Compare towns
Keene vs Wolfeboro 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
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
Wolfeboro has the most expensive homes ($547k median).
Meredith has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
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 | Keene | Wolfeboro | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,939Highest |
6,571Lowest |
6,758 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+2.3% NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
57±1.8Highest 32% above NH |
55.5±3.7 28% above NH |
| Wolfeboro and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±1.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
13.7%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Keene and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
34.6%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5 NH: 20.1% |
| Wolfeboro and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
45% NH: 40.6% |
45.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
2.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$94,375±$22kHighest 5% below NH |
$87,019±$19k 12% below NH |
| Wolfeboro and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$546,500±$60kHighest 36% above NH |
$480,100±$48k 19% above NH |
| Wolfeboro and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,342±$68Highest 10% below NH |
$1,103±$76Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,149±$304 23% below NH |
| Keene and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,812Highest about the NH average |
$4,531Lowest 32% below NH |
$5,006 25% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.5%±6.1 NH: 48.2% |
12%±11.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Meredith and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
8.2% NH: 7.2% |
7.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
78.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
75.8% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 36% below NH |
24 min 11% below NH |
26 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 15.6%±2.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
22.9%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith and Wolfeboro 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 | #81 of 120 in NH | #46 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Keene School District | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Keene High School | Kingswood Regional High School | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
11.1Lowest |
11.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.