Compare towns
Dedham vs Hampton vs Meredith
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dedham has the highest household income ($129k).
Hampton has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Meredith has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
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 | Dedham | Hampton | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,237Highest |
10,101 |
6,758Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±1.6Lowest 15% above U.S. |
51.2±1.7 32% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dedham and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Meredith and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dedham and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $128,955±$10kHighest 60% above U.S. |
$97,163±$4k 20% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $661,800±$16kHighest 99% above U.S. |
$545,300±$63k 64% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48kLowest 44% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,042±$182Highest 45% above U.S. |
$1,654±$93 17% above U.S. |
$1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
$6,872 120% above U.S. |
$5,006Lowest 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.9%±13.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dedham and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 20%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest 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 | #119 of 282 in MA | #31 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dedham | — | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Dedham High | — | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.4Lowest |
— | 11.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.