Compare towns
Durham vs Meredith vs Hampstead
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.1).
Meredith has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
Hampstead has the most kids (21.3% under 18).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Durham | Meredith | Hampstead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,681Highest |
6,758Lowest |
9,102 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
+5.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 20.1±0.2Lowest 54% below NH |
55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
45.3±6.1 5% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 6.5%±2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
21.3%±3.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 7.5%±1.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
21.8%±4 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
45.9% NH: 40.6% |
44.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 70.2%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
5.1%±1.6 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,070±$25k 13% above NH |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
$112,348±$18kHighest 13% above NH |
| Hampstead and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,000±$45k 24% above NH |
$480,100±$48kLowest 19% above NH |
$521,100±$45kHighest 29% above NH |
| Hampstead and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,302±$211Highest 13% below NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
$1,299±$149 13% below NH |
| Durham and Hampstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$5,006Lowest 25% below NH |
$8,634 30% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.4%±19.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
44.1%±20.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
3.8%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.8% NH: 72.8% |
82.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
26 min about the NH average |
30 minHighest 13% above NH |
| Work from home | 15.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
21%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith and Hampstead 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH | #49 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Hampstead 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 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.