New Hampshire has 7 USDA planting zones, ranging from 3b to 6b, per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. These hardiness zones, also called growing zones, gardening zones, or plant zones, divide the state by average annual minimum temperature.
The zones progress from the coldest 3b in the highest elevations, through 4a and 4b in the northern regions, to 5a and 5b covering much of central New Hampshire. The southern areas fall into zone 6a, with a small pocket of 6b along the southeastern coast.
This zone distribution aligns with New Hampshire’s geography, transitioning from the White Mountains in the north to the coastal areas in the southeast.
Find your NH planting zone by ZIP code below, or pick your city on the interactive map. The New Hampshire cities, towns, and counties list shows hardiness zones for every NH location.
Search New Hampshire Planting Zones by ZipCode
Planting Zones New Hampshire Map
Select your New Hampshire city in the selection box below. Use the top-right corner button in the map view to toggle map layers.
Planting Zones
Planting Zones
What are the 7 planting zones in New Hampshire?
1. Zone 3b
Zone 3b, the coldest zone in New Hampshire, appears in dark purple on our map above. With average annual minimum temperatures ranging from -35°F to -30°F (-37.2°C to -34.4°C), this zone represents the highest elevations in the state, such as the summit of Mount Washington.
2. Zone 4a
Zone 4a, shown in purple on our map, covers the northernmost part of New Hampshire. This zone experiences average annual minimum temperatures between -30°F and -25°F (-34.4°C to -31.7°C). Cities in Zone 4a include Colebrook, Pittsburg, and North Stratford in the Great North Woods region.
3. Zone 4b
Zone 4b, shown in blue on our map, extends across northern New Hampshire. With average annual minimum temperatures from -25°F to -20°F (-31.7°C to -28.9°C), this zone covers areas south of Zone 4a. Cities in Zone 4b include Berlin, Lancaster, and Littleton in the northern White Mountains.
4. Zone 5a
Zone 5a, shown in teal on our map, covers large areas of central and western New Hampshire. This zone experiences average annual minimum temperatures between -20°F and -15°F (-28.9°C to -26.1°C). Cities in Zone 5a include Lebanon, Hanover, and North Conway, covering the Lakes Region and parts of the White Mountains.
5. Zone 5b
Zone 5b, shown in dark green on our map, spans central New Hampshire into parts of the south. With average annual minimum temperatures from -15°F to -10°F (-26.1°C to -23.3°C), this zone includes Concord, Keene, and Laconia, marking the transition from northern to southern New Hampshire.
6. Zone 6a
Zone 6a, shown in the lightest green on our map, covers most of southern New Hampshire. This zone experiences average annual minimum temperatures between -10°F and -5°F (-23.3°C to -20.6°C). Cities in Zone 6a include Manchester, Nashua, Portsmouth, Milford, Dover, and Derry, covering the Seacoast area and southern New Hampshire.
7. Zone 6b
Zone 6b, the warmest zone in New Hampshire, appears in yellow on our map along the southeastern coast. With average annual minimum temperatures ranging from -5°F to 0°F (-20.6°C to -17.8°C), this zone represents the mildest climate in the state. Hampton Falls and Seabrook sit in Zone 6b along the Atlantic coast.
Planting Zones in New Hampshire with Cities
USDA hardiness zones for New Hampshire Cities, Towns and Counties. Data Source: USDA (2023)
| Planting Zones in New Hampshire | Temp Range (°F) | Cities |
|---|---|---|
| 6a | -10 to -5 | Acworth, Alstead, Amherst, Antrim, Atkinson, Auburn, Barrington, Bedford, Bow, Brookline, Candia, Center Strafford, Chester, Chesterfield, Danville, Deerfield, Derry, Dover, Dublin, Dunbarton, Durham, East Candia, East Derry, East Hampstead, East Kingston, Epping, Exeter, Farmington, Fitzwilliam, Francestown, Fremont, Gilsum, Goffstown, Goshen, Greenfield, Greenland, Greenville, Hampstead, Hampton, Hancock, Harrisville, Hillsboro, Hollis, Hooksett, Hudson, Jaffrey, Kingston, Laconia, Lee, Lempster, Litchfield, Londonderry, Lyndeborough, Madbury, Manchester, Marlborough, Marlow, Merrimack, Milford, Mont Vernon, Munsonville, Nashua, New Boston, New Castle, New Ipswich, Newfields, Newmarket, Newton, Newton Junction, North Hampton, North Salem, Northwood, Nottingham, Pelham, Peterborough, Plaistow, Portsmouth, Raymond, Rochester, Rollinsford, Rye, Rye Beach, Salem, Sandown, Somersworth, Spofford, Stoddard, Strafford, Stratham, Sullivan, Suncook, Temple, Troy, Washington, Weare, West Nottingham, Wilton, Winchester, Windham |
| 5a | -20 to -15 | Bartlett, Bath, Bethlehem, Bretton Woods, Campton, Canaan, Center Conway, Center Ossipee, Chocorua, Conway, Cornish Flat, Danbury, Eaton Center, Enfield, Enfield Center, Etna, Franconia, Freedom, Glen, Glencliff, Gorham, Grafton, Grantham, Guild, Hanover, Haverhill, Intervale, Jackson, Lebanon, Lincoln, Lisbon, Lyme, Lyme Center, Madison, Meriden, Newport, North Conway, North Haverhill, North Sandwich, North Woodstock, Orford, Piermont, Pike, Plainfield, Randolph, Rumney, Silver Lake, South Effingham, South Tamworth, Sugar Hill, Tamworth, Thornton, Warren, Waterville Valley, Wentworth, West Lebanon, West Ossipee, Wonalancet, Woodsville |
| 5b | -15 to -10 | Alton, Alton Bay, Andover, Ashland, Ashuelot, Barnstead, Belmont, Bennington, Bradford, Bristol, Canterbury, Center Barnstead, Center Harbor, Center Sandwich, Center Tuftonboro, Charlestown, Chichester, Claremont, Concord, Contoocook, Cornish, Drewsville, East Andover, East Wakefield, Elkins, Epsom, Franklin, Georges Mills, Gilford, Gilmanton, Gilmanton Iron Works, Hebron, Henniker, Hill, Hinsdale, Holderness, Kearsarge, Keene, Laconia, Lochmere, Loudon, Melvin Village, Meredith, Milton, Milton Mills, Mirror Lake, Moultonborough, New Durham, New Hampton, New London, Newbury, North Sutton, North Walpole, Ossipee, Pittsfield, Plymouth, Rindge, Salisbury, Sanbornton, Sanbornville, South Acworth, South Newbury, South Sutton, Springfield, Sunapee, Swanzey, Tilton, Union, Walpole, Warner, West Chesterfield, West Peterborough, West Swanzey, Westmoreland, Wilmot, Winnisquam, Wolfeboro, Wolfeboro Falls, Woodstock |
| 4b | -25 to -20 | Berlin, Errol, Groveton, Jefferson, Lancaster, Littleton, Milan, Monroe, Twin Mountain, Whitefield |
| 4a | -30 to -25 | Colebrook, Mount Washington, North Stratford, Pittsburg, West Stewartstown |
| 6b | -5 to 0 | Hampton Falls, Seabrook |
7 best plants for New Hampshire planting zones?
Based on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, these 7 plants suit New Hampshire’s zones:
- Zone 3b: Siberian Iris (Iris sibirica) – Extremely cold-hardy perennial.
- Zone 4a: Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) – Iconic tree known for fall foliage and syrup production.
- Zone 4b: Red Osier Dogwood (Cornus sericea) – Shrub with striking red stems in winter.
- Zone 5a: Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus) – Native evergreen tree adaptable to various conditions.
- Zone 5b: Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) – Drought-tolerant perennial with bright yellow flowers.
- Zone 6a: Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra) – Large shade tree with excellent fall color.
- Zone 6b: Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) – Native perennial that attracts pollinators.