Compare towns
Hancock vs Meredith vs Ripton vs Rochester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hancock has the most kids (17.2% under 18).
Meredith has the most expensive homes ($480k median).
Ripton has the highest household income ($113k).
Rochester has the most people working from home (40.8%).
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 | Hancock | Meredith | Ripton | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 435Lowest |
6,758Highest |
508 |
1,389 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.8±11.6Lowest 13% below U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2 23% above U.S. |
53.3±7.6 37% above U.S. |
| Meredith and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3 U.S.: 22% |
10.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Hancock and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Meredith and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
49%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $76,250±$34k 6% below U.S. |
$87,019±$19k 8% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$72,676±$8kLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Ripton and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $187,900±$11kLowest 44% below U.S. |
$480,100±$48kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
$253,600±$81k 24% below U.S. |
| Meredith and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $939±$19 34% below U.S. |
$1,149±$304Highest 19% below U.S. |
— | $929±$158Lowest 34% below U.S. |
| Meredith and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,511Lowest 13% above U.S. |
$5,006Highest 61% above U.S. |
$4,915 58% above U.S. |
$3,977 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 3.5%±16.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.4%±27.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Rochester and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.7%±5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
40.8%±27.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rochester and Meredith 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 | — | #62 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | — | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Rochester Stockbridge Unified School District #81 |
| High school in town | — | Inter-Lakes High School | None in town | None in town |
| 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.