Compare towns
Alstead vs Exeter vs Meredith
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Alstead has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Alstead | Exeter | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,551Lowest |
16,151Highest |
6,758 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 56±3.3Highest 29% above NH |
45.8±2.3Lowest 6% above NH |
55.5±3.7 28% above NH |
| Alstead and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.3%±3.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Exeter and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±4.2 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Meredith and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
45.9% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,526±$11kLowest 35% below NH |
$110,346±$13kHighest 11% above NH |
$87,019±$19k 12% below NH |
| Exeter and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,600±$37kLowest 33% below NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$480,100±$48kHighest 19% above NH |
| Meredith and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,322 20% below NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$5,006Lowest 25% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.1%±22.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Alstead and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.8% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1979Highest same as NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 19% above NH |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
26 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 12.1%±5.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #22 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Fall Mountain Regional School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Highest |
11.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | None yet |
NH average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.