Compare towns

Concord vs Exeter 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

Concord has the most affordable homes ($351k median).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Meredith has the oldest 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.

MeasureConcordExeterMeredith
People
Population
44,375Highest
16,151
6,758Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+3%Lowest
NH: +4.6%
+12.2%Highest
NH: +4.6%
+6.7%
NH: +4.6%
Median age
40.7±1.3Lowest
6% below NH
45.8±2.3
6% above NH
55.5±3.7Highest
28% above NH
Kids under 18
17.2%±1.3Highest
NH: 18.2%
17%±2.7
NH: 18.2%
12.6%±3.3Lowest
NH: 18.2%
Concord and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
18.7%±1.5Lowest
NH: 20.1%
24.4%±2.8
NH: 20.1%
34.2%±5Highest
NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
42.3%Lowest
NH: 40.6%
59.2%Highest
NH: 40.6%
45.9%
NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
6%±0.8
NH: 6%
6.1%±1.8Highest
NH: 6%
2.9%±1.2Lowest
NH: 6%
Exeter and Concord are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$84,902±$5kLowest
14% below NH
$110,346±$13kHighest
11% above NH
$87,019±$19k
12% below NH
Exeter and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$350,900±$13kLowest
13% below NH
$456,600±$21k
13% above NH
$480,100±$48kHighest
19% above NH
Meredith and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,441±$43
3% below NH
$1,856±$223Highest
24% above NH
$1,149±$304Lowest
23% below NH
Property taxmedian, yearly
$7,227
8% above NH
$8,814Highest
32% above NH
$5,006Lowest
25% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
44.1%±5.2Lowest
NH: 48.2%
59%±11.3Highest
NH: 48.2%
48.5%±9.2
NH: 48.2%
Exeter and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
8.9%Highest
NH: 7.2%
4.7%Lowest
NH: 7.2%
7.7%
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
56.8%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
69.1%
NH: 72.8%
75.8%Highest
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1969Lowest
10 yrs older than NH
1979Highest
same as NH
1975
4 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
23 minLowest
14% below NH
25 min
7% below NH
26 minHighest
about the NH average
Work from home
14.1%±1.8Lowest
NH: 16.8%
19.9%±3.7
NH: 16.8%
23.7%±4.9Highest
NH: 16.8%
Meredith and Exeter 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 #89 of 120 in NH #22 of 120 in NH #62 of 120 in NH
School district Concord School District · Merrimack Valley School District Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District
High school in town Concord High School Exeter High School Inter-Lakes High School
Students per teacherat that high school
13.0Highest
12.1
11.1Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story None yet 59 photos → 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.