Compare towns
Bellows Falls vs Meredith vs Wilder
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bellows Falls has the most kids (22.6% under 18).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Wilder has grown the fastest since 2010 (+81.7%).
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 | Bellows Falls | Meredith | Wilder |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,891Lowest |
6,758Highest |
3,087 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+81.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.3±6.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
45.5±8.9 17% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 23.7%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Meredith and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.1%±3.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bellows Falls and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,086±$2kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$87,019±$19kHighest 8% above U.S. |
$75,143±$9k 7% below U.S. |
| Meredith and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $195,600±$35kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$480,100±$48kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$273,200±$18k 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$109Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,149±$304Highest 19% below U.S. |
$1,142±$451 19% below U.S. |
| Meredith and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,448Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$5,006 61% above U.S. |
$5,505Highest 76% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.9%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.9%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Meredith and Bellows Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 25.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 24% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
17 minLowest 37% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.6%±6.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Meredith and Wilder 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 | — | #62 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | — |
| High school in town | — | Inter-Lakes High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— |
| 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.