Compare towns
Barnstead vs Loudon 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
Barnstead has the most kids (21% under 18).
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 | Barnstead | Loudon | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,994Lowest |
5,692 |
6,758Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.8±3.1Lowest about the NH average |
49.5±3.2 14% above NH |
55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
| Meredith and Loudon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±5Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.8%±4.2 NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Barnstead and Loudon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±4.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
22%±4.4 NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9% NH: 40.6% |
29.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
45.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±2.9Highest NH: 6% |
1.4%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2 NH: 6% |
| Barnstead and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,660±$12kHighest 13% above NH |
$106,966±$16k 8% above NH |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
| Barnstead and Loudon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $362,400±$25kLowest 10% below NH |
$363,400±$48k 10% below NH |
$480,100±$48kHighest 19% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,395±$75Highest 6% below NH |
$1,321±$465 11% below NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
| Barnstead and Loudon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,003Highest 10% below NH |
$5,821 13% below NH |
$5,006Lowest 25% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.6%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
45.5%±30.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Meredith and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
7.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
89.6% NH: 72.8% |
75.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above NH |
30 min 14% above NH |
26 minLowest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 13%±4.5 NH: 16.8% |
8.9%±4.9Lowest NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #111 of 120 in NH | #99 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Barnstead School District | Merrimack Valley School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 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.