Compare towns
Gray vs Meredith vs Peterborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gray has the youngest population (median age 43.4).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Peterborough has the most renters (43.7% rent).
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 | Gray | Meredith | Peterborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
6,758 |
6,408Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
52.1±1.9 34% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Gray and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Meredith and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
$98,401±$8kHighest 22% above U.S. |
| Peterborough and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$404,500±$31k 22% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Peterborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,395±$209Highest about the U.S. average |
| Peterborough and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$5,006 61% above U.S. |
$8,655Highest 177% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
29.2%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
56.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
23 minLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.8%±4.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Meredith and Peterborough 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | #62 of 120 in NH | #59 of 120 in NH |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Contoocook Valley School District |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Inter-Lakes High School | Conval Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
11.1Lowest |
12.0 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.