Compare towns
Ashby vs Hampton vs Meredith
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashby has the most kids (17% under 18).
Hampton has the most expensive homes ($550k median).
Meredith has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
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 | Ashby | Hampton | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,211Lowest |
16,426Highest |
6,758 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.5±3Lowest 30% above U.S. |
55.8±2.1Highest 43% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7 43% above U.S. |
| Hampton and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Ashby and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.9%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Meredith and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
42.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hampton and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $115,598±$9kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$95,233±$9k 18% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,500±$30kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$550,200±$39kHighest 65% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48k 44% above U.S. |
| Hampton and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$484 15% below U.S. |
$1,628±$94Highest 15% above U.S. |
$1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Hampton and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,034 93% above U.S. |
$6,813Highest 118% above U.S. |
$5,006Lowest 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±53.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.8%±10.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hampton and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 17.8%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.7%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Meredith and Hampton 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 | #200 of 282 in MA | #31 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | North Middlesex | Hampton School District · Winnacunnet Cooperative School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Winnacunnet High School | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.1Lowest |
11.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.