Compare towns
Barnstead vs Ossipee 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 highest household income ($112k).
Ossipee has the most affordable homes ($326k median).
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 | Ossipee | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,994 |
4,521Lowest |
6,758Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+0.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.8±3.1Lowest about the NH average |
50±4.6 15% above NH |
55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
| Meredith and Ossipee 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% |
19.5%±4.5 NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Barnstead and Ossipee 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% |
26.3%±5.9 NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Meredith and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9% NH: 40.6% |
24.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
45.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±2.9Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Barnstead and Ossipee 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 |
$90,521±$22k 9% below NH |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
| Barnstead and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $362,400±$25k 10% below NH |
$325,500±$23kLowest 19% below NH |
$480,100±$48kHighest 19% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,395±$75 6% below NH |
$1,601±$245Highest 7% above NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
| Ossipee and Barnstead 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 |
$4,401Lowest 34% below NH |
$5,006 25% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.6%±50.9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
72%±16.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Ossipee 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% |
8.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82% NH: 72.8% |
75.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above NH |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
26 minLowest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 13%±4.5 NH: 16.8% |
5.3%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #111 of 120 in NH | #100 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Barnstead School District | Governor Wentworth Regional 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.