| Incorporated: 1855 |
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| Origin: The name Laconia was first used in documents granting the land between the Merrimack and Sagadahock Rivers to Captain John Mason and Sir Ferdinando Gorges. Some documents call the grant the Province of Maine, others call it the Province of Laconia, named after a region of Greece. In the 1620s explorers had hoped to follow the Piscataqua River north to Lake Champlain, in search of the great lakes and rivers of Canada told of in Indian lore. These explorers were known as the Laconia Adventurers. The town was originally a portion of Meredith and Gilford named Meredith Bridge, and was incorporated as Laconia in 1855. Incorporated as a city in 1893, Laconia includes Weirs Beach, which bears the name of primitive fishing devices discovered at the outlet of Lake Winnipesaukee. |
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| Villages and Place Names: Lakeport, Weirs Beach |
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| Population, Year of the First Census Taken: 1806 residents in 1860 |
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| Population Trends: Population change for Laconia totaled 1,992 over 50 years, from 14,888 in 1970 to 16,880 in 2020. The largest decennial percent change was a six percent increase from 2010 to 2020, the city's largest population increase since 1940 to 1950, when the population increased by nine percent. The 2023 Census estimate for Laconia was 17,142 residents, which ranked 15th among New Hampshire's incorporated cities and towns. |
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| Population Density and Land Area: 2023 (US Census Bureau): 852.8 persons per square mile of land area. Laconia contains 20.1 square miles of land area and 6 square miles of inland water area. |
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