Compare towns
Center Harbor vs Holderness vs Plymouth vs Meredith
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 oldest population (median age 60.4).
Holderness has the most kids (14.7% under 18).
Plymouth has the youngest population (median age 22.8).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Plymouth is a college town. 42.5% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Plymouth | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 955Lowest |
1,917 |
4,969 |
6,758Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
-4.9% NH: +4.6% |
+6.1% NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 60.4±4.8Highest 39% above NH |
39.4±7.4 9% below NH |
22.8±0.9Lowest 47% below NH |
55.5±3.7 28% above NH |
| Center Harbor and Meredith 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% |
13.3%±4.1 NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Holderness and Plymouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 39.5%±13.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
31.4%±4.6 NH: 20.1% |
9.4%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5 NH: 20.1% |
| Center Harbor and Meredith 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% NH: 40.6% |
63.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
45.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.6 NH: 6% |
42.5%±2.1Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $104,313±$16k 5% above NH |
$107,863±$45kHighest 9% above NH |
$89,500±$32k 10% below NH |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% 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±$60k 10% below NH |
$294,400±$28kLowest 27% below NH |
$480,100±$48kHighest 19% above 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 |
$1,296±$295 13% below NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,667 30% below NH |
$3,923Lowest 41% below NH |
$6,483Highest about the NH average |
$5,006 25% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 14.3%±59.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
23.5%±21.2 NH: 48.2% |
31.8%±10.7 NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Meredith and Plymouth 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% |
17%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91%Highest NH: 72.8% |
83.7% NH: 72.8% |
50.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.8% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 8% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
16 minLowest 39% below NH |
26 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 8.9%±5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
9.4%±4.1 NH: 16.8% |
10.5%±4 NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #47 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Holderness School District | — | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school 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 | 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.