Compare towns
Danville vs Meredith vs Barnstead
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Danville has the most homeowners (97.4%).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Barnstead has the most affordable homes ($362k 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.
| Measure | Danville | Meredith | Barnstead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,531Lowest |
6,758Highest |
4,994 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
+7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42±4Lowest 3% below NH |
55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
42.8±3.1 about the NH average |
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±7Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21%±5 NH: 18.2% |
| Danville and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±4.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
20.6%±4.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.6% NH: 40.6% |
45.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
30.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.3Lowest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2 NH: 6% |
5.9%±2.9Highest NH: 6% |
| Barnstead and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $115,104±$21kHighest 16% above NH |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
$111,660±$12k 13% above NH |
| Danville and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $437,600±$26k 9% above NH |
$480,100±$48kHighest 19% above NH |
$362,400±$25kLowest 10% below NH |
| Meredith and Danville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,144±$867Highest 44% above NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
$1,395±$75 6% below NH |
| Danville and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,504Highest 28% above NH |
$5,006Lowest 25% below NH |
$6,003 10% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 70.2%±61.6Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
47.6%±50.9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Danville and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
3.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.4%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 30% above NH |
26 minLowest about the NH average |
31 min 16% above NH |
| Work from home | 13.1%±5.4 NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
13%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #40 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH | #111 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Timberlane Regional School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Barnstead School District |
| 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 Our Story | 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.