Most of the resort village lies on a
barrier spit separated from the mainland by a large
estuary system known as Hampton Harbor. The estuary serves as the mouth of several rivers, the largest being the
Hampton River from the northwest.
New Hampshire Route 1A serves as the main north-south route through the beach area, connecting the village to
Seabrook Beach to the south (across the
Hampton Bridge traversing the Hampton Harbor Inlet) and
Little Boar's Head in
North Hampton to the north. Access from the west is provided by three roads:
New Hampshire Route 101 is the main access point to the densely populated southern resort area from most points west, while Winnacunnet Road (officially
New Hampshire Route 101E) provides access to the less developed areas in the northern part of the village near a large
salt marsh conservation area. Winnacunnet Road marks the northern edge of the census-designated place, but
New Hampshire Route 27, known locally as High Street, marks the northern edge of the resort area. The heaviest development lies south of the Ashworth-by-the-Sea hotel, located at the eastern terminus of NH 101 where it meets NH 1A, known locally as Ocean Boulevard. From this point south, NH 1A splits into two one-way streets: the southbound Ashworth Avenue, and the northbound Ocean Boulevard. Cross streets through this area run from A Street in the north to M Street in the south. The southern end of the spit is mostly
state park, with little to no buildings or development. North of the junction of 101 and 1A, the area is much less developed, dominated mostly by a large salt marsh conservation area, with small businesses and bungalows along Ocean Boulevard (NH 1A). North of Winnacunnet Road (and outside the CDP), a second area of heavier development begins with Kings Highway parallel to Ocean Boulevard, and cross streets numbered from 1st Street in the south to 19th Street in the north. The resort ends at the Windjammer Hotel at its northern end, at the junction of NH 27 and NH 1A. The
census-designated place (CDP) portion of Hampton Beach extends from the
Seabrook town line in the south to Winnacunnet Road in the north. The western border, separating it from the
Hampton CDP, follows Tide Mill Creek within the Hampton Saltmarsh, and the eastern border is the
Atlantic Ocean shoreline. According to the
U.S. Census Bureau, the Hampton Beach CDP has a total area of , of which are land and , or 14.88%, are water. ==Demographics==