Compare towns
Derry vs Meredith vs Ogunquit vs Chester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Derry has the most renters (40.9% rent).
Meredith has the oldest housing (typical home built 1975).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Chester has the highest household income ($142k).
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 | Derry | Meredith | Ogunquit | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 21,339Highest |
6,758 |
1,379Lowest |
5,300 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41±3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7 43% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
47.2±3.8 21% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±2.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Derry and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.8%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ogunquit and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Derry and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,673±$11k 14% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$142,212±$19kHighest 76% above U.S. |
| Chester and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $391,200±$23kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48k 44% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$552,300±$42k 66% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,549±$137Highest 10% above U.S. |
$1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
— | — |
| Derry and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,278 133% above U.S. |
$5,006 61% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$8,464Highest 171% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.7%±9.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
19%±72.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Derry and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
97.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 11% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
35 minHighest 33% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.2%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±5.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #60 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH | — | #90 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | — | Chester School District |
| High school 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.