Compare towns
Brookfield vs Meredith vs New Durham vs Ossipee
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 oldest population (median age 58.1).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
New Durham has the highest household income ($100k).
Ossipee has the most kids (19.5% under 18).
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 | New Durham | Ossipee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 567Lowest |
6,758Highest |
2,748 |
4,521 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.1% NH: +4.6% |
+0.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 58.1±9.7Highest 34% above NH |
55.5±3.7 28% above NH |
46.5±7.5Lowest 7% above NH |
50±4.6 15% 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% |
14.8%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±4.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Ossipee and New Durham 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% |
23.8%±4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
26.3%±5.9 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% |
34.7% NH: 40.6% |
24.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±5Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2 NH: 6% |
1%±0.7Lowest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.7 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 |
$100,194±$13kHighest about the NH average |
$90,521±$22k 9% below NH |
| New Durham and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $428,000±$61k 6% above NH |
$480,100±$48kHighest 19% above NH |
$339,400±$27k 16% below NH |
$325,500±$23kLowest 19% below NH |
| Meredith and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
$1,417±$116 5% below NH |
$1,601±$245Highest 7% above NH |
| Ossipee and New Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,926Highest 11% below NH |
$5,006 25% below NH |
$5,774 13% below NH |
$4,401Lowest 34% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
25%±42.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
72%±16.3Highest 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 | 3.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
5.8% NH: 7.2% |
8.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.4%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
94% NH: 72.8% |
82% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
26 minLowest about the NH average |
35 minHighest 30% above NH |
33 min 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 13.7%±6.8 NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
10%±4.1 NH: 16.8% |
5.3%±3.7Lowest 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 | — | #100 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District |
| High school in town | — | Inter-Lakes High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.