Compare towns
Kingston vs Meredith vs Durham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Kingston has the most kids (13.5% under 18).
Meredith has the most people working from home (23.7%).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Kingston | Meredith | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,275Lowest |
6,758 |
15,080Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 55.5±5.7Highest 28% above NH |
55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Kingston and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.7%±6 NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Meredith and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
45.9% NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±2.1 NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $105,330±$12k 6% above NH |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
$124,056±$21kHighest 25% above NH |
| Durham and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $492,900±$58k 22% above NH |
$480,100±$48kLowest 19% above NH |
$504,300±$41kHighest 25% above NH |
| Durham and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,393±$156 7% below NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
$1,429±$143Highest 4% below NH |
| Durham and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,906 19% above NH |
$5,006Lowest 25% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±46.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.4% NH: 72.8% |
75.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 27% above NH |
26 min about the NH average |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
| Work from home | 15.7%±4.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Meredith and Durham 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 | #78 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Sanborn Regional School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | Sanborn Regional High School | Inter-Lakes High School | Oyster River High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
11.1Lowest |
12.3 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 51 photos → |
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.