Compare towns
Center Harbor vs Holderness vs Meredith vs Freedom
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Center Harbor has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Holderness has the youngest population (median age 39.4).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Freedom has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.4%).
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 | Center Harbor | Holderness | Meredith | Freedom |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 955Lowest |
1,917 |
6,758Highest |
1,494 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
-4.9% NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
+13.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 60.4±4.8 39% above NH |
39.4±7.4Lowest 9% below NH |
55.5±3.7 28% above NH |
60.6±3.2Highest 40% above NH |
| Freedom and Center Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.9%±5.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14.7%±9.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
12.9%±5.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Holderness and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 39.5%±13.2 NH: 20.1% |
31.4%±4.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5 NH: 20.1% |
40.3%±4.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Freedom and Center Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.1% NH: 40.6% |
55.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
45.9% NH: 40.6% |
39.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.6 NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
1.3%±1.5 NH: 6% |
| Meredith and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $104,313±$16k 5% above NH |
$107,863±$45kHighest 9% above NH |
$87,019±$19k 12% below NH |
$66,136±$14kLowest 33% below NH |
| Holderness and Center Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $463,800±$74k 15% above NH |
$363,100±$60kLowest 10% below NH |
$480,100±$48kHighest 19% above NH |
$389,000±$43k 3% below NH |
| Meredith and Center Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $2,068±$385Highest 39% above NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,667 30% below NH |
$3,923 41% below NH |
$5,006Highest 25% below NH |
$3,478Lowest 48% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 14.3%±59.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
23.5%±21.2 NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
79.6%±75Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Freedom and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
12.1% NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
15%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91%Highest NH: 72.8% |
83.7% NH: 72.8% |
75.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 8% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
26 min about the NH average |
26 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 8.9%±5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
9.4%±4.1 NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.5%±7.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith and Freedom 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 | — | Holderness School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Freedom School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Inter-Lakes High School | 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.