Compare towns
Center Harbor vs Seabrook Beach 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 most homeowners (91%).
Seabrook Beach has the most expensive homes ($921k median).
Meredith has the youngest population (median age 55.5).
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 | Seabrook Beach | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 955Lowest |
1,001 |
6,758Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+8.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 60.4±4.8 39% above NH |
62±3.8Highest 43% above NH |
55.5±3.7Lowest 28% above NH |
| Seabrook Beach 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%±5.4 NH: 18.2% |
5.2%±3.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Meredith and Center Harbor 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% |
42.1%±7.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Seabrook Beach 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%Highest NH: 40.6% |
39.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
45.9% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
2.2%±3.2 NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
| Meredith and Seabrook Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,313±$16kHighest 5% above NH |
$93,571±$43k 6% below NH |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
| Center Harbor and Seabrook Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $463,800±$74kLowest 15% above NH |
$920,900±$75kHighest 129% above NH |
$480,100±$48k 19% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,725±$575Highest 16% above NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
| Seabrook Beach and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,667Lowest 30% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$5,006 25% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 14.3%±59.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
90.5%±100Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Seabrook Beach 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% |
7.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91%Highest NH: 72.8% |
74.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.8% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 8% below NH |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
26 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 8.9%±5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
39.5%±20Highest NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9 NH: 16.8% |
| Seabrook Beach 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 | — | — | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school 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 |
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.