Compare towns
Exeter vs Meredith vs Ossipee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Ossipee has the most affordable homes ($326k 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 | Exeter | Meredith | Ossipee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
6,758 |
4,521Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
+0.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Lowest 6% above NH |
55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
50±4.6 15% above NH |
| Meredith and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±4.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Ossipee and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
26.3%±5.9 NH: 20.1% |
| Meredith and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
45.9% NH: 40.6% |
24.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,346±$13kHighest 11% above NH |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
$90,521±$22k 9% below NH |
| Exeter and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$480,100±$48kHighest 19% above NH |
$325,500±$23kLowest 19% below NH |
| Meredith and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
$1,601±$245 7% above NH |
| Exeter and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$5,006 25% below NH |
$4,401Lowest 34% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
72%±16.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Ossipee and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
8.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.8% NH: 72.8% |
82%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest same as NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1979Highest same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 7% below NH |
26 min about the NH average |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
5.3%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith and Exeter 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH | #100 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Inter-Lakes High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
11.1Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 59 photos → | 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.