Compare towns
Center Harbor vs White River Junction 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
Center Harbor has the most homeowners (91%).
White River Junction has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.8%).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
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 | Center Harbor | White River Junction | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 955Lowest |
3,364 |
6,758Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 60.4±4.8Highest 55% above U.S. |
33.7±3.2Lowest 13% below U.S. |
55.5±3.7 43% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
17.1%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| White River Junction and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 39.5%±13.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
12.5%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
38.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Meredith and White River Junction 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 29% above U.S. |
$77,168±$4kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$87,019±$19k 8% above U.S. |
| Center Harbor and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $463,800±$74k 39% above U.S. |
$278,800±$78kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$480,100±$48kHighest 44% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Center Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,222±$216Highest 14% below U.S. |
$1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| White River Junction and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,667Lowest 50% above U.S. |
$5,651Highest 81% above U.S. |
$5,006 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 14.3%±59.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.9%±17.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Meredith and White River Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
43.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 7% below U.S. |
15 minLowest 42% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 8.9%±5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Meredith and White River Junction 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 |
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.