Compare towns
Brooks vs Mapleton vs Meredith vs Jackson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brooks has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Meredith has the most expensive homes ($480k median).
Jackson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
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 | Brooks | Mapleton | Meredith | Jackson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208 |
1,884 |
6,758Highest |
567Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6 18% above U.S. |
41.8±6 7% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
37.7±5.8Lowest 3% below U.S. |
| Meredith and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.1%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Mapleton and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±4.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brooks and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $59,130±$10kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$91,731±$25kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19k 8% above U.S. |
$75,167±$19k 7% below U.S. |
| Mapleton and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,700±$33k 41% below U.S. |
$191,800±$23kLowest 42% below U.S. |
$480,100±$48kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$231,500±$16k 30% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,116±$112 21% below U.S. |
$610±$277Lowest 57% below U.S. |
$1,149±$304Highest 19% below U.S. |
$629±$12 55% below U.S. |
| Meredith and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,096 33% below U.S. |
$1,789Lowest 43% below U.S. |
$5,006Highest 61% above U.S. |
$2,651 15% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
16.7%±10.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
6.3%±60.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 19.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
78.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
35 minHighest 32% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.3%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Meredith and Jackson 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 | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None 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 | 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.