Compare towns
Bow 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
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Ossipee has the most affordable homes ($326k median).
Meredith has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
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 | Bow | Ossipee | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
4,521Lowest |
6,758 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+0.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
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 | 25%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±4.5 NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Bow and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest 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+ | 60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
24.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
45.9% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Bow and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$90,521±$22k 9% below NH |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$325,500±$23kLowest 19% below NH |
$480,100±$48k 19% above NH |
| Bow and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 3% above NH |
$1,601±$245Highest 7% above NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
| Ossipee and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$4,401Lowest 34% below NH |
$5,006 25% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest 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 | 2.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%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 | 27 min about the NH average |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
26 minLowest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
5.3%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith and Bow 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #100 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 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.