Compare towns
Calais vs Dummerston vs Meredith
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Calais has the youngest population (median age 42).
Dummerston has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Meredith has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
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 | Calais | Dummerston | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,713Lowest |
2,090 |
6,758Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42±8.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7 17% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6 U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Calais and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Calais and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,625±$27k 25% above U.S. |
$101,696±$21kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Dummerston and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,300±$36k 17% above U.S. |
$335,300±$22kLowest about the U.S. average |
$480,100±$48kHighest 44% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,408±$392Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Calais and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,586Highest 111% above U.S. |
$4,536Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$5,006 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49%±38.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Calais and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 23.4%±7.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dummerston and Meredith 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 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | 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 Our Story | 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.