Compare towns
Barnstead vs Meredith vs Strafford
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%).
Strafford has the highest household income ($122k).
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 | Strafford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,994 |
6,758Highest |
4,306Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
+6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.8±3.1Lowest about the NH average |
55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
46.3±2.1 7% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 21%±5Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17.6%±3.5 NH: 18.2% |
| Barnstead and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±4.8 NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
19.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
45.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
40.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±2.9Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
| Barnstead and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,660±$12k 13% above NH |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
$122,105±$22kHighest 23% above NH |
| Strafford and Barnstead 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 |
$427,900±$29k 6% above NH |
| Meredith and Strafford 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 |
$1,635±$246Highest 10% above NH |
| Strafford and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,003 10% below NH |
$5,006Lowest 25% below NH |
$6,086Highest 9% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.6%±50.9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
76.3%±30.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Strafford 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% NH: 7.2% |
8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above NH |
26 minLowest about the NH average |
36 minHighest 34% above NH |
| Work from home | 13%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.9%±5 NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith and Strafford 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 | #73 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Barnstead School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Strafford School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Inter-Lakes High School | None in town |
| 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.