Compare towns
Holderness vs Meredith vs Ashland vs Mont Vernon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Holderness has the youngest population (median age 39.4).
Meredith has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
Ashland has the most affordable homes ($227k median).
Mont Vernon has the highest household income ($158k).
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 | Holderness | Meredith | Ashland | Mont Vernon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,917Lowest |
6,758Highest |
2,183 |
2,636 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.9% NH: +4.6% |
+6.7% NH: +4.6% |
-6.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±7.4Lowest 9% below NH |
55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
42.3±11.2 about the NH average |
42.9±2.8 about the NH average |
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±9.3 NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21.4%±6.4 NH: 18.2% |
22.1%±3.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Mont Vernon and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 31.4%±4.6 NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
25.8%±5.3 NH: 20.1% |
15.6%±3.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Meredith and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
45.9% NH: 40.6% |
35.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
50.8% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2 NH: 6% |
2.7%±1.7 NH: 6% |
6.1%±2.8Highest NH: 6% |
| Mont Vernon and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $107,863±$45k 9% above NH |
$87,019±$19k 12% below NH |
$54,607±$9kLowest 45% below NH |
$158,036±$19kHighest 60% above NH |
| Mont Vernon and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,100±$60k 10% below NH |
$480,100±$48k 19% above NH |
$227,000±$29kLowest 44% below NH |
$526,300±$39kHighest 31% above NH |
| Mont Vernon and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,068±$385Highest 39% above NH |
$1,149±$304 23% below NH |
$1,096±$155Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,104±$185 26% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,923Lowest 41% below NH |
$5,006 25% below NH |
$4,961 26% below NH |
$9,432Highest 41% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.5%±21.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
39.1%±14.8 NH: 48.2% |
51.4%±80.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Mont Vernon and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.1% NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
21.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7% NH: 72.8% |
75.8% NH: 72.8% |
64.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
26 min about the NH average |
26 minLowest 4% below NH |
30 minHighest 12% above NH |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9 NH: 16.8% |
9.9%±4.6 NH: 16.8% |
26.6%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Mont Vernon 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 | — | #4 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Holderness School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Ashland School District | Mont Vernon School District |
| High school in town | None 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 Our Story | None yet | 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.