Compare towns
Derry vs Laconia vs Meredith
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Derry has the highest household income ($109k).
Laconia has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
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 | Derry | Laconia | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 34,116Highest |
17,085 |
6,758Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8% NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 40.3±1.6Lowest 7% below NH |
45.3±3.9 5% above NH |
55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±2.1Highest NH: 18.2% |
18.4%±2.9 NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Derry and Laconia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
22.8%±2.7 NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.4% NH: 40.6% |
27.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
45.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.5Highest NH: 6% |
3.1%±1.1 NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $108,944±$7kHighest 10% above NH |
$73,218±$12kLowest 26% below NH |
$87,019±$19k 12% below NH |
| Derry and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $432,000±$17k 7% above NH |
$340,300±$16kLowest 15% below NH |
$480,100±$48kHighest 19% above NH |
| Meredith and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,547±$138Highest 4% above NH |
$1,224±$107 18% below NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,103Highest 22% above NH |
$4,484Lowest 33% below NH |
$5,006 25% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.6%±9 NH: 48.2% |
54.5%±10.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Laconia and Derry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
12.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.2% NH: 72.8% |
64.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 16% above NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
26 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 16%±2.8 NH: 16.8% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith and Derry 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 | #60 of 120 in NH | #105 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Derry Cooperative School District · Pinkerton Academy School District | Laconia School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Pinkerton Academy | Laconia High School | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.9Highest |
10.0Lowest |
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.