Compare towns
Barnstead vs Meredith vs Exeter
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 oldest population (median age 55.5).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Meredith | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,994Lowest |
6,758 |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7% NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.8±3.1Lowest about the NH average |
55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 21%±5Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Barnstead and Exeter 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% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
45.9% NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±2.9 NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Barnstead 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 |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
| Barnstead and Exeter 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 |
$480,100±$48kHighest 19% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% 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 | $1,395±$75 6% below NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,003 10% below NH |
$5,006Lowest 25% below NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.6%±50.9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Meredith 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% |
7.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.8% NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above NH |
26 min about the NH average |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 13%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 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 | #111 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Barnstead School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Inter-Lakes High School | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Lowest |
12.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
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.