Compare towns
Brookfield vs Meredith vs Alton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the most homeowners (98.4%).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Alton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.3%).
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 | Brookfield | Meredith | Alton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 567Lowest |
6,758Highest |
5,994 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
+12.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 58.1±9.7Highest 34% above NH |
55.5±3.7 28% above NH |
53.7±3.2Lowest 24% above NH |
| Brookfield and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 8.6%±4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
13.4%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Alton and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 38.4%±3.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5 NH: 20.1% |
25.1%±4.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Brookfield and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.8% NH: 40.6% |
45.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
35.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±5Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2 NH: 6% |
0.8%±0.8Lowest NH: 6% |
| Brookfield and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,406±$31kLowest 18% below NH |
$87,019±$19k 12% below NH |
$113,715±$19kHighest 15% above NH |
| Alton and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $428,000±$61kLowest 6% above NH |
$480,100±$48kHighest 19% above NH |
$430,400±$37k 7% above NH |
| Meredith and Alton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,149±$304 23% below NH |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,926Highest 11% below NH |
$5,006 25% below NH |
$4,183Lowest 37% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 48.5%±9.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.7%±27.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Meredith and Alton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.1% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.4%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 4 yrs older than NH |
1975Highest 4 yrs older than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
26 minLowest about the NH average |
33 minHighest 24% above NH |
| Work from home | 13.7%±6.8 NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
13.1%±5.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith and Brookfield 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 | #72 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Prospect Mountain JMA School District · Alton School District |
| High school in town | — | Inter-Lakes High School | Prospect Mountain High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
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.