What stands out worked out from the figures below

Chapman has the most kids (27.6% under 18).

Meddybemps has the most expensive homes ($295k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Chapman	Meddybemps
People
Population	388Highest	139Lowest
Median age	45.7±11.4Lowest about the ME average	63.9±4.2Highest 43% above ME
Kids under 18	27.6%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1%	5%±21.5Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Chapman and Meddybemps are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	27.6%±3.8Lowest ME: 22.4%	39.6%±15.4Highest ME: 22.4%
	Meddybemps and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	22.8%Highest ME: 36.2%	14.2%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.2%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8%	5%±10.1Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Chapman and Meddybemps are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$93,125±$17kHighest 25% above ME	$48,000±$13kLowest 36% below ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$185,700±$22kLowest 37% below ME	$295,000±$73kHighest about the ME average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,850Highest 39% below ME	$1,206Lowest 60% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4%	100%±100Highest ME: 48.4%
	Meddybemps and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7%	7.2%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	94.5%Highest ME: 74.3%	87.1%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982 5 yrs newer than ME	1982 5 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest 6% below ME	31 minHighest 28% above ME
Work from home	4.8%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9%	5.4%±7.8Highest ME: 15.9%
	Meddybemps and Chapman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

ME 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.