Compare towns
Dunbarton vs Meredith vs Weare
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dunbarton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9%).
Meredith has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Weare has the most affordable homes ($396k 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 | Dunbarton | Meredith | Weare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,097Lowest |
6,758 |
9,170Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
+3.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48±3.7 11% above NH |
55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
45.6±4Lowest 5% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±3.8 NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Weare and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±4.3 NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
13.5%±3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
45.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
41.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2 NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
4.3%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
| Weare and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,348±$21kHighest 26% above NH |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
$118,271±$17k 19% above NH |
| Dunbarton and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $484,100±$33kHighest 20% above NH |
$480,100±$48k 19% above NH |
$396,300±$26kLowest about the NH average |
| Dunbarton and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,166±$70 22% below NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
$1,541±$214Highest 3% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,233Highest 23% above NH |
$5,006Lowest 25% below NH |
$6,272 6% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.7%±60.7 NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
62.2%±24.6Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Weare and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3% NH: 7.2% |
7.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 11 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 25% above NH |
26 minLowest about the NH average |
36 minHighest 34% above NH |
| Work from home | 12.6%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±4.9 NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith and Weare 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 | #33 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH | #84 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dunbarton School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Inter-Lakes High School | John Stark Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Lowest |
11.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.