Compare towns
Croydon vs Bethlehem vs Meredith vs Cornish
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Croydon has the youngest population (median age 43).
Bethlehem has the most people working from home (31.2%).
Meredith has the most expensive homes ($480k median).
Cornish has the most homeowners (94.1%).
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 | Croydon | Bethlehem | Meredith | Cornish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 798Lowest |
2,537 |
6,758Highest |
1,816 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% NH: +4.6% |
-1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-1.5% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 43±9.1Lowest about the NH average |
50.6±8.5 17% above NH |
55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
54±8.3 25% above NH |
| Meredith and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±6.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
17.7%±5.4 NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±3.2 NH: 18.2% |
| Croydon and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.4%±3.6 NH: 20.1% |
28.2%±5.5 NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
27.3%±4.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Meredith and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
45.1% NH: 40.6% |
45.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
40.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±3.3Highest NH: 6% |
0.9%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2 NH: 6% |
1.4%±0.9 NH: 6% |
| Croydon and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $98,333±$21kHighest about the NH average |
$85,029±$18kLowest 14% below NH |
$87,019±$19k 12% below NH |
$91,821±$2k 7% below NH |
| Croydon and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $317,300±$33k 21% below NH |
$288,300±$22kLowest 28% below NH |
$480,100±$48kHighest 19% above NH |
$296,000±$69k 26% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $991±$336Lowest 34% below NH |
$1,174±$81 21% below NH |
$1,149±$304 23% below NH |
$1,221±$227Highest 18% below NH |
| Cornish and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,806Lowest 43% below NH |
$5,418 19% below NH |
$5,006 25% below NH |
$5,796Highest 13% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 7.1%±75.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
41.3%±18.3 NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
40.5%±38.1 NH: 48.2% |
| Meredith and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% NH: 7.2% |
10.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.6% NH: 72.8% |
75.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.8% NH: 72.8% |
94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
1980 1 yr newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the NH average |
20 minLowest 24% below NH |
26 minHighest about the NH average |
24 min 9% below NH |
| Work from home | 5.3%±4.9Lowest NH: 16.8% |
31.2%±12.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9 NH: 16.8% |
12%±4.1 NH: 16.8% |
| Bethlehem 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 | — | #34 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Croydon School District | Bethlehem School District · Profile School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Cornish School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Profile Senior High School | Inter-Lakes High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.9Lowest |
11.1Highest |
— |
| 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.