Compare towns
Gilford vs Dover 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
Gilford has the highest household income ($117k).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
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 | Gilford | Dover | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,830 |
33,364Highest |
6,758Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8% NH: +4.6% |
+9.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48.2±3.9 11% above NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
| Meredith and Gilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±4.5Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Gilford and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.8%±3.2 NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
52%Highest NH: 40.6% |
45.9% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $116,635±$11kHighest 18% above NH |
$94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,500±$56k 13% above NH |
$436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
$480,100±$48kHighest 19% above NH |
| Meredith and Gilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$747 23% below NH |
$1,607±$100Highest 8% above NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
| Dover and Gilford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,868Lowest 27% below NH |
$8,249Highest 24% above NH |
$5,006 25% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.2%±8.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Gilford and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.8% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH |
1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 18% below NH |
23 min 15% below NH |
26 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 16.9%±4.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith and Dover 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 | #45 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Gilford School District | Dover School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Gilford High School | Dover Senior High School | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.5 |
12.7Highest |
11.1Lowest |
| 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.