Compare towns
Dummer vs Meredith vs Columbia
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dummer has the most kids (19.4% under 18).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Columbia has the shortest commute (20 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 | Dummer | Meredith | Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 299Lowest |
6,758Highest |
683 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-12.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 53.6±6.4 24% above NH |
55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
51.8±10.1Lowest 20% above NH |
| Meredith and Dummer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±5.1Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±5.2 NH: 18.2% |
| Dummer and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±4.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
29.9%±8.3 NH: 20.1% |
| Meredith and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.9% NH: 40.6% |
45.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
14.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±5.7Lowest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2 NH: 6% |
7%±3.7Highest NH: 6% |
| Columbia and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,250±$21kHighest 8% below NH |
$87,019±$19k 12% below NH |
$57,917±$13kLowest 42% below NH |
| Dummer and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,200±$51k 40% below NH |
$480,100±$48kHighest 19% above NH |
$196,400±$29kLowest 51% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,149±$304Highest 23% below NH |
$792±$333Lowest 47% below NH |
| Meredith and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,898 57% below NH |
$5,006Highest 25% below NH |
$2,009Lowest 70% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
9.1%±95.8 NH: 48.2% |
| Meredith and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9% NH: 7.2% |
7.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
10.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.2%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below NH |
26 minHighest about the NH average |
20 minLowest 24% below NH |
| Work from home | 6.8%±4.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
11.2%±6.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #62 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | — |
| High school in town | — | Inter-Lakes High School | — |
| 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.