Compare towns
Hampton vs Maynard vs Stow vs Meredith
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hampton has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Maynard has the oldest housing (typical home built 1963).
Stow has the most people working from home (36.6%).
Meredith has the most affordable homes ($480k 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 | Hampton | Maynard | Stow | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,101 |
10,712Highest |
7,165 |
6,758Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.2±1.7 32% above U.S. |
45.3±4.3 16% above U.S. |
44.1±4.4Lowest 13% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
22.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Stow and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.9%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Meredith and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
64.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Stow and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $97,163±$4k 20% above U.S. |
$124,067±$16k 54% above U.S. |
$185,809±$22kHighest 130% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $545,300±$63k 64% above U.S. |
$527,400±$31k 59% above U.S. |
$729,600±$39kHighest 119% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48kLowest 44% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,654±$93 17% above U.S. |
$1,800±$148Highest 27% above U.S. |
$1,782±$126 26% above U.S. |
$1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Maynard and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,872 120% above U.S. |
$8,266 165% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,006Lowest 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.9%±13.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.9%±9.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.7%±44.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stow and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 35% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 20.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±7.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
36.6%±6.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #31 of 120 in NH | #166 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | — | Nashoba | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 11.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.