entirely rural. Just off Route 4, Big Apple Diner is the neighborhood’s only restaurant, offering classic diner food and homemade pies. Nearby, Hamptons Harvest is a farmers market selling locally produced goods. Farm stands dot the town as well, so it’s always easy to find sources of fresh produce and meat. The farms themselves are also frequent stops throughout harvest seasons. “You’ve got Hicks Orchard that everybody goes to in the fall for their cider donuts and their apples,” McNamara says, adding that other farms offer berry or pumpkin picking. Hicks Orchard is in Granville, but the 9-mile drive is one residents make often for groceries; although Poultney and Fair Haven offer grocery stores closer to home, prices in Vermont tend to be higher, so McNamara says most residents drive to Granville or Glens Falls for them instead.
Access to hiking and hunting in state parks, nearby skiing mountains
On Hampton’s northern tip, hiking trails lead to Carver Falls, a scenic but small waterfall on the Poultney River. “A lot of people take advantage of all the hunting seasons in this area, because it’s a great location for it,” McNamara says. “We’re surrounded by state parks and state hiking trails.” Most of these parks are a short drive away, like Lake St. Catherine State Park, which is a 5-mile drive from home. Milestone Golf Course is a small 9-hole public course located right in Hampton. In the winter, McNamara says that many people drive to one of six nearby mountains, including Killington Mountain and West Mountain, for skiing and snowboarding.
Driving to festivals in Whitehall, Glens Falls or Rutland
Every year, residents venture to nearby towns for annual events. Whitehall has a popular Sasquatch Festival, which features contests, local vendors and a beer garden. “Many people go to Glens Falls for all the activities, or they go to Rutland,” McNamara says, adding that Glens Falls has an annual Balloon Festival where people can take rides on hot air balloons. Rutland’s host of festivals include a Pride Festival, Whoopie Pie Festival and the Vermont State Fair.
![Christina Norwood]()
Written By
Christina Norwood
