Compare towns
Cushing vs Hampton vs Meredith vs Thomaston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cushing has the most homeowners (84.7%).
Hampton has the most expensive homes ($545k median).
Meredith has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
Thomaston has the shortest commute (14 min average).
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 | Cushing | Hampton | Meredith | Thomaston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,460Lowest |
10,101Highest |
6,758 |
2,769 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.8±7.7Lowest 25% above U.S. |
51.2±1.7 32% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7 43% above U.S. |
58.1±6.6Highest 49% above U.S. |
| Thomaston and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±5.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Thomaston and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
35.5%±8.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Thomaston and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $83,500±$19k 3% above U.S. |
$97,163±$4kHighest 20% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19k 8% above U.S. |
$56,435±$13kLowest 30% below U.S. |
| Hampton and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $409,800±$44k 23% above U.S. |
$545,300±$63kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48k 44% above U.S. |
$271,700±$10kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Hampton and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,553±$376 10% above U.S. |
$1,654±$93Highest 17% above U.S. |
$1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,262±$343 11% below U.S. |
| Hampton and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,944Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$6,872Highest 120% above U.S. |
$5,006 61% above U.S. |
$4,487 44% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.7%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.9%±13.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
60.5%±23.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Thomaston and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 11% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
14 minLowest 48% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
4.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Meredith and Hampton 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 | — | #31 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH | #99 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 13 | — | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | RSU 13 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Inter-Lakes High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.