Compare towns
Belmont vs Gilford 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
Belmont has the most affordable homes ($316k median).
Gilford has the highest household income ($117k).
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 | Belmont | Gilford | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,392 |
7,830Highest |
6,758Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 47.2±3.5Lowest 9% above NH |
48.2±3.9 11% above NH |
55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
| Meredith and Gilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±3.7 NH: 18.2% |
20.6%±4.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Gilford and Belmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±4.1 NH: 20.1% |
21.8%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
45.4% NH: 40.6% |
45.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
2.3%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2 NH: 6% |
| Belmont and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,063±$21kLowest 30% below NH |
$116,635±$11kHighest 18% above NH |
$87,019±$19k 12% below NH |
| Gilford and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $316,300±$31kLowest 21% below NH |
$456,500±$56k 13% above NH |
$480,100±$48kHighest 19% above NH |
| Meredith and Gilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $996±$129Lowest 33% below NH |
$1,150±$747Highest 23% below NH |
$1,149±$304 23% below NH |
| Gilford and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,585Highest 16% below NH |
$4,868Lowest 27% below NH |
$5,006 25% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.8%±10.9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
62.2%±8.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Gilford and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
6.2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1% NH: 72.8% |
93.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH |
1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below NH |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
26 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 9.6%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
16.9%±4.8 NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith and Gilford 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 | #92 of 120 in NH | #45 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Shaker Regional School District | Gilford School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Belmont High School | Gilford High School | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0Highest |
11.5 |
11.1Lowest |
| 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.